Augusten Burroughs
Possible Side Effects (2006)
Author: Augusten Burroughs
Genre: Memoir (Growing Through Narratives)
Book Summary:
In his fourth collection of essays, Burroughs presents more delightful tidbits of daily minutia (from tissues to eBay), as well as poignant stories of his childhood dermatologist and his older brother. Readers who have enjoyed Burroughs's other books, will certainly recognize the tone and humor in this one.
Geographical Setting: United States
Time Period: 1970s and Contemporary (2006)
Appeal Characteristics:
Short little essays are the mode of delivery in this book, so it is easy to pick up and put down, if you need/want. Burroughs manages to be a character in his own book-- someone who we can't quite believe is real. The other people around him are the same way, from his manic-depressive mother to his John Updike obsessed friend. Although this book is prefaced with a small disclaimer about the possible exageration of anything in the book, one feels like it's there just because of the James Frey mess. Burroughs uses a dry wit and a child-like sense of the absurb to amuse readers.
Read-alikes: If a reader has yet to read Running with Scissors, Dry, or Magical Thinking by Burroughs, I would suggest reading those first because it provides the backstory for many of the people and experiences described in Possible Side Effects. For those would enjoy reading less dark books without sacrificing the humor, I might suggest Barrel Fever, Naked, and Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. These essays also describe strange childhood and roads less travelled. For those interested in memoirs from an alcoholic, like Burroughs, Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood by Karen Zailckas. Zailckas documents experiences from her alcohol-sodden adolescence. For those wanting more books about sexually abused children, I might suggest Marr Karr's Liars Club and Cherry. Karr describes growing up in a small Texas town with a manic artist mother and an alcoholic father. For those who enjoy the format, but are looking for something a little less dark, I would suggest We Thought You Would Be Prettier by Laurie Notaro. In amusing little essays, she catalogs the existance of the dorkiest girl alive.
Red Flags: Homosexuality, a full range of traumatic childhood events, strange fascination with British tissues.
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