A Wolf at the Table

A Memoir of My Father

By: Augusten Burroughs

Narrated by: Augusten Burroughs

Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Nominated for the 2009 Audiobook of the Year

"As a little boy, I had a dream that my father had taken me to the woods where there was a dead body. He buried it and told me I must never tell. It was the only thing we'd ever done together as father and son, and I promised not to tell. But unlike most dreams, the memory of this one never left me. And sometimes…I wasn't altogether sure about one thing: was it just a dream?"

When Augusten Burroughs was small, his father was a shadowy presence in his life: a form on the stairs, a cough from the basement, a silent figure smoking a cigarette in the dark. As Augusten grew older, something sinister within his father began to unfurl. Something dark and secretive that could not be named.

Betrayal after shocking betrayal ensued, and Augusten's childhood was over. The kind of father he wanted didn't exist for him. This father was distant, aloof, uninterested…

And then the "games" began.

With A Wolf at the Table, Augusten Burroughs makes a quantum leap into untapped emotional terrain: the radical pendulum swing between love and hate, the unspeakably terrifying relationship between father and son. Told with scorching honesty and penetrating insight, it is a story for anyone who has ever longed for unconditional love from a parent. Though harrowing and brutal, A Wolf at the Table will ultimately leave you buoyed with the profound joy of simply being alive. It's a memoir of stunning psychological cruelty and the redemptive power of hope.

Listen to Running with Scissors.

©2008 Island Road, LLC (P)2008 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"There are books that were born for bells and whistles, and Augusten Burroughs's A Wolf at the Table is one....This fifth memoir of abuse and excess is read, bleated, rumbled and, at times, tearfully shouted by the author himself. The audio book...breaks new ground by presenting four songs written expressly for the production." ( The Washington Post)
"Intense, sincere, and passionate, Burroughs offers a deeply felt, intimate portrait of the most disastrous period in his life. He holds nothing back, and in fully giving voice to his emotions, he makes each moment immediate for the listener." ( AudioFile)

A Wolf at the Table

For any child who has been at the mercy of dysfunctional crazy parents, this book will resonate.
Couldn't put it down.

Terrifying

I am an avid reader of Augusten's works, many of them I've enjoyed multiple times, and this one shifted my entire perspective. This novel was haunting and riveting, an amazing performance by the author and the other artists involved. Incredible!

Deeply Disturbing

It took me a while to buy into the tone and premise of this memoir, with its haunting sound edits and frankly disturbing musical accouterments, and the dirge-like pace of the author's narration. Agreed, this is not the funny, witty, ironic Augusten we have come to know and love, the Augusten who has over the past few years or so managed to make lemonade out of lemons.

But after staying the course with Augusten there was much relatable material, and the narration of his terrifying family life resonated deeply within.

Additionally, I found that AB's pushing the limits of the audiobook format to be a refreshing and unexpectedly valid use of the medium. I did feel that he could have dialed down the drama in his narration, however, and picked up the pace somewhat, as his words speak so eloquently unassisted. That is the only reason for my "3 out of 5" rating.

Bleak

A horrible tale of a miserable childhood, told in a psychiatrist's-office-confessional style. It took me a long time to get past the author's voice and the stylization of the production, but ultimately this book was strongly affecting. If Augusten Burroughs truly lived through what he describes in this book, he is a much stronger being than most of us. I, for one, don't think I would have made it.

Amazing and heartfelt

I absolutely love this book.
I read the book then found the audiobook.
The emotions are unreal and heartbreaking.
Definitely a must have in your collection.

odd narration...

Where does A Wolf at the Table rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's right in the middle. I like Burroughs and his work in general

What did you like best about this story?

The story was shocking and sad. But it gives great insight to the author, his writing and his style of humor.

Would you be willing to try another one of Augusten Burroughs’s performances?

I have listened to almost all of his books

Any additional comments?

What I didn't like about the book was the tone the author used to read throughout the story. It was odd coming from an author who seems so at ease and casual in other readings. His voice, the speed, the tone did nothing to enhance the story.

Too Painful

What did you like best about A Wolf at the Table? What did you like least?

The writing is fabulous. The content is horrifying.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Wolf at the Table?

My most memorable moment was when I couldn't stand the story any longer and had to quit listening. It's beautifully written, but I couldn't finish the book because it was breaking my heart and scaring the blazes out of me.

Amazing Audio Performance

Although a difficult emotional listen, Augusten's performance is unlike anything I've ever heard. Highly recommended! This book is not funny like his other books, it is intense. Augusten turns the reading into a full experience, and it is amazing. This book had to be difficult for him to write and to perform, but I honestly believe he deserves an award for the way he put this audio book together. It even uses original music from several talented singer songwriters that was written just for this audio experience. Be prepared to feel emotional, but it is worth it.

Time to move on...

It's been a week since I listened to Augusten Burroughs' A Wolf at the Table and the first word that still comes to mind is: painful. I have read and enjoyed all of Burroughs other books, each modulating the sadness with his good humor and slick writing style. But this book is painful in every aspect: The story, the writing, the narration and the production. The essence of this story is so horribly sad and, as the father of a 2 year old boy, pretty sickening. Other than to shed his own hurt and pain, I have no idea why he thought this book needed writing. The narration is glacial and self important, the "atmospherics" are distracting and the music is, well, horrible. The whole production is utterly self-indulgent in absolutely every way. Mr. Burroughs is an excellent writer who can be so thoughtful while telling a difficult story in a light and funny style. I think he needs to say goodbye to his family and move on to other, less destructive topics.

Worst Audible Ever

Even speeding up this book didn't help.
Poor narration, self-indulgent author, lack of authentic evaluation of family, and utterly void of sincerity.