First published 2004
Augusten Burroughs' mother is a paranoid, unstable woman who places him in the care of her unhinged psychiatrist. Trapped in a bizarre, unsettling world of hallucinations and dysfunction, Augusten must navigate his own survival. Yet amidst the chaos, he discovers unexpected beauty, humor, and grace. At its heart, Magical Thinking is a story of resilience, self-discovery, and the strength to forge one's own path.
Genres: literary-fiction, contemporary, memoir, biography-memoir
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
Period: 20th century
304 pages · Paperback · Picador
Content warnings: abuse, mental-illness