Lust & Wonder

by Augusten Burroughs

First came Running with Scissors. Then came Dry. Now, there's Lust & Wonder.

In chronicling the development and demise of the different relationships he's had while living in New York, Augusten Burroughs examines what it means to be in love, what it means to be in lust, and what it means to be figuring it all out. With Augusten's unique and singular observations and his own unabashed way of detailing both the horrific and the humorous, Lust and Wonder is an intimate and honest memoir that his legions of fans have been waiting for.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Humor, Biography, LGBT, Biography Memoir, Audiobook

8 pages, Audible Audio

First published March 29, 2016

About the author

Augusten Burroughs born Christopher Robison, son of poet and writer Margaret Robison and younger brother of John Elder Robison.

Burroughs has no formal education beyond elementary school. A very successful advertising copywriter for over seventeen years, he was also an alcoholic who nearly drank himself to death in 1999. But spurned by a compulsion he did not understand, Burroughs began to write a novel. Never outlining or consciously structuring the book, Burroughs wrote, "as fast as I could type, to keep up." Seven days later, Augusten Burroughs had written his first book. He had also stopped drinking. The book was published one year later. Burroughs remains sober to this day. And Sellevision stands as Burroughs's only published novel. It is currently in development as a feature film.

Augusten's second book was a memoir. It was also a publishing phenomenon that helped to ignite a kind of memoir fever in America and abroad. Running with Scissors was released in 2001 to virtually unanimous critical acclaim. The memoir would ultimately remain on the New York Times bestseller list for over four consecutive years, eight months of which were spent in the #1 position. The film, starring Annette Benning, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jill Clayburgh and Alec Baldwin was released in 2005.

He has since published four additional autobiographical volumes (Dry, Possible Side Effects, Magical Thinking and A Wolf at the Table), all of them bestsellers. Currently published in over thirty countries, Augusten's book readings have become massively popular events on numerous continents. He has also headlined for the most prestigious literary festivals in the world, most recently the 2008 Melbourne writer's Festival, where he and Germaine Greer delivered the keynote addresses on opening night. In addition, Burroughs speaks regularly at colleges and universities on topics ranging from alcoholism and sexual abuse to the art of authoring one's own life and humor as serious medicine.

Twice honored by Entertainment Weekly as one of 25 funniest people in America, Burroughs shocked fans and the media alike with the release of A Wolf at the Table in early 2008. The brutal, terrifying and decidedly unfunny book instantly generated a storm of publicity and controversy. Critics were deeply divided, and the book received some of the worst -and best- reviews of the author's career. The book tour for A Wolf at the Table, spanned some six months and four countries, as Augusten performed for the largest crowds of his career. A Wolf at the Table is Augusten's bestselling hardcover to date.

While critics continue to challenge the veracity of Burroughs's books, questioning everything from his alcoholism and advertising career to his earliest childhood memories, the author remains nonplussed, even philosophical. "To be a journalist with a major American newspaper or magazine, you have to have an A-list college education. And to get into that A-list college, you had to do very well in the right high school. So the chances are, you were not being fucked up the ass at age twelve by a pedophile. The facts of my life are generally questioned by extremely privileged and well-educated people who, more likely than not, learned most of what they know about life's dangerous, shocking and sometimes unbelievable underbelly from books, television and the occasional Quentin Tarrantino film. The reason my books continue to sell, despite frequently being dismissed as "unbelievable," is because the people who read my books recognize the truth that is in them. They know the scent. They have smelled it. The very details the media view with such suspicion are the same details that prove to my reader, this guy was there. I remember that, too."

http://us.macmillan.com/author/august...

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read every one of Augusten Burroughs' books, and if I had to name a favorite author, he'd probably be the name I told you. With that being said, Lust & Wonder didn't have the same spark that the others have for me. But before you decide for or against this book, hear me out -

Written in a way that is just like his other works, I love the fact that Augusten's books always seem to carry on as if just a continuation of the last. He tells it like it is, is unafraid of the gritty and embarrassing moments in life, and I always walk away feeling like I have grown as a person. I have nothing but respect. This one was no exception to that other than it felt more forced. Not unenjoyable, but not as natural in flow as his others.

Augusten tells of how he has transitioned from one period of his life to the next to the next, taking bits and pieces of each on with him. Being made up "entirely of flaws" has been Augusten's thing for years, and yet again he exhibits them in a way that is damn near endearing. There's a reason why readers such as myself come back for more time and time again.

So what did I not like about this book? I simply found it to be emotionally tough. I read about the years he felt were wasted and I felt awful for him. It happens, I know, and yet I just wanted to grab him and shake him all while yelling "this isn't how you should look at it." But at the same time, this is what sets Augusten apart in the literary world, so for that I cannot fault him.

What did I think?: I loved reading this book. I found it easy to get through, thought provoking, and a fantastic look at how each facet of our life shapes us into the gems that we are.

Who should read it?: I want to say everyone, but since we want to put it into some sort of box, I'm going to say anyone who has been greatly affecting by things not going according to planned. If you know what it's like to be severely disappointed and then on-top-of-the-world happy, you'll love this.

[Elyse Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Straight Up.....
I like Augusten Burroughs! I go way back with this author..."Dry", "Magical Thinking",
"A Wolf At the Table", "Running With Scissors", and his last book, and "This is How".

After reading "This is How", Augusten's most transformational - insightful - inspiring
book... "Lust and Wonder", falls short.
We see 'huge' changes in Burroughs writing ( and in him), in "This is How" from all his previous books.
I just can't recommend that book highly enough. If you've read Eckhart Tolle...he's speaking the same language in "This is How". Burroughs rises to new levels of maturity and wisdom.

So, reading "Lust and Wonder", just doesn't fit well with me....NOT after "This is How"
What happened, with his new growth? I'm sad not to see this book take off from his last. Instead we get a couple of stories about flavorless relationships. The beginning gives us a little history about himself from Boston to San Francisco...in terms of his professional growth...( but I already knew this history). The sad part is we get a water down version of 'everything'. Even a relationship he had with a man with AIDS ...he doesn't go into much in this book -- readers got the longer story from a wonderful chapter in his book "This Is How". The last story ( of Burroughs 'dating memoir' which "Lust and Wonder" is about) ... is a highlight ending, but overall the storytelling didn't light my fire!

I feel like I just re-visited an older version of Burroughs, but without the best special qualities to boot, out of chronological order. The bar had been raised higher with his last book. Hm?? So I wonder... what happened? Where did our new transformed guy go?

"Lust and Wonder", lacked the charm as other books. It lacked an authentic gut-wrenching focus & freshness.
I don't understand the purpose for this novel. In every other book .. ( all others), his honesty pulls at our emotions -- in "Lust and Wonder"... the only thing I'm 'really' left wondering.....( I say this sincerely), is everything ok? I'm not so sure..
Burroughs seems off balance. As for 'lust'....( his message seemed repetitive: effort' being part of the equation).

I still adore Burrough's, but for a more moving book of his, read, "This Is How", surviving what you think you can't". It's more uplifting, inspiring, and thought-provoking!!! Plus, the chapter he wrote about 'death' is soooo beautiful ... and useful to read.

The one STRONG POSITIVE about this book... is, even if not gripping exciting....
Spending a little time with Burrough's ( fault included), still warms my heart in the same way it does with a long-term friendship. I'm committed to my friends even when they are poopie! Hope they would be me too! Love this poopie guy!

Thank You St. Martin's Publishing, Netgalley, and Augusten Burrough's

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

“You are my disease piñata, my Death Star, my everything.

“And you are my catastrophist.”

When I saw Augusten Burroughs had a new book potentially available for me to read before it would even be released, my reaction was a bit like this . . .



Yes – my husband is quite the lucky man. I didn’t even have to know what it was about to know I wanted to get my chubby little paws all over the dang thing. When I saw it was a memoir about love I was officially on the hook. If you aren’t familiar with Burroughs’ history, let’s just say it wasn’t what anyone could ever call normal – especially in the “love” department. Yikes! Buuuuuuuuuut, through the help of a period of alcoholism and some mass quantities of therapy (with a side of Adderall), Burroughs was able to leave his past in the past and find love just like an Average Joe . . . .

“My feeling was, if you’re in the same zip code, you and I have enough in common.”

Well, kinda . . .

“Hey, so, I’ve been stalking you on AOL and I know you’ve been trying to hook up with other guys, because I’ve been posing as those other guys. I also cheated on you four times, but that doesn’t really count, because it was self-help.”

Lust and Wonder takes you through Burroughs’ falling in – and out . . .

“The cleft in Mitch’s chin that I’d previously admired and considered one of his best features suddenly became an asshole on his face.”

of love a few times over that eventually culminates with the story of how he found his happily ever after . . .

“Crack was nothing compared to this high. Booze was less than zero.”

All while occupying a “Grey Gardens” type of love nest.

I’ve been known in the past to question why some people believe their personal histories are worth putting to paper and charging others to read it. That’s not the case with Augusten Burroughs. I was lucky enough to discover his writing when my library’s recommendation software generated his name after I ran through several David Sedaris books in short order. (Please note SOME places actually recommend books you might someday want to read. I shudder to think what other places would come up with after reading the likes of a Sedaris memoir – probably Mein Kampf or some other cringe-worthy selection.) Burroughs’ story was like a train wreck. I simply could not stop reading. Also, even though he’s a gay, bald male living in NYC and I’m a chubby, straight woman living in flyover country, it somehow always seems like I’m having a coffee with my BFF when I’m reading his stories. He meanders through his tales of romantic success and failures in a conversational tone and offers ZERO apology for the random thoughts that pop into his brain at the most inopportune moments . . .

“Briefly, I wondered, is a terrorist attack a poor reason for taking our relationship to the next level?”



He leaves book/movie quotes and pop culture references in his wake with no explanation. You either are going to get it or you aren’t . . .

“I’m not living with you. We occupy the same cage, that’s all.”

I adore him and I’ll read ANYTHING he writes.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m obviously honestly enamored with Augusten Burroughs.

[Esil · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. I have never read anything by Augusten Burroughs -- I didn't read Running with Scissors or Dry -- so starting with Lust & Wonder may have been a strange place to begin. I gather Burroughs is a memoir writer. Running with Scissors focused on his twisted childhood. Dry dealt with a few years of very hard drinking and a stint through Rehab. And Lust & Wonder takes us through several years of the ups and downs of Burroughs' love life. The book is divided into three parts, focusing on three relationships, and the ups and downs with each partner. I must say that there's more wonder than lust -- and to describe the first two relationships as filled with wonder might not be entirely accurate -- they are more like angst ridden spaces of constant uncertainty and self examination. At times as I read Lust & Wonder I was considering giving it less than 3 stars because I found that Burroughs' self focused micro dissection of his relationships was exhausting -- much like that friend who drags you through the emotional details of a relationship that you think just isn't worth the effort or attention. But in the end there's something about Burroughs and his journey that made me like him and the book overall -- much like some of those exhausting emotional roller coaster like friends. Ultimately he's a smart, witty and painfully honest raconteur, and these qualities tipped the balance for me -- although I suspect they wouldn't work for everyone. At some point, I'll be ready to spend time with Burroughs again, and I'll give his earlier memoirs a try. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Augusten Burroughs tells a good story. In his latest book he recounts stories of his romantic relationships over the years. Like his previous memoirs, Lust & Wonder is written with pathos and humor, tragedy and comedy both.

At times I was shocked at the level of raw detail Augusten shared about his former lovers, and wondered if these stories really needed to be made public. But I shouldn't have been surprised — if you've read Running With Scissors, which is about his dysfunctional family and disturbingly wacky childhood, or Dry, which covers his alcohol addiction, then you should already be braced for him to tell every crazy detail of his life, social conventions be damned.

While I liked this memoir, and I'm happy that he finally found a meaningful relationship, I also grew impatient with the book and wondered if Augusten was writing it just because he got in the habit of writing memoirs, and thought it was time to publish another. In the end, I think I would only recommend this book to August Burroughs Completists. As in, those who feel the need to read everything he's written. If you're new to Augusten's work, I recommend starting with Running With Scissors or Dry. The lovesick naval-gazing of Lust & Wonder can wait a bit.

Opening Lines
"Just when I broke my sobriety and started drinking again in moderate and controlled measure exactly like a normal person, I met this guy who wasn't just a guy but a writer, and not just a writer but the author of one of my favorite books. In AA, you are brainwashed into believing that all the good stuff happens only after you stop drinking. Clearly they are lying: my life improved significantly as soon as I ordered a cocktail."

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I forgot how much I love Augusten, it's been so long. It was like welcoming an old friend back.

[Verkakte · Rating 1 out of 5]

The progression of the relationship between author Burroughs and his long-term boyfriend Dennis felt authentic and relatable, but I ultimately hated Lust & Wonder because of the poor writing, messy structure, and insufferably self-important yet insecure tone. This book is neither witty nor humorous, though I could see where the humor was intended- some call it self-deprecating, and while there is a lot of judgment to be found in Lust & Wonder, it’s mostly directed outward as bitchy appearance-related quips (an incredibly dated style of jokes). The parts that are directed inward are more humble-bragging than self-deprecating; Burroughs really wants to convince us that he’s an impressively crazy zany special snowflake (and I say this as a millennial, so you know it’s bad). While Burroughs has demonstrated his ability to craft nuance into a story arc (as evident in the depiction of his relationship with Dennis), poor Christopher is written like a prototypical manic pixie dream girl. With a shaky structure throughout, the end of the book devolves into a complete and utter all-over-the-place disorganized mess. If you’re already a fan of Burroughs, then you know what you’re in for with Lust & Wonder. But if you aren’t, or this is your first foray into his memoirs, I suggest a hard pass.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Larry H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd rate this 3.5 stars.

Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for making it available!

The more-than-slightly zany, self-deprecating memoirist from Running with Scissors, Dry, Magical Thinking , etc. is back, this time recounting his challenges with love, sex, and relationships, and how the heart and the mind don't always work in tandem—especially when your mind is almost always working overtime.

Finding and keeping love can be difficult for anyone, but for Burroughs, who struggled with issues of self-worth and anxiety, and is a recovering alcoholic, relationships were a major hurdle. In Lust & Wonder , he touches on three major relationships in his life, the high and low points, and the challenges he experienced, both sexual and emotional.

The book deals with his relationships with Mitch, an author with his own self-confidence issues; Dennis, whose personality and expectations are quite different from Augusten's, but Augusten was more than determined to make it work; and Christopher, his longtime editor, who (somewhat of a spoiler alert if you don't know much about Burroughs' life) eventually becomes his husband. Burroughs reflects on the sacrifices you make to keep a relationship flourishing, and when you realize it's not working, and how the fear of being alone and disentangling everything often keeps people in relationships long after they've died romantically and emotionally. It also addresses the question of how important sex and sexual chemistry is to a relationship, and whether relationships can survive when at least one person has their own emotional and sometimes physiological demons to deal with.

Burroughs is more than willing to shoulder his portion of the blame when things didn't work out. When you've dealt with the kind of childhood he did, struggled to maintain sobriety, and lost people close to you, it's no wonder you have difficulties committing yourself fully, or doubting what your partner tells you when he tells you he is happy.

"So many years of anticipating disaster is exhausting. Thought I have tried to train myself not to think this way, it never works, so plan B is to go ahead and think this way but then remind myself I'm wrong. Which means I can only cobble together a life by clobbering my faulty 'gut instincts' 100 percent of the time."

When I first read Running with Scissors I was so surprised, I remember laughing out loud on an airplane while reading it. Lust & Wonder does have its funny moments, but it's definitely a more contemplative, emotional read rather than the utterly zany ride that book was. Burroughs is a very talented storyteller, and I can only imagine what he'd be like in person. I did feel that this book meandered a bit too much at times, and while Burroughs' other emotional issues and coping strategies certainly had an impact on his relationships, I felt the book spent more time than it needed to dwelling on those, and it distracted from the heart of the book.

While comparing this book to some of Burroughs' earlier ones definitely demonstrates he has mellowed a bit as he has aged, there's still plenty of craziness in store. If you're a fan of his, or if you've ever struggled with love, lust, and relationships, this may hit a chord or two with you.

See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....

[Julie Ehlers · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I was about to begin Lust & Wonder I went back to my old reading journal to see how long it had been since I'd read Burroughs's previous memoirs, Running with Scissors and Dry. To my shock, I realized it had been more than ten years. Yet, from the very first page of Lust & Wonder, Burroughs's voice was immediately familiar to me. It was like meeting up with an old friend and jumping right back into conversation with them as if you'd never been apart.

Shockingly, for those who've read the heartfelt Dry, Burroughs begins Lust & Wonder revealing that he'd fallen off the wagon, and disparaging the AA meetings that had saved his life in the past. So the book is about his coming to terms with that, but also about his love life (as the title implies) and, most fascinating for me, how he went from his bizarre childhood to becoming a successful ad copywriter, and from there to writing books.

I appreciated many things about Lust & Wonder, including how he focused on different areas of his life from those covered in his other memoirs, the genuinely moving way he talked about the people he truly loved, and most of all his sense of humor. I honestly can't remember if Burroughs was always this funny, but for me Lust & Wonder was so hilarious I had trouble not laughing maniacally in the quiet car on the way home.

What I most love about Burroughs, though, is that he's a misfit: He grew up without any real support or guidance, so now he fumbles along, making all kinds of crazy mistakes--and then bravely and boldly writes about them. My childhood was nothing like Burroughs's, but I can relate to feeling like a misfit, and I have a special place in my heart for people who can mess up so badly but still seem convincingly good at heart. This is a unique quality I think Burroughs brings to all his memoirs.

If you're a fan of Running with Scissors and Dry, you should pick up this book immediately. If you've never read Running with Scissors or Dry, you'll enjoy Lust & Wonder more if you read those first. Either way, good news: You've got some great reading ahead of you.

I won this book in a Shelf Awareness giveaway. There was no expectation of a review.

[Daisy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A decade and a half ago I loved Augusten Burroughs. Read Running with Scissors on recommendation from a friend and quickly moved on to Dry. At the time I thought he was witty and told his frankly miserably bonkers life story engagingly. I wanted to have him as a friend.

Either I grew up or he became dull (or vice versa) but this memoir was dire. It is like sitting with an old schoolfriend you haven’t seen since the day you walked out the gates after your last A’level exam who reconnects through Facebook and shares their (uninteresting) relationship history over a glass too many of white wine. Mostly they are like many relationships where the initial infatuation turns into co-existing with neither partner being particularly happy nor unhappy enough to leave.

Threaded through is the figure of Christopher, initially Burroughs’s agent but soon the great love of his life, though for much of the memoir this love is unacknowledged. Burroughs leaves his dead relationship and professes his adoration which is reciprocated and they are still together – all very peachy creamy. However, I struggled to see what Christopher was all about. He was so sketchily described that the overwhelming impression I had of him was of the laughing policeman but with a better body and blonde hair that was sometimes cut badly. All we ever really find out about him is that he laughs at everything indiscriminately.

Add the humble bragging about the wealth his writing brings him (lots of description of the furnishing of the house he has built) and a list of jewellery he buys (and the prices paid) that would make a rapper blush and you have an uneventful and uninteresting memoir.

(It got saved from getting 1 star for the observation that being a recovering alcoholic means that any drink you order in a club or restaurant from now on will come with a straw.)

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The maternal side of my extended family is comprised almost entirely of savagely funny, somewhat damaged, people. Don’t get me wrong - I love them to pieces. But when dinner is with mom’s side, you’ll laugh so hard you snort… and at some point, you’ll also get a sharp knife to the belly.

I tell you this because Augusten Burroughs must be, absolutely HAS TO BE an illegitimate child from that line.

And his maternal-sided-ness is insanely triggering! It shoves me back in the skin of my twelve-year old self, desperate to run and hide in the bathroom when the “funny-bullets” started flying at Nana Westbrook’s dinner table (God rest her soul).

But however mean - mean like a snake - this memoir can be, it’s also wickedly funny.

To illustrate:

I hit “play” on the audiobook while walking through the doors of a sad, fluorescent-lit grocery store, and I spent the next thirty-odd minutes laughing so hard it was difficult to breathe.

I laughed so hard an elderly store employee stopped and put her hand on my shoulder: “You okay, sweetie?” I laughed so hard I distractedly threw BANANA-CREAM oatmeal into my cart, though why would a human being ever make such a choice in her right mind?

And it felt so, so good to laugh that hard.

It wasn’t until I was home and unpacked that I started feeling… dirty.
Because almost every witty anecdote flays skin from the bones of Burroughs’ closest friends and lovers.

So, I don’t know. I guess I loved this book, but I liked myself a little less for loving it.

In the final analysis, Mr. Burroughs: Four stars for scathing honesty and outrageous laughs… minus one star for shitting on everyone who bothered to love you.

That’s fair, right?

[Book Riot Community]

Augusten is back with his most intimate and honest memoir yet! (And if you've read him before, you know that's really saying something.) In Lust & Wonder, he discusses the different relationships he's had while living in NYC, what worked and didn't work, what it means to be in love - and lust - and how all this got him to where he is now. This new book is hilarious, insightful, outrageous, and smart - just the way we like him.


Tune in to our weekly podcast dedicated to all things new books, All The Books: http://bookriot.com/category/all-the-...

[Cinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious and wistful, brutal and self-deprecating, the best of his I've read since Dry.

[Sarah Obsesses over Books & Cookies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I GOT APPROVED!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.

first of all, to be gay and in love!!! that seemed to be the theme of Augusten Burroughs' latest memoir. The book was shorter than his other works but when you're a memoirist you probably can only have so much to write about yourself. But anyway, love. If you're a fan and familiar of the author you know that he had an unconventional past which he doesn't really go into but says enough to give a new reader an idea of why he's so neurotic. But he's insane in the loveliest of ways possible, which is to say he doesn't go out of his way to hurt anyone but he will always be dealing with his pain.

The book chronicle's the part of of life in which he goes into advertising and then finds himself writing (and Christopher, his agent) and doing that instead. in the midst of that is his meeting a guy, a bestselling author who is his favorite author and how that relationship doesn't work out- but then he meets Dennis. Dennis was Augusten's partner for about a decade. We get a peak inside his mind of how that relationship sort of worked an then didn't but both sat in denial for a long time going through the motions- something so many people find themselves doing because...well.. name any reason and it's your reason (familiarity, it's hard to break up, move in, you might have children or a dog involved, money, a house etc)... we follow him through his relationship with Dennis and how it ends and it was a romp. I have been waiting for a new book for so long and found this to be a great if not TOO SHORT of a read.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the final volume of his personal memoir, Burroughs explores matters of the heart. Readers of the previous volumes will know the difficult personal journeys Burroughs has explored through writing; daunting struggles as a youth and battling alcohol addiction. While those journeys may not be something to which all readers can relate, the struggle to find love is one that many will have faced, even if each person has their own narrative. Burroughs recounts of an early love that began strong and blossomed, only to fade when the compatibility waned and fidelity became an issue. From there, the journey took him into a relationship that had not only merit, but also longevity; one that could have been 'the one' and, for a time, might certainly have been. However, when issues arise and are shelved, leaving a stagnant sludge, love can (and usually does) wither, leaving both parties husks of their former selves. While it was a painful struggle, the epiphany that Burroughs undertook led him to love himself most and to choose Augusten over a life of shattered dreams and ill-fitting awkward pauses. When he resurfaced, somewhat an awakening in and of itself, Burroughs was faced with a decision that his heart had made long ago, but his brain was only now coming to realise. With a humourous narrative to offset some of the painful truths to which many readers can relate, the book offers a well-rounded approach to the man and his innermost thoughts. It also permits the reader to get a better understanding of how Burroughs got into advertising and eventually writing, which is sure to pique the curiosity of some who have fallen in love with Augusten Burroughs in their own way. Not to be missed, but best read after RUNNING WITH SCISSORS and DRY.

Of the three memoirs, this one speaks most personally to Burroughs and a set of inner struggles to which the reader can relate. It superimposes a collection of sentiments that many have faced in their lives and personalises them, to the point that the reader can walk away and feel that much closer to Burroughs. I felt myself saying, 'yes that reminds me of a issue I faced with X' or 'I remember when Y left me wondering the same thing'. While painful realities permeated throughout RUNNING WITH SCISSORS and DRY offered hope and despair in equal measure, this instalment, by no means the end to Burroughs' life, offers a piece that connects it all together. There is hope after such darkness, though perfection through emotional attrition is never achieved. The narrative pulls no punches and forces the reader to wade deeply into rawness, but it is the fine-tuning of fourteen years of writing that leaves Burroughs finally able to push through to these most sensitive areas and make the most of them.

I would be remiss not to offer sincere thanks to Rae Eddy at this point, yet again. While the previous two books were her way of introducing me to Augusten Burroughs and helping me develop an addiction, it is this final volume that spoke most to me, especially as it relates to her. I have been through the trenches and seen my fair share of detritus. To have found her at the end of all this, when the dust settles, leaves me no doubt that I had to reach this life and reading journey only to find her smiling face at the end. I owe much to her and am eternally grateful that she stuck it out, both as I found her and discovered Augusten's magic of the written word.

Kudos, Mr. Burroughs for this powerful end to the personal memoir. I look forward to returning to devour some of your other work soon, offering more praise where it is due.

Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Lisa Guidarini · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first met Augusten Burroughs in graduate school, while studying for my Masters in Library & Information Studies. He rode back and forth to class with me, on my 45-minute each way commute to Rockford, IL from my home in the far-flung Fox River Valley suburbs of Chicago. He kept me company; I never drove alone. It was me and Augusten, Augusten and me, in my soccer mom continuing education rapid-transit minivan, for a wonderful few weeks.

We laughed, we cried. Sometimes there were snacks.

Okay, fine, he rode along in the form of a book on audio CD, but he was there. I HEARD HIM. He spoke words; we bonded, and the things he said became a part of me.

The book was Running With Scissors, his outrageously wonderful ode to the terrors and nightmares he endured growing up in one of the most sick and twisted families ever to reproduce. It was horrifying, sometimes sickening, but also, somehow, wildly funny. And here’s what it taught me: mine wasn’t the only criminally brutal childhood, and I wasn’t the only soul to have suffered as I did.

And if Burroughs found a way to turn horror into humor, maybe there’s a way the rest of us can survive, too.

Thanks for takin’ one for the team, Augusten. We, the abused and the warped, salute you.

All these years later, during one of my regular marathon book-lusty browsing sessions in Barnes & Noble, I came upon his latest book. I hadn’t meant to buy it, only to sit with it a while and read a few pages, catch up with his latest revelations and cheap out by leaving without it. Fifty pages later, it was inside a shopping bag on its way home with me.

The following Sunday, chained in my apartment by a particularly debilitating bout of depression, muffin crumbs stuck in my unwashed hair and wearing the same p.j.s I’d had on since Friday, I finished the whole book in one marathon session.

Note to psychiatrists everywhere: Augusten Burroughs is all the Rx you need. Screw you, big pharma! Here’s a writer with a powerful ability to hold back knives from slicing the delicate undersides of wrists, persuading the most reluctant to scrape through our pathetic existences long enough to bray like a donkey through every last word he writes.

Because it cannot be put down.

It is unputdownable.

Which is why I love this man.

Lust & Wonder is the snarky/sad/dysfunctional Augusten Burroughs we’ve grown to love times about a thousand. Picking up where Dry left off, it’s a memoir published out of sequence. But damn if that makes a bit of difference. You don’t have to follow crazy in order. Hell, you should never follow crazy in order. It’s like looking straight into the sun, man.

Resist.

This latest installment follows Augusten’s adult life, from his early barefoot, long-haired years spent scribbling advertising slogans on the backs of napkins through the break-out publication of his first book, the novel Sellevision. From there he careens through an agonizingly long period of misspent time during his early years of fame, when the money and accolades started pouring in, bringing him enough money to buy an awful lot of man jewelry.

I cannot overstate the man jewelry part.

In a relationship with a man who never truly loved him, it would be years before his eventual admission to himself that he’d been denying the love of his life all along – until he could deny it no longer, blowing his whole life up in one crazy-ass explosion of insanity, otherwise know as the life of Augusten Burroughs.

My best friend from grad school.

Owner of lots of man jewelry.

And one guy I can always count on to make me realize there’s a way out of the dark, through laughter at the absurdity of it all. A powerful friend, indeed.

I love you, man.

[Aaron McQuiston · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember when Augusten Burroughs burst on the scene with "Running with Scissors." All of the reviews and hype surrounding lawsuits and how he remembered events so specifically brought up questions of whether or not he was telling the truth or was stretching it a bit (this was in the wake of James Frey and his Oprah debacle). With all of the questions, "Running with Scissors" became a book with too much hype, which distracted from the fact that it was really good. So what next with Burroughs's career? A novel? A short story collection? Nope. More of the same. Throughout all of this books, he has not stopped trying to forage his life for little nuts of interesting story, those things that might make for another memoir worth reading. I've read a few. I've skipped a few. "Lust and Wonder" was another glimpse into what Burroughs is doing. If it's not broke, don't fix it, I guess.

The problem is that this formula for him is broken. Those little nuts of interesting story have waned enough to where it feels as if he is getting close to the bottom of the barrel. Most of this book can be thrown away. There are a few dozen pages that are interesting, maybe funny in a cruel, crass way, or revealing in a philosophical way. The rest is mind mush. It took me longer to get through this than it should have, mostly because I am to the point in Augusten's story to where I don't really care anymore. It's time to find a new well to drill.

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out a 5-star book for me. I LOVED the first hundred pages. I found them hilarious and relatable as someone with a childhood as equally bizarre and traumatic as Augusten's. I've definitely had my issues with dating before I met my husband, and with drinking too. I had a mentally ill and neglectful mom and alcoholic father like Augusten, and also experienced sexual abuse at a young age. I think it's very important for people like Augusten to share their stories. Not just sensationalized memoirs about their awful childhood (I don't like reading or revisiting that kind of thing), but about the aftermath. I like when adults are kindred spirits and sharing how these things never really go away, but you can somehow be okay anyways.

I also liked when he talked about his process for writing his first novel, because I'm a writer. I've never written a novel, but it reminded me of the manic joy that overtook me when one of my "short stories" became a novelette (I'm currently editing it). I don't remember reading him talking about that before, and I've read all his books, so that was new and refreshing.

Now the second part of the book I liked less. Dennis reminded me of my ex in many ways, so I found it relatable. I think a lot of people would, because we've all had at least one relationship we held on to for whatever reason, even though it wasn't meant to be. But I felt like Augusten was unnecessarily nasty in this one-sided tale, and took no personal accountability for the problems, or even the fact that he stayed. I hate memoirs like that. Save it for your journal. Don't publish something just to be vindictive. If you were with someone for nearly a decade and don't even care about them enough not to want to humiliate them, then that says a lot about you.

The third part was AWFUL. I'm not even sure what it was about. Food, dogs, home decor, and jewelry, jewelry, jewelry! He went on about gemstones the way Nabokov does traveling or butterflies. It was so dull, and I couldn't figure out how any of it was relevant. A memoir is supposed to have a central theme. It's not just supposed to be about all that person's passions and hobbies. That's a blog! I felt like I was reading a tumblr or gazing at a Pinterest.

And the way he went on and on about his new husband. My God. I really love my husband too, but never write about it, because it's not interesting to other people. I felt like I was in a Jennifer Weiner novel!

I like Augusten as a person, and Dry is one of my favorite memoirs of all time, up there with The Glass Castle. But I cannot get behind this book. He says in the acknowledgments that he wrote two novels before this which he wasn't happy with—they'll never see the light of day. Then he decided to write "What happened after Dry." That's a REALLY broad brushstroke. I wish he would've had more focus, that this would've been specifically about something and not just a 300 page update of his life lately. It's like two decades of Facebook updates collected, not like a memoir at all.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

I placed my hand against the side of his precious, electric face and felt the stubble beneath my fingers. I was overwhelmed with the lust and wonder of it all.

I've read plenty (not all) of Augusten Burroughs' work, and I've always found his voice to be so likeable and engaging that the actual substance doesn't matter that much (although I can't deny that I've been long fascinated by his incredible stories). Now fifty, Burroughs brings us his seventh memoir with Lust and Wonder, and The Washington Post is probably not wrong to ask, “For whom, exactly, are these many memoirs being generated?” Well, I guess the answer is me: I'm not a People Magazine-subscribing, TMZ-watching consumer of celebrity gossip, but gossip is not what Burrough keeps offering; reading these memoirs is like catching up with an old friend, and like with any old friend, I'm primarily interested in the answer to, “Have you been happy?” Lust and Wonder doesn't offer the blackly comic shocks of Running with Scissors or the grit of Dry, it doesn't even have the Aha! missing-piece-of-the-puzzle feeling of reading A Wolf at the Table. But after “knowing” Burroughs for years and growing to like him and wanting him to be happy, I was pleased to read this book and learn that, yes, he seems to have found his happiness at last.

My childhood had been hijacked by drunks, pedophiles, lunatics, and surrealists, so I grew up in a world unrelated to the actual planetary body beneath my feet. I was at the mercy of the off-the-rails adults around me. The upside was, I became determined as an adult to do what I wanted: become an author, get published, become sober, get love. Security and love, these were the two things I did not feel as a child, so I chased after them now, sometimes bumping into things and knocking them down in the process. I was an emotional Great Dane, hugely needy and clumsy.

Lust and Wonder picks up where Dry (released in 2003) left off: In a serious but essentially sexless relationship with a semi-famous author (Mitch), and thinking he could master his alcoholism (through overdrinking), Burroughs goes on his last bender while obsessively churning out what would become his first book, the novel Sellevision. The more he wrote (an act he hadn't known himself to be capable of), the less he drank, and by the end of mere weeks, Burroughs was single, sober, and in possession of a manuscript. After many rejections, Burroughs finds a literary agent (Christopher – a man for whom he felt an immediate attraction, but since Burroughs had recently lost his first great love to AIDS, he determined the HIV-positive Christopher to be off limits for his too-tender heart), and through an online personal ad, he found Dennis: the paragon of security and love that Burroughs had been seeking his entire life.

The decade they spent together is the bulk of this book, and although these must have been some happy years – with the couple building their dream home in the country, Dennis quitting his job to become the writer's business manager, Burroughs enjoying undreamed of success while putting down roots and adopting dogs – this relationship is also essentially celibate; Burroughs' frigidity attributed to his childhood sexual abuse. By the end of their time together, it's obvious that neither of the pair is happy.

I believed he loved the life we built, the oil-bronze-finish door pulls, the closets filled with linens, the cars. I definitely felt our life would be perfect for him if only I wasn't in it.

At the same time, Burroughs realises that he had been in love with Christopher from the beginning, and as they had become best friends through the years, the way was paved for them to enter an intensely loving relationship; Burroughs can be his own neurotically bitchy self and Christopher has the ability to laugh off anything. And for the first time in his life, Burroughs discovered satisfying and loving sex; he had finally found his happiness and, just as though he had been an old friend of mine, I was glad to hear it.

On the other hand, I was surprised to read that Burroughs was essentially broke after the split with Dennis: Dennis was given half of Burroughs' publishing rights when they entered their romantic/business partnership, and after building the luxurious country home and indulging his obsessive rare gems/jade buying compulsion for years, Burroughs was told to write another book if he wanted to remain solvent. And yet, with his newfound happiness, Burroughs was suddenly unable to write; he claims to have penned two mediocre novels that aren't fit for publication in this time, and that he remained uninspired until he began work on Lust and Wonder. Happy lives probably don't make for interesting memoir, and the final passages of this book – where Burroughs goes on about his gems and jade and dogs – bears that out, but even if he wrote this book because he needed the money (and that fact makes me a bit sad: how is so successful an author not beyond money worries?), I'm still glad that he wrote it and that I read it.

[Lorilin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Augusten Burroughs is already well-known, specifically for his two most popular memoirs: Running with Scissors and Dry. I’m kind of surprised at myself for not having read either, but it meant I was able to begin reading Lust and Wonder with a completely open mind. I really didn’t know what to expect.

Well, my goodness. I guess I’ve been missing out.

Lust and Wonder essentially follows Burroughs through three significant relationships in his life, and his descriptions of these relationships are brutally honest. No one is spared, including Burroughs. He truly does bare it all–the good and the bad–and even when he knows it’s ugly, he doesn’t flinch.

Burroughs makes fun of himself a lot for being anxious and uptight, but it’s clear he has a good sense of humor about his shortcomings. His commentary on his own fragile mental state adds soothing levity to the “torment,” so the memoir never feels suffocating or oppressive. There are some intense subjects covered, but I had no problem devouring huge chunks of the story over one or two sittings. I empathized with Burroughs, felt connected to his struggles, but the book never overwhelmed me. Balanced is probably the last word Burroughs would use to describe himself, but that is exactly the word I’d use to describe this book.

The last comment I want to add is pretty much superfluous, but I just can’t help myself.

It made me so sad when Burroughs repeated over and over how “safe” he felt in his first marriage. He kept saying that his partner (of ten years) was the opposite of every parent figure he had in childhood–so calm and predictable and restrained. But it seemed to me that their relationship was just a quieter version of what Burroughs had already experienced (at least from what I know about his childhood from this memoir). His partner was cold, withholding, and critical–constantly nit-picking and stonewalling and shutting him out, for seemingly no reason (or maybe, more accurately, for every reason).

A healthy person would know that love is supposed to feel good and would have the courage to tell the other person to either express himself like a grown-up or have the balls to leave the relationship already. But if you’ve grown up in a home where love didn’t feel steady, safe, secure, dependable, unconditional, etc., well then you think to love is to feel anxious. You feel anxious that you don’t deserve love, anxious that it will be taken away. And this state of anxiety feels awful, but also natural, familiar, almost good (!). So instead of sticking up for yourself, you fall right into the trap of trying to figure out how you upset the other person this time, how you can do better next time so that you can eventually earn their love. It breaks my heart a little to think that Burroughs put himself through that for 10 years. I’m beyond happy for him that he is now married to someone who gets him and treats him well, but still. We’re all screwed up, you know? No one deserves to be treated like he’s not worthy of love.

At any rate, I really loved this book. Start to finish, it was wonderful. From what I’ve read elsewhere, it appears that Lust and Wonder is a bit of a comeback memoir for Burroughs (and has been well-received by fans thus far). If that’s the case, I couldn’t be more thrilled for him. I wish him all the best, and I hope this book is a bestseller.

See more of my reviews at www.BugBugBooks.com!

[Cindy Knoke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Augusten is such a good writer, makes such wonderful connections and leaps between images and words, that his writing is just frequently a joy. He is clearly a brilliant person and I enjoyed much of this book because of his writing skills.
One thing he stills seems to have difficulty getting an accurate sense of is himself, this is despite writing many books now on just this topic. I have read them all and here is what I am left with.
First, as I said he is a brilliant writer. Next, Augusten starts relationships over valuing a person and ends relationships demonizing them, in between this he can be quite hostile and bullying. Then he writes a book ostensibly about himself, but also about the other person. There are no boundaries, no respect whatsoever for any person's desire for privacy or dignity.
Having an intimate relationship with Augusten must be like signing up for Kamikazee training. You don't know when you will be sent on your suicide mission, but you should be clear it will happen, and after your mission is complete, he will write about how badly you let him down.

[George Ilsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The supply of material is starting to run a bit thin. At least at one point in this book Burroughs acknowledges how annoying he must seem.

The unhappy relationship that dragged on seemed to occur in real time — longer than could be reasonably tolerated.

Frequent references to his other books are enough to make one wonder if perhaps they are what one should actually be reading.

[Helēna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhere along the chronic pain, issues with alcohol, and love, I fell for this book. The last 100 or so pages probably were my favorites as I really needed to be reminded how beautiful it can be to fall in love. To be in love.

[Ashley Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 I'm-still-crying-too-hard-from-the-ending-to-elaborate stars.

More on this when I've gathered myself.

[Yuki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blunt, yet has the power to gain (possibly unwanted) sympathy.

[Evan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A memoir focused on the author's love life and how he eventually ended up finding and marrying his husband. I don't want to be mean, but the better and more entertaining part of the book was when his dating life was going very poorly and when his tone was extremely catty and slightly bitchy. I was much more interested in how he's a horrible boyfriend and how dating in NYC is hard and how many normal things can become icks than how his husband is so good to him. It got pretty boring and sickly sweet after he found the love of his life, which is not at the very end of the book.

The one part that really resonated me especially was his depiction of falling out of love with someone, how everything they do becomes nauseating and you can't help your bad mood around them and you can feel yourself being unfair but can't stop yourself. That's something I'd like to read more.

Found out this guy has written four memoirs before this. This is his fifth. Is that shocking to anyone else or am I just misunderstanding the genre? How does one person's life have that much material? I'm, like, genuinely suspicious of this man. He's a memoir writer. That can't be a job??

That said, I might pick up his other memoir Running With Scissors or Dry, which supposed to be much better than this one and document his childhood and struggles with sobriety. I think that's partially the issue with this book—his love story is his love story. It's not as universal or as emotionally impactful of a read as those other subjects. It's a lovely story to hear from a man who's your long-term friend. It's a pretty tedious story from a man selling books.

Ultimately, a memoir I'd rank above Spare but below all the other ones I've read. Didn't have much to say. Could've stayed as a diary entry.

[Ethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’ALL JUST DONT GET IT!

The way I have grown up with this author is making me so emotional. Like this book took me there and back and there again. Funny. Heartbreaking. Stupid. Full of love!

I’m really not in the mood to get into all of it because my foot just fell asleep and I need to focus on that. But so so good! Proud of my man (Augustan Burroughs).

Emojis for how I’m feeling: 🙂‍↕️🥰🥲🥹😛🫣

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Augusten Burroughs is a giant trainwreck. A giant trainwreck in precisely the way all disasters are: you know you shouldn't look, and you shouldn't be so interested and keen to see it all happening, but you furtively watch the whole thing anyway.

The only difference is that with Burroughs, he lets you in on every single dirty secret so you don't have to feel ashamed. His head is all over the place, he's constantly neurotic, and he's blessedly open about every inch of it. He has no qualms about discussing the merits of hairy arm hair or a nice dick on his current partner. No issues with talking about what a bore he thought his ex was, or how slovenly he himself was. He'd go on long tangents about things that really didn't need tangents, like his obsession with gemstones and the shopping network.

Thing is, Burrough's unapologetic attitude is just perfect. He really doesn't care one ounce about whether or not you call him sloppy or crazy. Or at least, if he does he won't stop writing about his crazy life, and as consumers that's really all we want, right?

He's just awesome. I really appreciated how Burroughs took us painstakingly through each disaster of his love life. His writing is befitting his life too, which rounds everything out nicely. Wild tangents in life reflected with wild tangents within the writing. Obsessions over the rooftop pool, for example.

I love this guy. I need to go back and reread Running with Scissors; I read it so long ago I barely remember it anymore. I didn't realize how little I remembered until I started reading this which bummed me out a bit, but it works to my advantage now that Lust & Wonder renewed my interest in it again. Burroughs is a gifted writer and I am more than happy to read anything he writes. I gotta get my hands on the rest....

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been to 2 book signings by Augusten Burroughs and he doesn't look or act anything like the way he comes across in his books. In person he seems, well, normal. Not so in his books.

Which is why I love them so much! That someone who has had such a background as his (see Running with Scissors) can function in the world and actually be successful is a testament to all of us. None of us have gone through what he has (thankfully!).

This latest book traces his journey through a 10-year relationship with someone who makes him feel safe, but who doesn't really have anything in common with him. (It sounds a bit like my first marriage....)

It also introduces his agent who is nearly as crazy, in his own way.

All the way along, Burroughs reflects on how his "doomsday" outlook has caused him so many problems and how, although he recoginizes it, he can't completely control it. Life has taught him to stay carefully self-controlled and self-dependent so that when, not if, something goes terribly wrong he doesn't suffer too much.

The writing is delightful as always. There is something about Burroughs's style that is perfect for what he does. I don't know if it's the playful self-deprecation or his understatement or what, but it's something that keeps me reading until I've finished the book. (Which is why I usually hold on to them for a long time before I read them. A bit like a box of chocolates - yeah, forgive me - you start one, saying that's the only one you'll eat that day, then the next thing you know, you're sitting with an empty box but a satisfied stomach.

If you're new to Burroughs, this isn't the book to start with. You really do need his background to appreciate both his stories and his writing. But he's an author worth reading, over and over.

[Diane Yannick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Augusten is now 50 and this is his 7th memoir. I skipped three of them but decided to catch up with him again. I'm happy that he has maintained his sobriety. I can totally appreciate how hard he's worked to gain a better understanding of himself. His communication skills have evolved, allowing him to have loving, honest relationships.

I've read enough about his life but believe that he's a great writer capable of switching genres. He's lived an interesting life and his honesty is extraordinary but this one bogged down for me in the middle. Not knowing love or security as a child took a huge toll on Augusten who described himself as an "emotional Great Dane , hugely needy and clumsy." Proof of this was his relationship and eventual break-up with Mitch, a struggling novelist. Their relationship struggles were detailed and žI got sick of hearing about their lack of sexual chemistry. He described living in a relationship that you know is doomed as "botulism of the soul." Once he admitted and acted upon his love for Christopher, his life seemed to turn from black and white to technicolor.

Augusten has many challenges: watching people he loves die from AIDS, recovering from and compensating for his bizarre childhood, living with his artistic temperament, balancing social expectations with his much needed solitude, battling his addictive tendencies....

I enjoy many of his reflections on life : "Was it a universal truth that the closer you looked at something, the more you would see but the less you would understand what you were looking at?" Not sure that Augusten will ever be able to stop analyzing himself or writing his memoirs. We'll see.