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Title: Dry: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs ISBN: 0-312-27205-7 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 02 June, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.43 (74 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Funny and poignant
Comment: I assume buyers of this must have read Running with Scissors, which means that they're unshockable non-homophobics. Shockable homophobics will need CPR within the first few pages. It continues the life of Augusten Burroughs. (Oddly enough he is more frank about his degree of fictionization in this book, although the events are less fantastic and more believable). He comes to Manhattan, works in advertizing, has an alcohol problem, goes in into a gay rehab tank, joins AA, relapses, and gets sober again. He has several love affairs, partly to get over his passion for a friend who is dying of AIDS.
In its way it is as funny as Running with Scissors. It's also more overtly tragic. You could say that Running with Scissors was about even more tragic events but seriousness was seldom allowed in, except in the most mordant and bitter way. This becomes almost sentimental at times.
Which is the better book? Dry addresses deeper issues of more universal concern. Running with Scissors was more startlingly original. I haven't read Sellevision yet.
Rating: 4
Summary: Insightful Memoir of Alcoholism and Recovery
Comment: Dry recounts Augusten Burroughs struggle with alcoholism and recovery, hitting rock-bottom, and his effort to resurface once again. In it, he simultaneoulsy mocks AA, the Proud Clinic and his rehab group, as well as recognizes in a peculiarly insightful way, that they have, in fact, saved his life. He describes in vivid fashion his changing relationship with his friends, drinking buddies, and former lovers during this tumultuous time, ending with an epiphany of self-awareness as he abandons alcohol for good.
This is a poinant story, humorously told, yet without being funny. Burroughs makes you want to care about him, from successful ad man, to his near bout as a skid row bum. Burroughs's insightful description of coming to grips with alcoholism and its consequences seems both sad and funny at times, such as when he describes coming back from rehab to an efficiency apartment filled with thousands of empty Dewars bottles, and furniture he now realizes he had bought when he was drunk.
It's truly hard to put down and is a fascinating read; important, too, if you've ever known anyone who had a problem with alcohol. Highly recommended.
Rating: 5
Summary: Powerful and Fun, A Fast Read with Some Meat on the Bone
Comment: DRY (Burroughs, Augusten) is a strong, strong novel about addiction and more so the reflection of society from both the contrasting perspectives of the addict and the former-addict. Right up there with MY FRACTURED LIFE (Travolta, Rikki Lee), BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY (McInerney, Jay) and LESS THAN ZERO (Ellis, Bret Easton).
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Title: Running with Scissors: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs ISBN: 031242227X Publisher: Picador USA Pub. Date: 01 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Sellevision: A Novel by Augusten Burroughs ISBN: 0312422288 Publisher: Picador USA Pub. Date: 01 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: A Million Little Pieces by JAMES FREY ISBN: 0385507755 Publisher: Nan A. Talese Pub. Date: 15 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $22.95 |
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Title: why I'm like this : True Stories by Cynthia Kaplan ISBN: 006051261X Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 03 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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Title: Sickened : The Memoir of a Munchausen by Proxy Childhood by Julie Gregory, Marc D. Feldman ISBN: 0553803077 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 30 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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