Of the many talents that Dr. Donahue displays in writing this most engaging and useful book, the two most important are story-telling and listening. He tells entertaining tales that highlight the wisdom that can come from the mouths of teens. He manages to do so in a way that also includes a wide range of references to medical studies and both classical and popular sources, as well as references to his own experiences and insights gained through his decades of practicing adolescent medicine. His topics range from family meals, pets, T.V. viewing, A.D.D., and obesity, through peer pressure and changing attitudes and habits, all the way to sex, porn, religion, trust, and role-modeling. It is a book about sound medical advice — but even more so, in the biggest of pictures, it’s about how to live a healthy life. The good doctor proves time and again that the deepest wisdom and the most practical common sense often go hand-in-hand.
Dennis M. Doyle, Ph.D.
Professor of Religious Studies
University of Dayton