Dry by Augusten Burroughs

Dry was recommended in a nonfiction readers’ advisory session that I attended so I decided to read it for the BAM memoir. It was written by Augusten Burroughs, who also is the author of Running with Scissors. Running with Scissors details his dysfunctional childhood, which included an alcoholic father and a mentally ill mother who sent him at the age of 12 to live with her psychiatrist. Shortly after his arrival at the psychiatrist’s residence, Burroughs began a relationship with a pedophile (a patient) who molested him for three years. Dry is a sequel to Running with Scissors. In this memoir, Burroughs is a 24 year old advertising copywriter living in New York City and earning a six-figure salary. It sounds as though he is living a fairly normal life. Then you learn that he downs a liter of Dewar’s a night, followed by cocktails, and he is a regular cocaine user. When he is turned in by a concerned co-worker, Burroughs is forced to “dry” out or get fired from the ad agency. Now begins his nightmarish experiences as he tries to break free of his addictions. He initially spents 30 days in an all-gay clinic in Minnesota and then proceeds on a path that is ridden with challenges and lots of opportunities to fall back. He is constantly fighting off cravings for booze, he begins dating a beautiful and wealthy gay crack addict from AA, his best friend dies of AIDS, and he abandons AA. He ends up more dependent on booze and cocaine than before he began treatment. In this memoir, Burroughs’ gay lifestyle is explicitly described and his fight to get “dry” is rather brutal. In general, the critics think that it is a funny and uplifting account, but I didn’t really find much humor in it. Although I have to admit that there are some witty statements sprinkled here and there, I find it rather dark and heartbreaking. I wouldn't read Dry again, but it certainly is an amazing first-hand look at rehab and AA.