In the past, I have only listed books on Goodreads that I have enjoyed and would recommend. So this is my first negative rating/review. Today, a friend put Magical Thinking in her TO READ pile. I commented that I did not want her to read it because in one of AB's essays, he describes wishing a boss dead (the origination of the title) and incredibly goes on to gleefully reveal that she did die after hoping it would happen. This boss of his was also a Creative Director of mine at a different ad agency----a mentor, a friend, a guest at my wedding. When she died, she left a husband, an eleven-year-old daughter, and all of the friends that she had "mothered." She was a quirky, interesting, wonderful person whose death did not deserve to be fodder for this poor man's Sedaris. When I negatively commented on the book as it was listed on my pal's page, Goodreads removed the comment. I have no idea why. If Augusten Burroughs can present his sullen version of the truth (sorry he hated "Charlotte"; maybe there was a reason she disliked him), then so can I.

Yes, this is why I hated the book. I think that's a good enough reason. And in this forum, shouldn't this comment be allowed to stand?

This is my first experience with Augusten, and I have to admit to loving him. He's so much like David Sedaris, it's like the 2 of them have made a new genre of funny, self-deprecating, addictive and OCD personality gay man memoirs...

A completely enjoyable read ;). Hearing it read by the author was not as magical as hearing David Sedaris, however. But a GREAT book to clean the house to or listen to while commuting - totally recommended.

I must admit to skipping the story entitled "the rat thing" upon strong suggestion from Trish, as it contains explicit animal torture - so, there's a warning for all my vegetarian/animal loving friends!!

Since Running with Scissors and Dry are both on my Best Books Ever shelf (5 stars), I naturally assumed this would be well-written, insightful, and funny. How wrong I was.

He comes across here as SO unlikable, I could hardly bear to read what he has to say. He is an animal-hating, child-hating, bitter, angry person with an overly inflated ego. This book went into the trash because it isn't even fit for library donation. That's saying a lot, because I've probably only trashed (as opposed to donated) fewer than 5 books in my life.
There's no denying he can write well about his childhood, but do not bother with these mean, unpleasant tales from his adult life.

This is actually an ongoing review - I keep this book and other short stories on my bed stand. Whenever I want to laugh myself to sleep I pick them up!