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Dry

A Memoir

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Dry

By: Augusten Burroughs
Narrated by: Augusten Burroughs
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About this listen

 You may not know it, but you've met Augusten Burroughs. You've seen him on the street, in bars, on the subway, at restaurants: a twentysomething guy, nice suit, works in advertising. Regular. Ordinary. But when the ordinary person had two drinks, Augusten was circling the drain by having twelve; when the ordinary person went home at midnight, Augusten never went home at all. Loud, distracting ties, automated wake-up calls and cologne on the tongue could only hide so much for so long. At the request (well, it wasn't really a request) of his employers, Augusten lands in rehab, where his dreams of group therapy with Robert Downey Jr. are immediately dashed by grim reality of fluorescent lighting and paper hospital slippers. But when Augusten is forced to examine himself, something actually starts to click and that's when he finds himself in the worst trouble of all. Because when his thirty days are up, he has to return to his same drunken Manhattan life - and live it sober. What follows is a memoir that's as moving as it is funny, as heartbreaking as it is true. Dry is the story of love, loss, and Starbucks as a Higher Power.©2003 Augusten Burroughs; ©2003 by Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC Addiction & Recovery Alcoholism Art & Literature Authors Biographies & Memoirs Indigenous Creators Mental Health Awareness Memoir Substance abuse Funny

Critic Reviews

"Mr. Burroughs remains ebulliently glib when it's useful, as befits his advertising skills....[He] remains adept at mixing comedy and calamity." (The New York Times)
"Like the alcohol he so enjoys, Burroughs' story of getting dry will go straight into your bloodstream and leave you buzzing, exhilarated, and wiped out...this memoir operates on a high level of involvement and suspense." (Kirkus Reviews)
"[A] wrenching, edifying journey...with the added benefit of being really entertaining." (The New York Times Book Reviews)
"Harrowing yet hilarious personal encounter....His performance blends self-deprecating black humor with wise-cracking confidence. His natural wit and charm keep the listener rooting for his success." (AudioFile)
All stars
Most relevant  
What a great read. Gripping. Exciting. Sad. Lovely. Funny. I love this book. Highly recommend it to anyone

Fantastic book

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A really brilliant book, finished it within a couple of days. Despite some dark topics, Augusten is really funny, and tells his story well. I may just have to read his other books now.

Couldn't put it down

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This book is truly engaging. I very much enjoyed the author’s voice as he takes us on a story through addiction.

Touching true story

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Augusten is a great writer, who can create characters and scenes effortlessly. I loved every word.

Heartfelt

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I first read Dry when it came out and now years later reading it as a newly sober member of the fellowship I have really lived through a lot of what I’d missed the first time around. AB’s narration is very much a part of its charm and the amazing part is how closely I could relate to a young, gay newyork ad-exec because of our shared affliction.

Better than I remembered

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I love it when I honestly cannot wait to finish reading..
I loved every moment and now want to read all of them...

spellbound

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Author took me on the jorney with him - I love reads like this! Feel like I know these characters in real life - have to remind myself it was just a book.

Great Read

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Beautifully written and narrated. A must listen from a talented author. Loved it and highly recommend.

Brilliant!

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Where does Dry rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book sits in the top 25% of the audiobooks i have. There is a danger in the 'i used to be drunk' genre that it turns into an empty shopping list of benders, but Burroughs manages to weave a compelling story from his, and the end left me in tears.

Who was your favorite character and why?

In such a personal story, it has to be Augusten. He doesnt shy away from the damage he did to himself at others, nor pretend that he wasn't blissfully unaware either. He makes reference to his famously hard upbringing, but never milks it for pity. Overall, I walked away with an admiration of the balance with which he told the story and an admiration for a man regardless of him having spent the last few hours explaining the many times he'd screwed up.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The end is great - i wont wreck it, but it spoke to me on a few levels, and avoided the non-descript ending to most books that focus on substance abuse.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

As mentioned, the end is particularly good, and some of his recollections of the goings-on in rehabs ad the characters he met were particularly well rendered.

Any additional comments?

As mentioned, the level of narrative and insight in this boook is far superior to the average drunken memoir book. It is deeply personal without becoming a navel gazing excercise and a shopping list of benders - it actually feels intimate and vivid.

superior and moving 'i used to be drunk' story

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Augusten is an amazing writer and storyteller. Amazing attention to detail, laugh out loud moments. But must importantly, he captures the addict experience. The end was sad and beautiful all at once. Loved this!

One of the best addiction memoirs

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