Depending on the clinician to whom one talks, between 50 and 85% of Western populations are workaholic, so "Chained to the Desk" should appeal to virtually every English-speaking Westerner. Few of us will, however, read it. This is a great tragedy because, if you suffer from an addiction to work, not only do you probably suffer from many other less "socially admirable" addictions that will undoubtedly be shortening your life and making it less enjoyable than necessary, you are probably also unwittingly spreading this very debilitating and serious disease and, moreover, will unwittingly be creating varying degrees of "hell" for your intimates. I know. I lost my family before I woke up to the family-and-life-threatening concomitants of this disease.

"Chained to the Desk" is extremely comprehensive, well-referenced, well organized, cogently argued, and replete with practical suggestions. Yet it suffers from a major flaw: it describes workaholics as "them" and leaves those of us who do not like to be described as "them" just as much "in the unknowing cold" as before. Nevertheless, if you can identify with Dr. Robinson's "them" without "turning off or away", studying this book will help you either escape or heal from workaholism. As for Dr. Robinson, well, since he was once himself severely addicted to work, he has another book to write for us in which I recommend his publisher insists that he substitute the words "we" and "us" for "they" and "them". Maybe then the Anglosphere will wake up to our gross, grievous, and ongoing failures to use technologies and techniques for the true and lasting benefit of both ourselves and our planet.

"Chained to the Desk" is an excellent book for both the layperson and the clinician on workaholism. It provides an informative and clearly articulated discussion of the symptoms of workaholism, the possible causes, and how to fight it. The book's discussion of the addiction's impact on spouses and partners, children, friends, and work colleagues is particularly instructive. The author also provides a simple test for determining to what degree, if any, the reader suffers from workaholism. I highly recommend this book for the individual who is prone to taking her blackberry on vacation or is otherwise "chained to her desk" and for the those close to her who must suffer the consequences.