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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

From the New York Times Bestselling author of Running With Scissors comes the story of one man trying to out-drink his memories, outlast his demons, and outrun his past.

"I was addicted to "Bewitched" as a kid. I worshipped Darren Stevens the First. When he'd come home from work and Samantha would say, ‘Darren, would you like me to fix you a drink?' He'd always rest his briefcase on the table below the mirror in the foyer, wipe his forehead with a monogrammed handkerchief and say, ‘Better make it a double.'" (from Chapter Two)

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.

Addiction & Recovery Alcoholism Art & Literature Authors Biographies & Memoirs Indigenous Creators Mental Health Awareness Memoir Substance abuse Funny
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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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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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