by Augusten Burroughs
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Published: 2013
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Genre: Memoir
Hardback pages: 320
Rating: 5
First sentence(s):
Sometimes when you work in advertising you'll get a product that's really garbage and you have to make it seem fantastic, something that is essential to the continued quality of life.
From the bestselling author of Running with Scissors comes Dry―the hilarious, moving, and no less bizarre account of what happened next.
You may not know it, but you've met Augusten Burroughs. You've seen him on the street, in bars, on the subway, at restaurants: a twenty-something guy, nice suit, works in advertising. Regular. Ordinary. But when the ordinary person had to drinks, Augusten was circling the drain by having twelve; when the ordinary person went home at midnight, Augusten never went home at all. Loud, distracting ties, automated wake-up calls, and cologne on the tongue could only hide so much for so long. At the request (well, it wasn't really a request) of his employers, Augusten landed in rehab, where his dreams of group therapy with Robert Downey, Jr., are immediately dashed by the grim reality of fluorescent lighting and paper hospital slippers. But when Augusten is forced to examine himself, something actually starts to click, and that's when he finds himself in the worst trouble of all. Because when his thirty days are up, he has to return to his same drunken Manhattan life―and live it sober. What follows is a memoir that's as moving as it is funny, as heartbreaking as it is real. Dry is the story of love, loss, and Starbucks as a higher power.
My two-bits:
I listened to the audio version of this which was narrated by the author. In general, I prefer to listen to Augusten reading his works rather than reading them. It comes through more vibrantly.
This story continues Augusten's life after what is covered in his first book.
Thoughts on alcoholism, addictions and going through treatment and recovery are emphasized in this book along with his wit and humor.
Reading about Augusten's struggles and growth include learning bits about life and living.
