The Dry by Jane Harper is a Whodunit from Down Under. It’s an ideal novel to read in the middle of winter because it takes place in the intense heat of a drought-ridden rural area of Australia. The reader feels the exhaustion of the characters suffering physically and mentally in a community that’s on a downward spiral. If that’s not enough, three members of a family have been shot to death. Aaron Falk, a Melbourne police officer, returns to investigate at the request of grieving parents. Thirty years ago Falk and his father left the community under a cloud of suspicion after a young woman drowned. Even as a single spark of fire could ignite the brittle grasslands and destroy the town,
Falk’s reappearance is the last straw for some residents who are a veritable tinderbox of distrust, jealousy, and hatred.

This is a very successful first novel that introduces a likeable character, Aaron Falk. I’m looking forward to reading more challenges for this Aussie policeman in The Force of Nature and The Lost Man.

Running with Scissors takes a group of messed-up characters and portrays them (mostly) for laughs. Dry takes a group of messed-up characters and shows us how tragic they are. It's deadly serious this time.

Most moving is the way Augusten portrays himself. He's merciless in showing us what he's become, the walls he's put up, the denial he's in. Tough to read and easy to read all at once. Fundamental truths, and possibly his crowning achievement.

"You were spectacular," Hayden tells me afterwards.
"How so?"
"You were so honest and substantive. Just no bullshit," he says, slapping me on the back.
"Really? I seemed normal?" I ask.
"Of course. You were great."
"What a relief. I had no idea what I was saying. I was actually thinking about how my chest hair is growing back after having shaved it all off."
Hayden turns sharply, "What?"
"Well, I thought maybe of bleaching it for the summer. But then I thought how awful it would be to have roots. Chest hair roots. That would be really humiliating. The blond chest hair might look good and natural like I go to the Hamptons on the weekends. but as soon as the roots started to appear, it would be like, 'Oh, that's very sad, he's obviously looking for something and just not finding it.'"
Hayden stares at me with mock horror. Or maybe it's real horror. "You absolutely terrify me. The depth of your shallowness is staggering."

Really, it [the shallowness] was staggering at times. But at least Burroughs wrote about it in an honest, hilarious way. A very fun, open, quick read. Sad too. I liked this more than Running with Scissors.

I don't remember reading Running With Scissors, so I was unfamiliar with Burroughs' childhood or writing style. Therefore, my expectations going into this weren't ceiling-high, per usual. This worked in Burroughs' favor, as overhype has ruined many (admittedly good) books for me.

What I'm trying to say, here, is that this book stands on its own merits. It's an engaging memoir that doesn't feel aggrandized and is written in a welcoming and friendly voice. Burroughs' story is pretty dramatic, but I never sensed that he was flat-out fabricating, as memoirist are wont to do. There are no shocking, graphic sex scenes or painfully detailed drug-doing scenes, which lesser writers often lean on. Burroughs is obligated to describe several therapy sessions, but only to further the story, not to preach to readers (which, again, inexperienced authors usually attempt).

This is an interesting tale of addiction and sobriety that goes down easy (pun intended). If this genre is your jam, definitely add this to your list.

The perfect choice to read while recovering from surgery, since I could not leave the bed, and it turned out to be one of those books you can't put down once you start!
While I sometimes questioned Burroughs' recollections (especially since he was admittedly trashed during most of the period of which he writes), the style is so interesting and engaging that I could overlook it. Although not as depressing and pseudo-sad as his first book, "Running With Scissors", it was the natural outcome of that premiere penning, and thankfully he decided to expand on his experiences for those of us who wondered what happened next. This tome is full of anecdotes and occasional outright hilarity, even if the subject matter is far from light. He seems to have learned much from other authors about what works, and what doesn't, when trying to hold your audience.
Burroughs is certainly lucky to have emerged from his life-experiences as seemingly intact and functional as he appears to be these days; what he's really like behind the scenes, we don't know, of course - but to be able to write about all one has been through, and gain some measure of notoriety for it, is something many of us aspire to!(

Review to come.

I've read this book twice. Once almost a decade ago. To me then, it what a very good book but I did not have the connection to the story then that I do now.

Since the first time I read the book, I dated an alcoholic who in retrospect seemed to suck everything out of our relationship like they sucked every ounce of liquor from the bottle.

This book went from being interesting and hilarious in turns to being exactly what I needed. I actually read this book while still in that relationship and it more than anything made me realize that I was completely wrong in my approach.

Burroughs is heartbreakingly frank in this book and you feel like you are going to the depths of hell and then coming back with him every time he scrapes his way out.

This book moved me to actually help my partner and in doing so I lost them but they didn't lose their life like I am certain they would have if we had kept going the way we were.

It is not often you can honestly say a book was powerful enough to actually help you save someone's life.

After Running With Scissors, his memoir of his childhood, I didn’t think Augusten Burroughs could offer anything more enjoyable. As it turns out, though, Dry is even better. It documents his attempts to conquer his alcoholism whilst at the same time dealing with his advertising job and the illness of his friend, Pighead (who is HIV positive). The recounting of his adventures is very funny, but there is more emotional depth in Dry than in Scissors. Burroughs’ writing is much better in this book as well, with long stretches that are unbearably tragic or moving.

An honest account of alcoholism, Dry taught me many things about the affliction that I didn’t know in a way that makes me sympathise with alcoholics more than I did before. He talks about rehab and therapy and the dinginess of AA meetings, and informs the reader of how alcoholism is an open-ended thing, something that never stops until you die. Without being able to ever “complete” it, the difficulty of staying sober is articulately expressed.

Funny, moving, heartfelt, Dry is an excellent memoir.

Compelling

this guy is a kind of a depressing wreck, and not as funny as everyone said he would be. Like if Anderson Cooper were a drunk. Boring.....

By far my favorite Burroughs' novel. This one isn't for the weak of heart, its not the same light feel as some of his other books. This book digs deep and leaves you feeling his hopelessness. Dry is all at once inspirational, depressing, exciting, and frustrating. Immediately after reading his honest and darkly beautiful memoir it immediately made it on my favorite books list.
Burrough's has become a favorite of mine for his seemingly effortless managment of language. He is honest, funny and accessible. The kind of guy you want so desperately to have programed into your cell phone.

This book is funny. It's funny and it's true and it's real.

I laugh and crack up about what Burroughs is saying, even though he is a mean funny. I say "a mean funny" because he really rips into other people and judges them. Of course, he does the same thing to himself, but I can't help feeling a little guilty about enjoying this book so much. Sometimes he'll be saying something and I'll be laughing and then I'll think, "Should I really be laughing at this?"

Believe me, it's nothing too offensive or disgusting, or I would put the book down. But it is something I notice. Burroughs will always be, for me, the man who I love reading his funny observations but who I'd never want to be friends with in real life.

Burroughs is shallow and vain and foul-mouthed. But he knows that about himself. And because he knows that about himself, he can write very funny books about it.

This book is about Burroughs being a drunk, and his long path to sobriety. It was touching, hilarious, painful and real. I enjoyed following Burroughs on his journey from being forced into rehab, to AA, to flirting with other addicts. Will he get sober? Will he relapse? I was genuinely worried about him at some points, yelling at my book "Don't do it, Augusten!" But of course he can't hear me and he's already made the decision, anyway. And written about it for my amusement and reading pleasure.

I like how at first, Burroughs thinks he's too cool for school. This rehab is lame! I won't go to AA because it is so dweeby! But slowly he starts to realize how much he needs help (a new, hot guy at AA doesn't hurt, either).

The subplot is him watching his good friend and ex-lover die of AIDS. This is very sad and poignant, even with Burroughs's joking and quips.

Burroughs really lets you get into his head - his mixed feelings about the men in his life, his horrific memories of his abusive past, and his need - his love - for alcohol. This book, while humorous, also takes the reader to the very pits of addiction, and brings the filth of having an addiction squatting in your brain into the light. It's not pretty, but it's necessary and eye-opening.

A very deep and funny portrait of a recovering addict.

P.S. He does reference the pedophilia he experienced as a kid growing up. If this bothers you, either don't read the book or skip every section that's in italics.

P.P.S. If you are an addict of any kind and you do not feel like you have a good grip on your sobriety yet, I am warning you that this book can be triggering. Very triggering. So best save it for your one-year-sober anniversary and not the white-knuckling part.