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shannonjorgenfelt's review
5.0
Augusten Burroughs is one of my favorite authors of all time. This book in interesting, clever, and witty, and overall a joy to read.
lucrezi's review
3.0
You know how there are charismatic people on the edges of your life, the ones you might hang out with once or twice and find them endlessly entertaining for their wild stories, but you wouldn't feel inclined to integrate them into your day-to-day? Augusten Burroughs seems to be one of those people. He's interesting on paper and from afar, but up close, you see that many of the situations he gets into and his reactions to them are... not very appealing.
I feel both affinity and aversion towards him, because he (at least in Dry) was a mess who didn't know how to deal with his emotions and so he turned to the bottle. I get it. Those feelings of unknowably intense loneliness and push-them-away-before-they-leave-you - I get it.
I really get it. And though I may not feel that way after learning to deal with my own shit in healthy ways, reading about it through someone else's experience was pretty unpleasant. I'm reminded of a version of myself that was the same and did the same things, and I feel that ripple of shame that makes me want to put down my Kindle and take a break.
The first half of the novel is great. I liked reading about Augusten in rehab and Augusten going to therapy and AA. The second half is not so great - I got bored and wanted it to end sooner. I prefer his short stories.
I feel both affinity and aversion towards him, because he (at least in Dry) was a mess who didn't know how to deal with his emotions and so he turned to the bottle. I get it. Those feelings of unknowably intense loneliness and push-them-away-before-they-leave-you - I get it.
I go to the bed and sit on the edge, sinking into the plush down comforter and the featherbed below. I feel a prick of good fortune, an awareness that I am lucky to have such a nice bed to sit on during my anxiety attack. Why am I so anxious? And then it hits me. I’m not anxious, I’m lonely. And I’m lonely in some horribly deep way and for a flash of an instant, I can see just how lonely, and how deep this feeling runs. And it scares the shit out of me to be so lonely because it seems catastrophic—seeing the car just as it hits you. But then all of a sudden, that feeling is gone and I’m blank. So it’s like a door quickly opened, just a crack, to show me what a mess I was inside. But not enough to really stare for long and absorb all the details. Just enough to know the room needed a major spring cleaning.
I really get it. And though I may not feel that way after learning to deal with my own shit in healthy ways, reading about it through someone else's experience was pretty unpleasant. I'm reminded of a version of myself that was the same and did the same things, and I feel that ripple of shame that makes me want to put down my Kindle and take a break.
The first half of the novel is great. I liked reading about Augusten in rehab and Augusten going to therapy and AA. The second half is not so great - I got bored and wanted it to end sooner. I prefer his short stories.
nemoswimson's review
2.0
There's a lot of hyperbole here which makes me mistrust the whole memoir. For instance, empty litre bottles of whisky all over his apartment that he couldn't move about through which he didn't realise until he got back from rehab. His experiences in rehab, and drinking a litre bottle of whisky and it "not being enough". Along with his name change, it dissuades me from reading his other books.
plcbaker's review
3.5
He's a good writer but it bothered me to have the AA stuff included, aren't those things supposed to be confidential? I don't think it really conveys what it's like to get sober, though that may be different for everyone.
elbarton312's review
4.0
My first revisit to 'Dry' since the paperback edition came out in the mid 2000s. I prefer it over Running With Scissors and find his talent for making me laugh AND cry within the same page, heck the same paragraph, endearing. Augusten's relationship with Pighead is so similar to my own perspective on relationships, its kinda scary. Must read and enjoy the laughter and the tears, equally. Just like life. ~BRC
clarinetifer's review
4.0
I liked this A LOT better than Running With Scissors. Overall it was funny but also really truthful about his struggles with alcoholism. The ending left a little to be desired, but I enjoyed the read. :)
thisgayreads's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
4 / 5 ⭐️'ˢ
“Dry: A Memoir” by Augusten Burroughs
📕 Edition: Paperback
The author takes you on a rollercoaster ride through the tumultuous landscape of addiction, recovery, and self-discovery. Burroughs, an ordinary advertising professional on the surface, unveils his extraordinary battle with alcoholism, chronicling his descent into the abyss of addiction with unwavering honesty and dark humor.
Burroughs' narrative is a candid exploration of his struggles, marked by vivid descriptions of the excesses and chaos that defined his life. From raucous nights in bars to nights that never ended, his journey is a raw account of the consequences of addiction. Yet, it's also a tale of resilience, redemption, and the unexpected moments of clarity that arise in the most unexpected places.
What sets "Dry" apart is Burroughs' distinctive voice, combining wit, sarcasm, and heart-wrenching vulnerability. His storytelling is as poignant as it is humorous, making this memoir an emotionally charged rollercoaster that leaves you both moved and amused.
A must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of addiction and recovery.