Rating: 
Summary: Another Inspiring Chapter
Review: When Augusten Burroughs published his childhood memoir, Running With Scissors, he took the world by storm with his wit, cynicsm and dry humour. Now, Burroughs takes us into yet another dark chapter of his life, his twenties, the greater part of which he spent drunk and high on cocaine. Burroughs bares his heart and soul on the page; he keeps nothing hidden from his reader. And that's exactly what makes this autobiography stand above the rest. Burroughs is so brutally honest that you don't always end up liking him. As a matter of fact, he often seems very shallow and arrogant on the page. And yet, even with all his flaws, you also end up caring for Burroughs a lot. The novel starts when Burroughs is told by his employer (he's a an advertising editor) that he needs to go to rehab or he loses his job. There, he befriends a group of strange characters that will help him through his hard time. When he is finally released from rehab, he isn't fully ready for what is waiting for him on the other side: the real world. For starters, his best friend is HIV positive and slowly dying. Secondly, he falls in love with a man who is still an addict and who's life is just one big mess. And then, there's the temptation, which is always present, always threatening. But don't be fooled. The book isn't as dark as it appears to be on the surface because you know, after having read his previous biography, that Burroughs has a strong character and that he'll somehow find a way through this all. And the fact that he uses humour to alleviate the dark moments helps make this one very fascinating and involving read. This is what a biography should be like; funny, touching, inspiring. It is beautifully written and lives up to the standards of the amazing Running With Scissors, something that isn't easy to do(it was one of the best memoirs I have ever read). Dry is a one of a kind memoir that will stay with you for a long time. Not to be missed! It will surely be one of the best book of the year.
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