'This is the Brady Bunch on Viagra... it is impossible not to laugh at all the jokes; to admire the sardonic, fetid tone; to wonder, slack-jawed and agog, at the sheer looniness of the vista he conjures up' Rachel Cooke, Observer This is the true story of a boy who wanted to grow up with the Brady Bunch, but ended up living with the Addams Family. Augusten Burroughs's mother gave him away to be raised by her psychiatrist, a dead ringer for Santa Claus and a certifiable lunatic into the bargain. The doctor's bizarre family, ...
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'This is the Brady Bunch on Viagra... it is impossible not to laugh at all the jokes; to admire the sardonic, fetid tone; to wonder, slack-jawed and agog, at the sheer looniness of the vista he conjures up' Rachel Cooke, Observer This is the true story of a boy who wanted to grow up with the Brady Bunch, but ended up living with the Addams Family. Augusten Burroughs's mother gave him away to be raised by her psychiatrist, a dead ringer for Santa Claus and a certifiable lunatic into the bargain. The doctor's bizarre family, a few patients and a sinister man living in the garden shed completed the tableau. The perfect squalor of their dilapidated Victorian house, there were no rules and there was no school. The Christmas tree stayed up until summer and Valium was chomped down like sweets. And when things got a bit slow, there was always the ancient electroshock therapy machine under the stairs... 'This true story is a match for the strangest... Running with Scissors reads like an extremely well crafted and crazed sitcom, a mix of Jerry Springer and Seinfeld... Funny, moving and extraordinary' Christina Patterson, Independent 'Twisted, hilarious and relentlessly bizarre... It single-handedly redefines the term "fucked up childhood"' Sleazenation 'Bawdy, outrageous, often hilarious... so flippant and so insanely funny' New York Times 'A story so strange, it could never be fiction... deftly written, smart and funny' GQ 'Burroughs will be hard pressed ever to better this, his debut effort... It's one you'll never forget' Alice Fisher, Time Out 'Dave Pelzer with a whoopee cushion attached... Genuinely memorable' Observer Top 50 Cultural Events of the Season
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Add this copy of Running With Scissors: a Memoir to cart. $0.99, good condition, Sold by BookHolders rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Gambrills, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Picador USA.
Add this copy of Running With Scissors: a Memoir to cart. $0.99, very good condition, Sold by More Than Words rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Waltham, MA, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Picador USA.
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Very Good. . All orders guaranteed and ship within 24 hours. Your purchase supports More Than Words, a nonprofit job training program for youth, empowering youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business.
Add this copy of Running With Scissors: a Memoir to cart. $1.04, fair condition, Sold by Jenson Books Inc rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Logan, UT, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Picador USA.
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This item is fairly worn, but continues to work perfectly. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn corners, bends, tears, small stains, and partial water damage. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing, if applicable. Pages may include excessive notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Satisfaction Guaranteed.
Add this copy of Running With Scissors: a Memoir to cart. $1.08, good condition, Sold by Valleys Books & More rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Roanoke, VA, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Picador USA.
Add this copy of Running With Scissors: a Memoir to cart. $1.14, fair condition, Sold by Gulf Coast Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Memphis, TN, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Picador.
Add this copy of Running With Scissors: a Memoir to cart. $1.17, fair condition, Sold by Your Online Bookstore rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Houston, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Picador.
Add this copy of Running With Scissors: a Memoir to cart. $1.17, fair condition, Sold by Orion Tech rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Arlington, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Picador.
Add this copy of Running With Scissors: a Memoir to cart. $1.22, good condition, Sold by Your Online Bookstore rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Houston, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Picador.
Add this copy of Running With Scissors: a Memoir to cart. $1.22, good condition, Sold by Gulf Coast Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Memphis, TN, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Picador.
Add this copy of Running With Scissors: a Memoir to cart. $1.25, good condition, Sold by Orion Tech rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Arlington, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Picador.
Book was like new in excellent shape and arrived very quick to my residence. Excellent service!
Conundrum
Jun 13, 2009
Running with Scissors: Review by Conundrum
To be totally honest, I actually watched the movie, ?Running With Scissors? before I read the book. However, the movie is what interested me in the stories of Augusten Burroughs. In my opinion, ?Running with Scissors? took some major bullocks to write. The story is so intriguing that you just cannot put down the book. I found myself completely drawn into the world of a boy, Augusten Burroughs, attempting to become an independent entity while struggling with obstacles beyond the boundaries of even the most active imagination. The story of his life is sad, yes. However, he seems to find the humor in his turmoil flawlessly.
Dealing with a psychotic mother, Deirdre, and the ?adopted? Finch family that is perhaps even worse off, Augusten somehow stays true to himself. I admit, this book is not for those of a high moral standard with preconceived notions of ?normal?. This book is also not for close-minded, judgmental people either. No, this book is for those of us that know life is truly flawed and that very bad things can happen and almost always will. It is also a testament that good people who get put in drastically horrible situations will either flounder or prevail. Well, Augusten definitely prevails.
The characters are engaging and somewhat mysterious at times. For me, it was slightly difficult to put my finger on what motivated Agnes (the wife of Finch) and Hope (daughter of Finch). However, they both play intricate roles in his story.
The other characters, however, all had extremely potent personalities. Finch (the Psychiatrist of Deirdre), is an unusual patriarch in many, many ways. I mean, at one point, he actually believes that his excrement will dictate the family?s financial situation. Odd, hmmm? Natalie (youngest daughter of Finch) is a force of nature. I believe that she helps Augusten realize that it is ok to be himself. She supports him and him and is the closest thing he has to a friend. At the other end of the spectrum is Bookman, (lover of Augusten, adopted by Finch as well), an extremely complex, psychotic character. The way he approaches the world and the people in it is an enigma, to say the least.
I can?t say much more without completely giving away the entire plot to the book, so I will end with this. I highly suggest ALL of Augusten Burroughs books. Trust me, I have read every one and they are all more than fantastic.
I hope this review was helpful to you and that you might have even enjoyed it.
Thank you for your time.
marylee
Feb 14, 2008
I bought this as an audio book and threw it in the trash. I wouldn't even donate it or pass it on. It's disgusting, perverted. I can't believe it's a true story. Albris service was superb in delivery of all products I've ordered from them, I just made a mistake with this selection.
thinkbillly
Jun 3, 2007
What?!?
I bought this book in the bookstore at JFK and read it enroute to Manchester, England. At the end of the flight I ditched it in a trash can at the airport. I loved it right up until the last chapter. I would have to reread it (groan) to pinpoint what exactly made me dislike it so much. Not going to happen. I did see the film (at a two dollar theatre, just in case,) hoping to catch what I missed in the reading. Both book and film felt contrived, I guess...
bonzo
Apr 7, 2007
like a car accident
This, along with many other books by Burroughs, hold the same elemental features. The stories are somewhat connected yet charmingly anachronistic. Sometimes disturbing, sometimes outrageous, sometimes disturbingly outrageous; the memories in this collection hold a distinct power over the reader. Even if you wish you could, it is almost impossible to put it down. Some might feel ashamed for enjoying it, much like passing a bloody car crash on the highway at an all-too-slow speed. But I assure you, the outcome at the end of this experience is far more hilarious and a lot less fatal.
