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Running with Scissors: A Memoir Kindle Edition

4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 4,908 ratings

The #1 New York Times bestselling memoir from Augusten Burroughs, Running with Scissors, now a Major Motion Picture!

Running with Scissors is the true story of a boy whose mother (a poet with delusions of Anne Sexton) gave him away to be raised by her psychiatrist, a dead-ringer for Santa and a lunatic in the bargain. Suddenly, at age twelve, Augusten Burroughs found himself living in a dilapidated Victorian in perfect squalor. The doctor's bizarre family, a few patients, and a pedophile living in the backyard shed completed the tableau. Here, there were no rules, there was no school. The Christmas tree stayed up until summer, and Valium was eaten like Pez. And when things got dull, there was always the vintage electroshock therapy machine under the stairs....

Running with Scissors is at turns foul and harrowing, compelling and maniacally funny. But above all, it chronicles an ordinary boy's survival under the most extraordinary circumstances.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

There is a passage early in Augusten Burroughs's harrowing and highly entertaining memoir, Running with Scissors, that speaks volumes about the author. While going to the garbage dump with his father, young Augusten spots a chipped, glass-top coffee table that he longs to bring home. "I knew I could hide the chip by fanning a display of magazines on the surface, like in a doctor's office," he writes, "And it certainly wouldn't be dirty after I polished it with Windex for three hours." There were certainly numerous chips in the childhood Burroughs describes: an alcoholic father, an unstable mother who gives him up for adoption to her therapist, and an adolescence spent as part of the therapist's eccentric extended family, gobbling prescription meds and fooling around with both an old electroshock machine and a pedophile who lives in a shed out back. But just as he dreamed of doing with that old table, Burroughs employs a vigorous program of decoration and fervent polishing to a life that many would have simply thrown in a landfill. Despite her abandonment, he never gives up on his increasingly unbalanced mother. And rather than despair about his lot, he glamorizes it: planning a "beauty empire" and performing an a capella version of "You Light Up My Life" at a local mental ward. Burroughs's perspective achieves a crucial balance for a memoir: emotional but not self-involved, observant but not clinical, funny but not deliberately comic. And it's ultimately a feel-good story: as he steers through a challenging childhood, there's always a sense that Burroughs's survivor mentality will guide him through and that the coffee table will be salvaged after all. --John Moe

From Publishers Weekly

"Bookman gave me attention. We would go for long walks and talk about all sorts of things. Like how awful the nuns were in his Catholic school when he was a kid and how you have to roll your lips over your teeth when you give a blowjob," writes Burroughs (Sellevision) about his affair, at age 13, with the 33-year-old son of his mother's psychiatrist. That his mother sent him to live with her shrink (who felt that the affair was good therapy for Burroughs) shows that this is not just another 1980s coming-of-age story. The son of a poet with a "wild mental imbalance" and a professor with a "pitch-black dark side," Burroughs is sent to live with Dr. Finch when his parents separate and his mother comes out as a lesbian. While life in the Finch household is often overwhelming (the doctor talks about masturbating to photos of Golda Meir while his wife rages about his adulterous behavior), Burroughs learns "your life [is] your own and no adult should be allowed to shape it for you." There are wonderful moments of paradoxical humor Burroughs, who accepts his homosexuality as a teen, rejects the squeaky-clean pop icon Anita Bryant because she was "tacky and classless" as well as some horrifying moments, as when one of Finch's daughters has a semi-breakdown and thinks that her cat has come back from the dead. Beautifully written with a finely tuned sense of style and wit the occasional clich‚ ("Life would be fabric-softener, tuna-salad-on-white, PTA-meeting normal") stands out anomalously this memoir of a nightmarish youth is both compulsively entertaining and tremendously provocative.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B002ASFPX2
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Press (April 1, 2010)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 1, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1596 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 322 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1843541513
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 4,908 ratings

About the author

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Augusten Burroughs
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Augusten Burroughs is the author of the autobiographical works "Running with Scissors," "Dry," "Magical Thinking," "Possible Side Effects" and "A Wolf at the Table," all of which were New York Times bestsellers. "Running with Scissors" remained on the New York Times bestseller list for over two consecutive years and was made into a Golden Globe-nominated film starring Annette Bening. His only novel, "Sellevision," is currently in development as a series for NBC. "Dry," Augusten's memoir of his alcoholism and recovery, is being developed by Showtime. In addition, Burroughs is currently creating an original prime-time series for CBS. Augusten's latest book is called "You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas."

Twice named to Entertainment Weekly's list of the funniest people in America, Augusten has also been the subject of a Vanity Fair cover story and a Jeopardy! answer. His books have made guest appearances in two James Patterson novels, one Linkin Park music video, numerous television shows and a porn movie.

Augusten has been a photographer since childhood and many of his images can be seen on his website, www.augusten.com. He lives in New York City.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4,908 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the memoir easy to read and entertaining. They appreciate the author's sense of humor and edgy writing style. The story is thought-provoking and relatable, with interesting characters. However, opinions differ on the story quality - some find it truthful and enjoyable, while others consider it overblown and bizarre.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

272 customers mention "Readability"237 positive35 negative

Customers find the memoir engaging and well-written. They describe it as an insightful read that draws them in and makes the story worth reading. Readers also mention the author is a masterful storyteller and his book is interesting.

"...Burroughs is a masterful storyteller and I believed his story...." Read more

"...word choice is perfect, the emotions he invokes (and provokes) are delightful. The editing in this book is fabulous as well...." Read more

"...That being said, this is worth reading. There are moments of laughter, joy, and disbelief that will pull you in just to make sure everyone is ok...." Read more

"...Overall, this is a very well-written memoir that combines humor and brutal honesty to describe the author’s experiences from childhood to young..." Read more

184 customers mention "Humor"130 positive54 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find the writing style edgy and entertaining. The dialogue is described as witty and clever. The author's casual yet dramatic voice carries them along as he experiences adulthood. However, the tone is explicit, with moments of sadness and grit.

"...families, coming out of it sane and productive with a great sense of humor and edgy style of writing, this is for you!..." Read more

"...The book is full of flavor and you will chuckle for all the wrong reasons...." Read more

"...That being said, this is worth reading. There are moments of laughter, joy, and disbelief that will pull you in just to make sure everyone is ok...." Read more

"...Other times, he trips over his own narrative, and the humor feels a bit heavy-handed and at times strange, almost out of context, like a section was..." Read more

68 customers mention "Writing quality"59 positive9 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book. They praise the author's style, honesty, and mastery of the text. The book is easy to read, honest, and gets you deep inside the head. Readers enjoy the descriptive language and great characters. The editing is fabulous, and situations are humorous, clear, and honest.

"...out of it sane and productive with a great sense of humor and edgy style of writing, this is for you!..." Read more

"...This book is well written. I read the whole book within a couple of nights...." Read more

"...The editing in this book is fabulous as well. Hats off to the folks who made this possible in the sense that it is so well-written...." Read more

"...It rarely fails me. I was drawn into this book by the descriptive language and great character introductions...." Read more

50 customers mention "Thought provoking"50 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and relatable. They appreciate the author's insights into stress and emotional issues. The humor and morbid outlook are described as entertaining. Overall, readers find the book insightful and interesting.

"...yet I still really enjoyed it, and it really haunted me, and that counts for a lot...." Read more

"...His descriptions are vivid, his word choice is perfect, the emotions he invokes (and provokes) are delightful...." Read more

"...There are moments of laughter, joy, and disbelief that will pull you in just to make sure everyone is ok...." Read more

"...to Augusten for presenting unique books which both entertain and inspire." Read more

42 customers mention "Character development"31 positive11 negative

Customers enjoy the book's character development. They find the characters interesting and quirky, with messed-up lives. The book is described as a fun read about bizarre people. Readers appreciate the author's talent and say it's for someone with an open mind.

"...Burroughs is a wonderfully gifted writer. His descriptions are vivid, his word choice is perfect, the emotions he invokes (and provokes) are..." Read more

"...I was drawn into this book by the descriptive language and great character introductions...." Read more

"...life of the Finches, particularly the home environment, is described in precise detail leaving the reader feeling as if they were sitting in the..." Read more

"...chaos that it creates, but in this memoir, there were nearly no normal characters to act as reference points...." Read more

165 customers mention "Story quality"81 positive84 negative

Customers have mixed views on the story. Some find it engaging and entertaining, with a ring of truth. They appreciate the author's honesty and vulnerability. Others find the story absurd, bizarre, shocking, and emotionally disturbing.

"...But this book just grabs you and holds onto you--it's so suspenseful--once I started it I pretty much knew that I was in it for the long haul...." Read more

"...it was fun to read, but also extremely disturbing, and very, very sad...." Read more

"...Overall, this is a very well-written memoir that combines humor and brutal honesty to describe the author’s experiences from childhood to young..." Read more

"...book so much had someone ever said to me, "It's very disturbing and sad, but the author has a gift for finding some light in the darkness" I might..." Read more

26 customers mention "Perspective"15 positive11 negative

Customers have different views on the perspective. Some find it insightful and thought-provoking, making them question things in new ways. Others feel the sexual content is not suitable for sensitive readers, and the childhood depicted is shocking and heartbreaking.

"...Most interestingly, the novel makes you question things in entirely new ways. The technical style of the book is unique...." Read more

"...So I'll recommend this book, too, but not for the faint at heart. And now I'll have to get "Dry" so I can find out the rest of the story." Read more

"...--remindful of that other Burroughs--but Augusten has striking powers of observation, recall and description that lend credence to his bizarre..." Read more

"...Augusten Burroughs is handsome (I viewed his photo on his book), observant, a good communicator & a good writer...." Read more

22 customers mention "Pacing"13 positive9 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some find it fast-paced and engaging, while others find it difficult to follow and tedious at times. They also mention that some sequences seem gratuitous and lack clarity.

"...Burrough quickly moves through back story to main plot line and begins shocking the reader...." Read more

"...This got to be a little tedious and also a little lacking in honesty...." Read more

"...It quickly grabbed my attention, and held it. Yes, there were some appalling things that happened, but nothing that caused me to gasp in horror...." Read more

"I had no idea what this was about. It was far more graphically detailed than expected. Triggers Homosexual rape and pedophilia...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2011
    The reviews of this book piqued my interest and curiosity but scared me so much that I didn't know just how I would react to this story of a bizarre childhood.

    Well! I don't feel sullied by the experience and I swallowed this book whole (read it in one session of six and a half hours with a dinner break--no, I didn't read it while eating). Burroughs is a masterful storyteller and I believed his story. As so many others have said, "Most of this stuff was just too weird to have been made up." Truth is stranger than fiction and this is certainly the case here.

    If you are turned off by explicit sex, foul language, and bathroom hijinks, don't read it. If you sincerely want to know how a young impressionable boy survived living with two dysfunctional families, coming out of it sane and productive with a great sense of humor and edgy style of writing, this is for you! I'm not a jaded teen or 20-something--I'm a 64-year-old woman, not naive, but feel that I have been somewhat sheltered and I don't like Jerry Springer!

    But this book just grabs you and holds onto you--it's so suspenseful--once I started it I pretty much knew that I was in it for the long haul. I like Burroughs. The other characters aren't as likeable. But some are laugh-out-loud funny. Both his real mom and his "surrogate" mom made me laugh. Burroughs knows for sure by the time he is thirteen that he is gay, he has no parental love that he can count on, and is then abandoned by his alcoholic father and mentally-ill mother and forced to live with a cast of characters crazier than the ones in a Dickens novel.

    I was disturbed, I laughed, and I found my eyes tearing although I didn't actually have a cry. They were tearing from laughter and from empathy for Burroughs who is just so real. He went into that crazy house an innocent, neat-freak boy and ended up adapting somewhat to a bizarre world. If you have a strong stomach and a curious mind, read his story--he's such an amazing and believable survivor.

    Now I have to add some afterthoughts to my review of his mother's book. I believe that so often children's memories are the most trustworthy. I can remember dialogue from my childhood--word for word--just like Burroughs can. A parent who is doing the juggling act of raising children along with emotional and physical abuse and mental breakdowns is not going to be a reliable narrator.

    I send my best wishes to Burroughs who lived to tell his tale and I thank him for a roller-coaster ride of a book.
    11 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2006
    I know I am weird with my ratings, but 3 stars is to me just fair, while 4 is pretty good, and 5 is amazing. I felt this book fell a little short of pretty good (but I went ahead with 4 stars), yet I still really enjoyed it, and it really haunted me, and that counts for a lot.
    I'm sure a lot of people know what the book's about, so here's just a simple recap:
    Burroughs' book takes place mainly during the midst of his most disturbed years, starting at age 12, and focuses heavily on his teen years spent among the psychotic and the supposed healers of the psychotic. His father is a bloodless, emotionless stranger, his mother a wanna-be Anne Sexton poetess, dealing with her own psychosis. She's obsessed with her eccentric (I'm being kind here) psychiatrist, Dr. Finch, who looks like Santa Claus , and who also eventually adopts her son when he's about 13. Burroughs' upbringing in the Finch household is strange, to say the least. The other kids, adopted or biological, are all raised with that sort of hippie, experimental, Primal Scream kind of therapy way, where they are 'free' of obligation, encouraged to express their anger all too freely, not go to school, sleep with whoever, and yet still are extremely troubled since they're offered no discipline or guidance.
    And there's a whole lot more to it, but this is kind of the bare bones.
    The result is a regular circus, honest-to-goodness freak show of a book/memoir. Is it real? Did Burroughs make it up? I don't know. Some of the stuff was pretty over the top, to say the least. it was fun to read, but also extremely disturbing, and very, very sad.
    Burroughs does sometimes truly remind me of Sedaris (who I love) in with his self-depreciating tone and wit, managing to sound very organic and modest sometimes, when he's not noticing himself too much. But in a way, the form of his writing reflects the content, or, in this case, the discontent of a teenager with a certain callousness, being forced to adapt to a really freakish envirnoment. Sometimes his narrative works, sometimes it doesn't. There are times when Burroughs' narrative is smooth, funny, sad, moving along with half-revealed compassion that you sense he's deliberately not putting out too much, lest his own fragile self-image come a-tumbling down. Other times, he trips over his own narrative, and the humor feels a bit heavy-handed and at times strange, almost out of context, like a section was edited out, with only one remaining, lone, odd sentence standing there like a sole survivor in a battle, but I am never sure of what.

    I felt like Burroughs alternated often while writing this, either chuckling to him, or crying a little. It's a good, natural tone, but was at times irresponsible. I felt like he could've used more depth. Certain characters could've used a bit more exploration, and he was a bit fickle, using one characters for laughs, and then dropping them to pick up another for his amusement. This got to be a little tedious and also a little lacking in honesty. It was as though he picked out the most weird people to talk about and the second someone stopped being weird, he lost interest in wanting to talk about them in the book. I just don't find that authentic...maybe that's why he's compared to Eggers.

    If you're squeamish, don't buy this book. It's pretty graphic in all senses. I've read a number of reviews along the 'EW' vein here, and I feel that, to be fair, Burroughs' sex scenes were not by any mean gratuitous. They DID tie in to the story and the big picture; if they hadn't then it would be meaningless. But we're talking about a troubled young man whose budding sexual identity is vulnerable and new to him (assuming, again, this is a real story). Let's not shoot someone down if they write things we don't like which they've lived through...it's a MEMOIR, so it's not going to be pretty. To say that writing about certain 'gross' things is horrible is ok, given that one doesn't go around passing jugement that this is so awful, they shouldn't write about it. Why NOT? It's a memoir! If you're easily offended, then know your boundaries enough to not cross them with reading this book, and please don't judge someone who was misguided and lost for their own creative attemps at trying to make sense out of their screwed up life, even if the attempts are awkward and not to your liking.

    There are also other parts which are extremely graphic...I won't tell you, sorry :-)...but they are pretty gross. However, I was entertained by them. I have a sick sense of humor, and I'm not the only one. And I am really alright with this in myself.
    But really, please, if you are easily offended and disgusted, then you will recoil in horror. Even I did (while laughing). So...you're warned.

    Overall, a decent book, worth a read. But as far as hype...I don't know. I try not to pay attention to that type of thing. I just pick out what interests me and try to not have any expectations.
    11 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2012
    After buying the movie and watching it several times through, I decided to purchase this book and give it a read. This book is well written. I read the whole book within a couple of nights. The book is full of flavor and you will chuckle for all the wrong reasons.

    The book contains much more than what was presented in the movie. The ending of the book is different from the movie ending. I found this shocking. In my opinion, the movie only contains about 65% of the book. The movie leaves out much needed background information which was provided in the first few chapters & throughout later chapters of the book.

    While reading Running with Scissors, I've noticed that the flow of the book is different than what is presented in the movie. In the movie version, the director blended a few chapters together & took them out of sequence. Also, the movie added some scenes which did not happen in the book. I won't list them since I don't want to spoil it for you.

    Some minor comparisons I found between the book & the movie: In the book Augustin and Hope were really close during the first quarter of the book. The movie suggests that they are rather distant. Natalie is described as fat or chunky in the book compared to her slender appearance in the film.

    If you loved the movie as much as I do, I highly recommend purchasing this book. It will help knot up all the loose ends of the movie. A must read if you need "Higher Ceilings!"

    Grab your Bible and take a dip!

    -Xonic
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Steven R.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Crazy brilliant.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 31, 2023
    I read this book in two sittings, as I was hooked. Like Augustens brilliant book ‘Dry’ this has it all. It’s shocking, funny, strange and at times very sad. Although this charts the earlier part of his life I’d recommend reading Dry first.
  • M.
    1.0 out of 5 stars Surely the most disgusting book I ever read.
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on April 11, 2021
    I recommend to not read this book before dinner, because this for sure will make you lose your appetite. This is a book that disgusts you and is a big no for me. Cheers x
  • Ben Dova
    5.0 out of 5 stars Addictive
    Reviewed in Mexico on January 20, 2017
    I don't usually write reviews but this one caught my attention. The randomness and curiosity in this book is so unique, you never know what happens next. You need an open mind to read it but it's totally worth it.
  • Oihane
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fan de Augusten Burroughs
    Reviewed in Spain on January 2, 2017
    Augusten no es un escritor convencional y eso es lo que más me gusta. Running with scissors hace que una tragedia parezca una comedia.
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in India on December 1, 2016
    Hilarious....

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