Everything in Its Place: Living Successfully with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Although for many people obsessive compulsive disorder is a debilitating condition, Summers, the host of PAX-TV's Great Day America and the former host of Nickelodeon's Double Dare, found ways to channel his OCD into a high-powered career. In this upbeat memoir-cum-guide, he describes how he discovered that his ""all or nothing"" approach to life and his obsession with order (e.g., straightening the fringe on his oriental rug to make each strand exactly parallel) could be more than just an idiosyncrasy. He ""outed"" himself on national television when Dr. Hollander, an OCD expert, was a guest on Summers's talk show, and became active in educating the public about a neurological disorder that affects some six million Americans. Summers believes his considerable career success is tied to his OCD, since it was ""a way for me to channel an aspect of my disease: my need to win, to be perfect, to be the best."" He also emphasizes the fear and shame he felt about his compulsions, the toll they took on his family and the need for treatment (Hollander cites ""startlingly high"" success rates with a combination of medication and behavior therapy). Unfortunately, Summers brings little insight or analytical depth to this material. But he provides a good deal of useful self-help information and communicates a positive attitude that will encourage many who live with OCD to seek help for their condition. Agent, Mark Reiter, IMG Literary; 7-city tour. (Oct.)