Bookish Thoughts: Lust & Wonder by Augusten Burroughs

Just when I broke my sobriety and started drinking again in moderate and controlled measure exactly like a normal person, I met this guy who wasn't just a guy but a writer, and not just a writer but the author of one of my favorite books. ~ Opening of Lust and Wonder

Lust & Wonder by Augusten Burroughs
St. Martin's Press. 2016
Nonfiction (Memoir); 304 pgs

I read Augusten Burroughs’ Running With Scissors years ago, and it made quite an impression on me. It was shocking and funny--and left me feeling terribly sad. I meant to go on and read more by Burroughs’, but I never managed to because my interest in memoirs has waned over the years. When Lust & Wonder appeared in my mailbox, the latest from my Going Postal book club, I was 1) sad because it really doesn't fit with my happy Christmas-themed bookish mood and 2) happy because I would finally be able to visit with Augusten Burroughs again.

Augusten Burroughs is the child of an alcoholic professor and a psychotic poetess who, in his later childhood, is sent to live with his mother's psychiatrist. Neglected and abused, raised with very little structure and guidance, and struggling with his own mental health issues early on in life--all of which have a profound impact on his adult life, including how he copes, sees the world around him, and in his relationships with others. Lust and Wonder does not go much into his childhood other than a mention here and there to give the new reader an idea of where he comes from. You will find that in the author's earlier books--although this one does stand well on its own.

In Lust and Wonder Burroughs opens up about his life after his memoir Dry, particularly his search for love and stability. He talks about his relationships—the failed and the successful. Burroughs seems to have a difficult time trusting his own gut when it comes to his romantic relationships, a symptom of his past and his doubts about his own mental health. There were several times throughout the book I wanted to tell him to not sell himself short.

I really like Burroughs’ conversational style. I find him relatable and insightful. He comes across as a very genuine person, which is a must in a memoir. He’s very open about his experiences as a gay man, including talking about HIV and AIDS, his grief at losing a loved one, his struggles with mental illness and the mistakes he has made over the years. He lays it all out there, warts and all. He talks honestly about his dependence and struggle with alcohol, both while lost at the bottom of a bottle of Scotch and while sober. He also writes about his anxiety, a topic I can relate all too well with. I can understand his willingness to stay in a relationship that isn’t working for the sake of security and stability and not wanting to risk the unknown by making a change--especially given his past. Sometimes it is easier to ignore and suppress what isn’t working than to confront it. But at what cost?

Augusten Burroughs takes the readers on his journey with him, through the pitfalls of his relationships as well as the successes. He made me laugh and cry; and I came away feeling as if I had just caught up with an old friend.

To learn more about Augusten Burroughs and his work, please visit the author on the author's website. 

---

© 2017, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.