Augusten Burroughs on Oprah

[Thecrazyeditor]

Hi there, I feel like I know you. I never read Harry Potter. My kids love to read. I showed some scenes from the movie, "Running with Scissors." I told them, it has to be true to me. If not, very creative anyway. I say it is a Memoir. I could go on and on. I love what the author did in Harry Potter--I believe she announced that a character was gay before or at release of the last book. I don't have the money, but she is an inspiration and so are you.

[Blisslyke]

Go read my blog about my white trash upbringing and dysfunctional family... i'm often compared to Augusten Burroughs and David Sedaris. But I'm a chick:

whoshavedmymulletdotcom

[ffcrazy]

fuck oooff.... telling us that she is pationate and shit.. there is a shit load of money behind. next step is to tell us to love the advertisers for making us "aware" of their products by flooding us with advertisments. Also reading one trendy book doesnt give you the benefits of "reading" . anyway who is this guys he is such a phenomenal idiot!!

[beloit22]

@ffcrazy He's obviously a FAGGOT!

[Treeefingers]

Running With Scissors is one of the best fucking books in the world. I thought that Augusten would be my new favourite author, but I tried to read Dry and was extremely irritated by it. Any reccommendations on how to re"find the magic"?

[PrinceTheRipperBel7]

i love his book "running with scissors" SO MUCH! and cant wait to read "possible side effects" he's such a great writer

[FalconPunchEpiGaming]

@PrinceTheRipperBel7 I just finished a wolf at the table its amazing!

[dannymichaell]

I love him. I'm reading Running with Scissors and it's so touching. <3

[xtrmsprts]

fuck oprah, nigga ... :)

[BloggerMusicMan]

I've never been a big Oprah fan, but Burroughs actually does bring up a good point about her book club, and I see it as especially applicable with JK Rowling.

Every kid in my generation, myself included, grew up reading Harry Potter, and while I think Burroughs overstates the case by saying an entire generation loved to read because of her (I think they just loved reading HER, not reading in general), I do think she got them on the right track.

[paco7669]

This guy had a f.u.ked up childhood

[TheSonny92110]

running with scissors...was scarry and funny...a good read but disturbing

[Rae015473]

I was fortunate to see this guy at a book signing. I have all his books and seeing him in person is even better. What a phenomonal human being.

[TipoSanguineoA]

i dunno how much of what he writes is true, but it's true i see much of me and my history in him.

[maverickbagel]

i love him too! Dry is wonderful.

[whimsical1992]

I love Augustens style of writing. And I agree with the JK Rowling thing. Authors who can get any type of kids to read their work deserve an award.

[OldZLand]

I love this man. I read A Wolf at the Table, Running with Scissors, and Dry in less than a week. I just love his writing so much, and I love the amazing story that is his life.

Just checked out You Better Not Cry and Possible Side Effects today at the library. So excited to read them.

[theboywiththecoin]

I love him. I couldnt agree more...JK Rowling has done ALOT for young readers. She gave them a place where they felt like they belonged, right there in the spine of her smaller, simpler novels, and within the hundreds of pages in the later, young adult sequels.

[zepDzen]

So agree with you Mr.B! Expecialy when it come to peeking a childs intrest in picking up a book. Reading builds vocab, comprehention, spelling, etc. Hey Parents, do your kids a favor and be an asshole, take the tv, video games and computers out of their bedrooms, they won't melt only evolve when they find a book is their only source of entertainment and it's really not that bad. (alittlebluehouse,Oaken007) seems like u2 need some reading time yourself)

[JelloFarming]

I like his books but Augusten needs to pull his hat down a bit or take it off.

[BoredomInducedArson]

lol he does look good without the hat on

[wafflez789]

i recommend running with scissors

[DrKiIIem]

I bet you still boil your change!!! Shiney

[cunningprose]

Your entire point was lost with me via your suggestion to send J.K. Rowling money. There are several parents around the world that are unable to feed their children let alone themselves. Additionally, in the U.S. many parents are unable to pay for their child's school lunch each day. Send a millionaire more money each month...really?

[alittlebluehouse]

Huh? If Americans cant afford to feed their children then there is something wrong with your society. Look to your governement. JK Rowling is NOT the problem, the military industrial complex (among other things) is!!!!

No money for school lunch program but plenty money to invade Iraq

Priorities!

[undyinghumor]

@cunningprose That wasn't his point. He was just saying, Americans should thank J.K. Rowling for getting kids to read. The end. He wasn't making a comment about wealth or poverty, which is what you seemed to twist it into.

[stemikger]

Well said Agusten. You Rock!!!

[Oaken007]

LOL Augusten, J.K. Rowling makes enough f**kin' money. She should be sending parents checks for making her ass rich!

[blueidblonde881]

Harry Potter!!!!! I love it so much. I just finished the last book and after I was done with the last book I read one of my favorites. Running With Scissors.

[nelsonscry]

this guy dranks enough bottles of dewars to fill an apartment from floor to ceiling, i wonder how his liver doing

[Oaken007]

correction: DRANK not dranks or drinks. DRANK in his past. Yeah his liver is probably shot. What's your vice?!

[LemonOdette]

i think it's great JK and Opie get people to read but i don't really read anything except Augusten. :P so i don't really care. :P i should send Augusten a dollar cuz he got me to read after years of not being able to beucase of ADD. somehow i can read his books and can't wait for the next one to come out. so thanks Augusten!

[penquinrobotz]

hmmmm...i have read a few Oprah selections and can honestly say i haven't liked any of them....i guess he's not so much saying she has great taste as he's saying it's good to get people to read?...

[Cobainpunk74]

send money to JK rowling? WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Like she doesn't already have enough fucking cash!!!!!!!!!!

[ZachariahLogan]

then send it to me....please?

[2YearsPamFree]

i have read all of his books now and am looking forward to him writing another one. I found the wolf at the table a very sad read and could relate to a lot of it being bought up in a dysfunctional family myself. Great author will read his brothers book next.

[joescott421]

What is the brothers book called? also, what is his name?...who's Pam?

[2YearsPamFree]

Augustens brother is John Elder Robinson who suffers from aspergers which is a type of autism. His book is called look me in the eye and is on ebay. Pam is diazepam which I was addicted to for 15 years!

[connorhalsell]

I love Augusten Burroughs, but I disagree with almost everything he said here

[18Ty18]

he has been threw and seen and also done more in his life than you have. so back the fuck off people.

[enniroc84]

some of you people commenting are so critical about the vainest and shallowest of things. who the hell cares if he talks like hes gay or if you hate his hat.

[jlokant]

Never thought of Oprah's book club that way.

[tabbeee]

i read his books backwards. i dont really know why. but its more interesting that way. i still have to read running with scissors though.

[faerieangeltaitai]

Uh Yeah he is truly a homosexual ur kinda late...screw that, your WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY late

[MolkoxLewd]

I know.

So are you, since I commented 2 weeks ago. I'm just saying, he talks like a stereotypical gay man.

[TheGirlIsSoGroovy]

ahhh i love him.

i'm reading possible side effects right now and its phenominal

[cholocharile]

i hate his hat lol

but hes one of my favorite artists anyways.

[adriansmellsgood]

person under me, i know!!!!!! i still love him though.

[5339751Pet]

for me it is scarry to match the writer to the physical being, it is the first time for me.

[AngryAlbel]

... He talks the way he writes.

Neat.

[herzenverbrecher]

She made us vote wrong.

I mean, Augusten, you entertained me for an entire day with Running with Scissors. But I don't think I trust everything you say.

Reading and writing- some people love it, some don't. If you pressure someone, how are they going to fully enjoy it?

[timetorevolt]

Rowling is pronounced "Rolling" - and no, every parent shouldn't give a dollar to her, chances are they paid for the book(s) or for tickets to the movie(s). And no, reading isn't everything. Most of what we know comes from personal contacts. And just as people can be in error, distract, and deceive in person... they can do it in print as well. Media (including bound text) doesn't sanitize the message of falsehood or illogic.

[jfbruglio]

I don't believe he was saying, "reading is everything". What he is stressing,is how important it is to read... Can't someone say something positve without people like you having to add their two sense?!!

[psyadr]

@jfbruglio

yes that's write! "two SENSE"

[istealspoons]

@jfbruglio

I totally agree, but it's "two cents", bro. :P

[strato01844]

God damn, he is so hot.

[artrca1000]

Everyone who drinks, or used to drink should read his book "DRY"

[wHoIZZtHis]

i want to read this one/

i'veread running with scissors but not this one.

[treylatrashyoumademe]

Read them all!

[geese23]

is it me or did he slim down?

[ByckBurgers]

he lost a buuuunch of weight.

[hughie521324]

this guy is a chronic liar - evil incarnate

[daddyfink]

Everyone should read something, from a Cheesy Novel to a book on how to repair washing machines! Get your brain working and the rest will follow! I read from History to Burroughs and my brain feels better.

I think the next best thing to encouraging someone to read is to teach them to read. Its like teaching a man to fish, he will never go hungry.

Just my crazy thoughts, now where is that old Electrolux?

[tygersflowerz]

There's a lengthy Vanity Fair interview with the family that he wrote about in his "Running With Scissors" memoir. In the book AND movie the family was called the Finches - a mom, dad/doctor, two daughters. In reality there's about five daughters. And they all claim the book is highly exaggerated. Example: Augusten said they kept an electroshock machine under the bed. A sister said it was an electrolux vacuum that didn't work anymore. The family says the book's full of those exaggerations.

[whatthehell555]

They did say that, but they were completely after money as well ;).

[tygersflowerz]

Hard to know who to believe, though. I wouldn't be surprised if it IS exagerrated to a certain degree.

[hawazozo]

Maybe it is. But I guess all memoirists do that, right? Besides didn't like Dr. Finch die, like in 2001?

[EvanCo93Three]

Augusten is my favorite author. I just finished Sellevision and it was hilarious.

I'm also reading Possible Side Effects and I've read Running With Scissors.

His POV's are almost "just too much", as my mother says.

[aufumier]

He's promoting reading because as an adult he wishes he had been more involved with books as a kid. Duh, people... That's not very hard to understand. Also, someone can get into books at a later age and be brillant. There is no expiration date on genius.

And will you guys who've only read "running with scissors" read any of his other books? He's written four other memoirs (One of which was written before "running with scissors") and a novel.

[gnarlyreject]

i met him last night :)

[hawazozo]

OMG! i envy you so much! how was he? he sounds so awesome

[gnarlyreject]

he is amazing ahahah

me and my mum bought him australian chips, cos he loves forgein chips

:)

[xKarolina]

wasn't he, himself, like a late reader? I mean didn't he really get into literature like in his late teens? That what it sounds like in Running With Scissors, at least.

"I can't be a writer. You have to read Hemingway to be a writer".. haha. I love him!

[ntiego]

the funny thing is, i read hundreds of books, by age 15 i had read 700 and i dont think it did me any good exceptmakeme think too much which doesnt help in this society. better to be mindless and happy.

[gnarlyreject]

haha mindless. gold.

[ntiego]

thanks. I dont know why that guy gave me a -6 for saying that. its jsut a commentary on society obviously not on reading. of course reading is the greatest thing ever (for me anyway). As i said its a commentary on society-the push for us to be dumbed down, etc.

[JANXDPDX]

reading can be empty calories.

[jimmymoz619]

augusten you ARE brilliant! I agree that if any person, famous or not, can get someone to read a book and encourage reading is awsome. Better then encouraging the use of crack or MJ. Theoryhaed ur an idiot. Look at the big picture and if you cannot do that then get a life.

[theoryhead]

Why would anyone consider this good? There is no discrimination between good and bad writing? Oprah is not an "arbiter of taste in America?" Has he even seen Oprah? Perhaps he should pay attention to the mindless tripe that Oprah peddles.

It is pathetic that being America needs someone like this to give plaudits to people for simply reading, whatever it is that they choose to read. It shows how far we have to go to be what Kant called in the bloody 19th Century an "enlightened age."

[saneinsane]

Why would anyone consider it bad? It's a matter of opinion. It's that simple. Harpooning someone for considering this a good idea places you no closer to enlightment than the rest of us.

And speak for yourself. Just because Oprah recommends and condemns books doesn't mean that we're mindless sheep. I decide what books I like and dislike. But I don't flip out when someone recommends a seemingly horrible book.

I just don't understand why you're complaining.

[kerouacbukowski]

I actually bought One hundred years of solitude, not because of Oprah, but because Ive heard its a great book, and it is...but Oprah had a big ass patch on it. Sometimes she does pick good books, and if thats what it takes for somebody to read something like One Hundred Years of Solitude, is that a bad thing? Probably not....how else would middle aged mothers discover that kinda lit?

[alexfromLP]

I'm sorry, but what you said would make Kant roll in his grave.