etc.

Running with Scissors, Augusten Burroughs
Unabridged Audiobook 2003

I’m reading again, woot!

If my life sucked, it would suck a little bit less after reading this book. As it is, my life doesn’t suck at all so many of the extremes in this books (and it’s all extremes) mostly made me sit up and think “huh. what are the chances?” That one person could have met so many dysfunctional people and had so many bizarre experiences in his life is almost beyond belief. Burroughs recounts his days living with psycho lesbian mum, alcoholic dad, wacked out shrink’s family (who communicate with God through their excrement) and a whole sundry bunch of utterly marginalized human beings, all the while keeping his narrative somewhat pitiful and always deadpan funny (reminded me a little of Naked). I might not have liked this book as much as I did if Burroughs was any more upfront than he already is. That is — he holds no punches in spelling out the Truth of his experiences but he resists labeling them and the people who populate his life. So his 34-year old homosexual lover is merely obsessed/obsessive and possibly capable of homicide, and it was only after I finished reading the book (and thinking about it for this review) that I realized that he was more than just obsessive and slightly manic – he was also a pedophile. So, yeah, Burroughs does a great job with things like that.