"Unflinchingly, Augusten Burroughs gouges himself (literally
and figuratively), bleeds, gets it on paper--often without a neat
resolution or the genre''s obligatory epiphany--and then makes you
laugh. Now that''s genius."--The New York Times Book
Review
"Burroughs makes good, snarky company even with nothing serious in
mind."--The New York Times
"Oh, that boy is trouble. Augusten Burroughs offers more tales of
his dysfunctional family and his ill-fated forays into polite
society in his outrageously funny new collection of essays,
Possible Side Effects. . . . Tart, smart, and wicked
fun."--O, The Oprah Magazine
"The primary reason for reading the essays in Possible Side
Effects is to enjoy the sound of his rueful, funny, faintly
sulky voice. . . . This is a book by someone who understands the
frailty and absurdity of the human condition."--The Washington
Post Book World
"These essays aren''t for the faint-hearted . . . but you will
laugh, a lot, and out loud, sometimes cringing. . . . You may see
yourself here, with the sting such recognition entails."--The
Oregonian
"Augusten Burroughs''s spare style and facility with double
entendre are well suited to the biting comic essay form. He tackles
everything from the tooth fairy to doll-collecting innkeepers to
lesbian personal ads in this volume, and the result is fairly even
and definitely hard to put down once you begin. Burroughs''s
greatest strengths as a memoirist are his refusal to fit into one
easy box (gay man, alcoholic, ad man, New Yorker, hypochondriac,
compulsive slob) and his ability to elevate reader curiosity using
tone and plain observations. . . . He somehow manages to lure you
in time after time with his unique way of describing things that
could have happened to anyone, but didn''t--at least not quite this
way."--The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
"From the author of the bestsellers Running with Scissors
and Magical Thinking comes another set of memoir-style
essays capturing Burroughs''s unique and humorous perspective on
life''s twists and turns. . . . Burroughs comically documents his
diverse experiences, from childhood and adulthood, using aspects of
his character--his social isolation, slovenliness, and imagination,
to name just a few."--Daily News (New York)
"At this point, labeling Augusten Burroughs a memoirist is a bit of
an understatement. . . . Burroughs has excavated every crevice of
his personal life for material. So maybe calling him a miner is
more accurate. Fortunately, his work is much more environmentally
friendly. . . . Burroughs is funny--when he''s not breaking your
heart. . . . Burroughs''s breezy, clear-cut writing style is
perfectly matched to his subject matter: prose-y when necessary but
highly conversational, fluid, and frank . . . Something wonderful
and new to savor."--The Toronto
Star
"''The Forecast for Sommer'' is a gut-wrenching ode to a suicidal
friend of his mother''s, while ''The Georgia Thumper'' tackles his
hatred toward his cruel maternal grandmother. Those two stories
alone are worth the book''s price."--Entertainment
Weekly
"In essay after essay, Burroughs''s troubles follow one another in
hilarious succession. . . . He can be profoundly
moving."--The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
"Augusten Burroughs returns with Possible Side Effects,
another lewd but sophisticated collection of intimately personal
essays. Brave, dark, and screamingly funny, this book is so
engaging it''ll leave you craving more."--Harper''s
Bazaar
"His ruminations on everything from Nicorette gum, the BBC,
pornography, and his messed-up childhood with a delusional
manic-depressive mother read like a darker, hipper David Sedaris. .
. . A funny, sharp, and totally enjoyable read."--Jane
magazine
"Delightful . . . This book is yet another testament to his wild
imagination and could keep the readers up at night as well as help
the author gain a whole new legion of fans . . . Sure to enthrall .
. . A memorable book; highly recommended."--Library
Journal
"He''s learned to make love, not Dewar''s . . . Edgy at the edges
but soft in the center, Possible Side Effects connects to
neurotic midlifers, slightly off-kilter, kidless, dog-doting, and
solitary souls."--Baltimore Sun
"Memorable and well worth reading . . . His unique perspective [is]
fashioned from a lifetime of bad influences, inner torment, and a
salad bowl of insecurities. And what is truly amazing: He can find
the humor in it."--Associated Press
"Burroughs''s twisted nature has an immediate appeal. . . . Some
sketches mine the indignities of his stint in advertising; others
turn to fresh material of ever-so-slightly-ruffled domestic bliss
with his saintly boyfriend, Dennis. . . . Another entry, about a
burn-scarred dermatologist who offers ten-year-old Burroughs the
tenderness his narcissistic mother can''t, is so genuine and
heartbreaking that you slow yourself to savor it."--San
Francisco Chronicle
"Burroughs''s perceptive chronicle of his adult and childhood
experiences is both poignant and self-deprecating--and best of all,
it is laugh-out-loud funny."--Philadelphia
City Paper