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librarymouse's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
I remember having loved this book the first time I read it in high school. As an adult, I was kind of disgusted with through the author was, as depicted in these memoir essays. The interview after the book (audiobook) is a massive boon to the author, because it seems like he's disgusted with who he was at this point too. Not a fan of the volume of slurs used in this, but it is true to life of an alcoholic in New York in the 80s and 90s, I guess.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Terminal illness, Suicide, Grief, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Alcoholism, Dysphoria, Sexual content, Addiction, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Ableism, Alcohol, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Homophobia
crufts's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
1.5
The blurb of Magical Thinking declares it as a collection of True stories that give voice to the thoughts we all have but dare not mention.
After reading it, I would rewrite this as: Stories that give voice to the mean thoughts the author has, and assumes that other people have as well.
Mean jokes are the meat, potatoes, butter, side-salad, and every other component of this book. "I have a wide, deep cruel streak," the author comments. You sure do, buddy!
Hardly anyone escapes the scathing crosshairs of Augusten's pen. Disabled people, trans people, Down's Syndrome people, sexual assault victims, housewives, gay men he considers insufficiently attractive - there's nobody he won't insult! Between career-limiting moves such as insulting his readers, the author conveys one point very clearly: he dislikes people - but only as much as he dislikes himself.
You can skip reading this one.
After reading it, I would rewrite this as: Stories that give voice to the mean thoughts the author has, and assumes that other people have as well.
Mean jokes are the meat, potatoes, butter, side-salad, and every other component of this book. "I have a wide, deep cruel streak," the author comments. You sure do, buddy!
Hardly anyone escapes the scathing crosshairs of Augusten's pen. Disabled people, trans people, Down's Syndrome people, sexual assault victims, housewives, gay men he considers insufficiently attractive - there's nobody he won't insult! Between career-limiting moves such as insulting his readers, the author conveys one point very clearly: he dislikes people - but only as much as he dislikes himself.
You can skip reading this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Ableism, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Transphobia
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Vomit, Rape, and Racism
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