First published 2008
Augusten Burroughs' father is a brilliant but unstable man, prone to violent outbursts and erratic behavior. As a young boy, Augusten navigates his father's unpredictable moods, always on edge, never knowing which version of his dad will emerge. Trapped in a household of simmering tension and resentment, Augusten must find a way to survive and maintain his sense of self. At the core, this is a story of Augusten's struggle to connect with a parent who is incapable of providing the love and stability he craves.
Genres: literary-fiction, abuse, 20th-century, autobiography, biography-memoir, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
272 pages · Paperback · Picador
Content warnings: abuse, mental-illness