17. Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs (6/17/2011 - 6/20/2011)
Something about essay writing must draw me to certain authors and their work, because I loved Burroughs' Magical Thinking (a collection of essays), hated Running with Scissors (a memoir), and loved this book, Possible Side Effects (another collection of essays). I find his voice engaging and fun to read, and I'm starting to think that I may actually like his voice better than that of David Sedaris, which, to me at least, is very surprising.
There is a reality to Burroughs' writing that I don't find in a lot of nonfiction writers and I think that's what draws me to his work. His life is interesting, I suppose, but he writes in a way that doesn't make me feel like my life is boring by comparison; in fact, he writes with such clarity that I recognize aspects of my life through his writing in a way that I never expected.
While I may not be a fan of his official "memoir," I do recommend his writing. Perhaps someday I'll read the rest of his work.
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