Product Description

Doll collecting. The Tooth Fairy. Incontinent dogs. eBay addiction. Hot cardiologists. Available locksmiths. Lesbian personal ads. Junior Mints. Blind dates. Nicorette gum. Coffins (as bookcases). Grandmothers. Dry skin. College t-shirts. Santa Claus. Enforcing traffic laws. Julia Child. Possible Side Effects explores the concept of cause and effect. It is a cautionary tale in essay form. Be forewarned and read the label: hilarious, troubling, and shocking results might occur.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #617574 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-02
• Formats: Audiobook, Unabridged
• Original language: English
• Binding: Audio CD

From Publishers Weekly
Nostalgia, entertainment and humor are possible side effects of listening to this audiobook. Burroughs delivers a slew of reflections about both serious and mundane aspects of his life. His style of delivery fluctuates from piece to piece so one is never sure what the theme or moral is until he finishes. When he's not highlighting the idiosyncrasies of humanity or his own eccentricities, he romanticizes life in New York City, plots John Updike's death and expounds upon the love of his partner or pets. Though his performance keeps listener's attention, it's far from stellar. He fluctuates with character accents. He voices all of his women in the same tone and quality. His overemphasis with expletives often detracts because it's not usually necessary; expletives will stand out on their own. His youthful voice does help legitimate the stories in that the experiences shared need vibrancy to imply truthfulness. Light and endearing with the occasional somber thought, this audiobook takes hold of listeners from the beginning and carries them through adventures and mishaps that prove worth the trip.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From AudioFile
Not all writers are suited to read their work aloud. But Augusten Burroughs brings both attitude and gravitas to the material in his new work. Burroughs reminiscences of his early days, and his reproduction of his Grandmother Caroline's Southern accent is both funny and loving. Burroughs uses his insight into the characters in his life to add color and depth. The maturation of the author is reflected in his delivery of pieces on his purchase of a dog he was too drunk to take care of, his purchase of a endearing dog with a bladder-control problem, and the dawning of his realization that everyone is worthy of love. R.O. [Editor's Note: A soundreview is also available at Audiopolis, www.audiofilemagazine.com.] © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
Burroughs is the author of the memoir Running with Scissors (2002), a "runaway" best-seller, and an equally popular collection of essays, Magical Thinking (2004). In light of recent publishing events vis-a-vis truth versus truth-stretching in memoir writing, it is interesting to note the author's prefatory comments in this, his latest collection of memoir-essays. He indicates that some events recounted in the pieces have been "expanded and changed" and that some of the "individuals portrayed are composites of more than one person." What follows is a series of funny, extremely eloquent takes on modern life and Burroughs' own particular responses to life's various stimuli. "Bloody Sunday" begins with a nosebleed on an airplane flight from New York to London and then describes his reluctance to get out and enjoy the sights once there. "The Sacred Cow" is a very sweet story about getting a second bulldog, and now both his dogs, the new one and the older one, are "more precious to me than anything." And "Killing John Updike" finds Burroughs collecting Updike first editions before he dies ("If I was going to spend two thousand dollars on a book about a rabbit, that old man better be dead by morning, or I was going to be furious"). Irreverence done to an amusing turn. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Another great one by Augusten Burroughs!
Another fabulous novel by Augusten Burroughs! His stories are light-hearted, true-to-life, and just generally enjoyable to read! Each chapter is a story unto itself, so read it all at once or spread it out over time. There isn't a member of my family or friends who hasn't enjoyed reading him yet. You will actually find yourself laughing out loud, and trying to explain the funny parts to those around you.

Possibly his best
First I read RUNNING WITH SCISSORS and loved it. Bizarre, you bet! My best mate and I flew through it and then took on this book. Loved it. The same hilarious writing you might find in Sedaris, or McCrae with his KATZENJAMMER. This author never seems to miss and anything by him is great. Would also recommend the James Frey books, whether they're fiction or not.

The guy never misses
Perception of the human condition, whether by movie, book, or stand-up comedian, is one thing I admire. You see it every so often in the mind of someone like David Sedaris ("Me Talk Pretty" or perhaps Jackson McCrae "Katzenjammer") but not too much more than that.

Enter Augusten Burroughs. If you liked his "Running With Scissors" this, believe it or not, is even better. First rate in fact. "Possible Side Effects" is his BEST work to date. In it, he gets out of that "look at me" syndrome that "Running" worked to death (with great success, by the way) and more into viewing others for what they are.

I can't recommend this book enough. You must also try the knowing and funny "Katzenjammer" by McCrae or the ever-popular "Fight Club" by Palahniuk---both of which are excellent reads as well.