The Book: Possible Side Effects, by Augusten Burroughs
The Story: This is a book of essays by the same guy who wrote Running with Scissors. If you’ve read that, you have some idea of what to expect from him. If not, let me tell you.
This guy had a crazy (no seriously, his mom was in and out of mental institutes) childhood. He grew up and somehow maintained a pretty decent sense of humor. These essays are just little bits of how he looks at the world.
Just from memory, here’s what was covered: flavors of potato chips in England, marketing Junior Mints, lesbian personal ads, getting a locksmith, McDonald’s, racial profiling fast food joints, puppies, doting grandmas and evil grandmas… you know, just that kind of stuff.
What I Thought: Let me say first that thrift store workers who write the price on the covers of books with a permanent marker need to get their fingers chopped off. I will forever know how much I paid for this book because the people at the thrift store nearest us are stupid. They also have a rule that everything in the store has to be carried out in a bag, so even if you only buy 1 item they have to bag it. Luckily they have a “comments” box by the door, so I regularly leave comments on both of these items.
Welllll. This is a hard one for me to review. Some of the essays were good. Maybe 10? They made me laugh or roll my eyes or think of a certain friend. I think that authors and comedians and photographers really have this special gift to see things that are normal in life and just examine them and make us see the importance or craziness or something. Augusten Burroughs has this gift without a doubt. These essays were just little, normal bits but just how he went into it was hilarious or touching, depending on which essay.
My favorite one was about him helping his lesbian friend write a personal ad and then pick through the answers. So funny. The chapter titled “Mint Threshold” also made me laugh out loud.
The remainder of the essays were just so boring. They weren’t about anything. They just seemed like filler. They didn’t make me feel anything at all besides just boredom. I’m not a skimmer, but I have to admit that several times I found myself skimming. I’m bored with even writing the review. So. The end.
Conclusion: A quick little book. I got it at the thrift store for 90 cents and I think it was worth that. Don’t pay 14 dollars for this book. There are essays worth the read, but this isn’t a keeper.