Dirty Secret

A daughter comes clean about her mother's compulsive hoarding.

by Jessie Sholl

No, You Are Not A Book Hoarder

I'm irritated by this National Post essay, Confessions of a Book Hoarder. Sure, it's meant to be funny -- hoarding, that's hi-lar-i-ous!! -- but I find it flippant and smirky. Read More

Animal Hoarding: A View from the Trenches

An interview with a worker on the front lines against animal hoarding. Read More

Animal Hoarding: One Dog's Story

You might think that as the daughter of a compulsive hoarder, I'd be able to spot other hoarding situations easily. But that's not the case. Because after my husband and I adopted our dog, it was years before we realized the poor pooch had likely come from an animal hoarder. Read More

What is the Difference Between Compulsive Hoarding and Collecting?

A surprising number of people, when I tell them about my book, confide nervously that they think they might be a hoarder, too. I'll usually ask then if they have any rooms in home that can no longer be used. "No," the person will say, surprised. Read More

Compulsive Hoarding: Beyond the Crazy Cat Lady

I'm the daughter of a compulsive hoarder. Four years ago, I'd have chewed off my own arm rather than admit that fact to anyone besides my husband. But then a series of health crises made my mother's secret too difficult to bear on my own, so I decided to come clean. Read More

Jessie Sholl is the author of Dirty Secret: A Daughter Comes Clean About Her Mother's Compulsive Hoarding.

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About Dirty Secret

"Suspenseful and novel-like, Dirty Secret is a wonderful, respectful introduction to the world of a hoarder and the tribulations suffered by both the individual who hoards and their family members." -- Fugen Neziroglu, Ph.D. author of Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding: Why You Save and How You Can Stop