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by Augusten Burroughs
August 1, 2006 | Hardcover
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Better memoirs out there ...
Kristilyn Robertson
4 weeks ago
MAY INCLUDE SPOILERS!!! I know that Running with Scissors has been made into a movie and the novel received some kind of critical acclaim, but I really didn't get it. The family in the story lives in squalor, children are abused, people are eating dog food and running around naked. I just don't understand why people liked the book. I also don't understand how writers feel the need to purge themselves of the past by writing stories such as this one, then getting it published. Really, not everything needs to be read by your public. Running With Scissors is dark and disturbing-not quirky, fun, or uplifting. Not. At. All. I find it interesting that there's now an apology in the Product Description over at Amazon that says, "I would like to thank the real-life members of the family portrayed in this book for taking me into their home and accepting me as one of their own. I recognize that their memories of the events described in this book are different than my own. They are each fine, decent, and hard-working people. The book was not intended to hurt the family. Both my publisher and I regret any unintentional harm resulting from the publishing and marketing of Running with Scissors." The memoir was then deemed as a "book" rather than a "memoir." I guess that's the problem with memoirs-how much can you really remember, unless you're depending solely on journals kept throughout the years. I remember that Oprah had James Frey on her show and was raving about his book A Million Little Pieces. I picked up the book after the hype and read it and thought it was great-so what if he fabricated some of it? Is this something that memoir writers are going to have to do from now on? Have something explaining that there may be differences in how people remember things? I find so many memoirs, this one included, to be so detailed that there has so be some fabrication. If you really want to read a memoir, skip this one. There are way better books out there.
Shocking Yet Amazing!
Sarah
9 months ago
While there were many times in this book that I had to momentarily stop reading to ask myself "did I really just read that?!" I truly enjoyed Running With Scissors. I couldn't go five pages without reading something that shocked, disgusted, or intrigued me. I can't believe some of the things that this boy went through by the time he was 16 years old. He went through more in those short 16 years than any person should have to go through their whole life. I can't wait to read Augusten's other books, and I'm even going to look into his brother's book(s?).
Good for a while
Tanja Gehring
11 months ago
My family all liked this memoir. So did I for the 1st half, particularly the relationship between Burroughs and his mother. After a while, though, I tired of the antics at the crazy psychiatrist house. But hell, I only had to read about it.
Schmaltzy but entertaining
Brent
9 years ago
An entertaining and action packed ride through the life of the author, Augusten. Anyone that could live through this craziness and live to tell the story deserves a read.
Format:Hardcover
Published:August 1, 2006
Language:English
The following ISBNs are associated with this title:ISBN - 10:1843541505ISBN - 13:9781843541509
This list contains: Running with Scissors: A Memoir (Trade Paperback)
This list contains: Running With Scissors: A Memoir (Mass Market Paperbound)
This list contains: Running With Scissors: 7 CD's, 8 Hours (Hardcover)
This list contains: Running With Scissors: A Memoir (Hardcover)
This list contains: Running with Scissors: A Memoir (Audio Book (Cassette))
This list contains: Running With Scissors: A Memoir (Trade Paperback)
This post contains: Running with Scissors: A Memoir (Trade Paperback)
This post contains: Running With Scissors: A Memoir (Mass Market Paperbound)
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Thanks, don't show me this again.