Running With Scissors Summary

I chose to read Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs. I chose to read this book because it has been recognized by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, and The Boston Globe. These four news publications have given a promising idea of what this memoir entails. To be honest, I am very proud to have read this book. Augusten wrote about his unstable mother who gave him away to a peculiar psychiatrist. This psychiatrist was not textbook at all. Dr. Finch, the psychiatrist, made Augusten’s mother seem clinically insane, when in actuality, he is the deranged being. When Augusten was adopted by Dr. Finch, he joined his family of broken and misfit toys. The family was not a family at all. Each member had an awkward twitch that made this story even more interesting. This book tells

Deirdre told Augusten, ““It’s really the best option right now. He and his family can give you the attention that you need. And he really wants to do this.” … “Augusten, the doctor is very fond of you. He thinks you have a tremendous passion for life.” … “A couple of signatures later and Dr. Finch was no longer just my mother’s psychiatrist. He was my father”” (Burroughs 183). The book held my attention the whole time because each chapter moved fast with constant tremendous turns like being given away.
Running with Scissors was a true learning experience for me. I learned a little boy’s story of dread and triumph. By the end of the book, Augusten prevailed all circumstances. I feel like a better person having read his memoir. I gained knowledge on stories, mistakes, and self-reflection. I recommend this book to those capable of reading unsettling stories. I am proud to have read Augusten Burroughs’ own life