This Is How

Proven Aid in Overcoming Shyness, Molestation, Fatness, Spinsterhood, Grief, Disease, Lushery, Decrepitude & More. For Young and Old Alike

By: Augusten Burroughs

Narrated by: Augusten Burroughs

Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of Running With Scissors comes a groundbreaking book that explores how to survive the "un-survivable" and will challenge your notion of self-help books.

To say that Augusten Burroughs has lived an unusual life is an understatement. From having no formal education past third grade and being raised by his mother’s psychiatrist in the seventies to enjoying one of the most successful advertising careers of the eighties to experiencing a spectacular downfall and rehab stint in the nineties to having a number one bestselling writing career in the new millennium, Burroughs has faced humiliation, transformation and everything in between.

This Is How is his no-holds-barred book of advice on topics as varied as:

• How to feel like crap
• How to ride an elevator
• How to be thin
• How to be fat
• How to find love· How to feel sorry for yourself
• How to get the job
• How to end your life
• How to remain unhealed
• How to finish your drink
• How to regret as little as possible
• And much more

Told with Burroughs's unique voice, black humor, and in-your-face advice, This is How is Running With Scissors - with recipes.

©2012 Augusten Inc. (P)2012 Macmillan Audio

he talks a lot

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

If you want good entertaintment, listen to the book. If you are looking for knowledge or ways to improve your life, you might get disapointed. (though I've read a lot of self help books and maybe this is why not so much was apealing to me.

What was most disappointing about Augusten Burroughs’s story?

I expected more. The discpription felt so hipped up that I thought that there's more meat on the bone. I wrote down a few sentences but that's it.

Have you listened to any of Augusten Burroughs’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

nope

Did This Is How inspire you to do anything?

nope

I loved this book

I ordered this just because it was Augusten Burroughs, expecting his usual entertaining insanity ( I love him !) , but it was so much more . It’s funny , sure , but the solid , learned the hard way , compassionate , loving wisdom was so unexpected . I laughed out loud , cried more than once , and saw my own human experience in a different light . Thank you AB

If you enjoy Augusten Burroughs, you'll love this!

What did you love best about This Is How?

The thing I enjoyed best about this book is the gritty realness of the message. It made me see my life threw the eyes of the author and question my way of thinking. I am listening to it for the second time to make sure it really sunk in.

What was one of the most memorable moments of This Is How?

Each chapter tackles issues that we all deal with at some point or another in our lives.

Which scene was your favorite?

The chapter about dieting

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The author describing preparing for his partner to die, and how he tried to do everything to be ready.

Not Augusten's Best

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Sort of ... I guess ...

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I would have presented my observations as my opinions and not dismiss another's opinions so nonchalantly.

Was This Is How worth the listening time?

Yes, with reservations ...

Any additional comments?

Augusten Burroughs is an important observer of humanity. However, he does himself no justice with his autocratic presentations. He needs to get back to fiction wherein he excels.

Great!

One of the best books on how to help yourself, how to better yourself, and how to live your life.

Honesty for when things really are awful

For me, This is How is the perfect book at the perfect time. I personally hate platitudes, dishonest positive thinking, and trite prosaicism. Augusten Burroughs writes brilliantly for the person that is hungry for honesty. Sometimes things really are awful, and Burroughs offers logical and reasonable cogitations for these times in our lives.

Insightful

I love Augusten Burroughs. He is extremely insightful, but then again, how could he not be? Those who have been through trials and tribulations are more interesting people, have more insight and wisdom. I found it to be thought provoking.

EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS!

What did you love best about This Is How?

It really does give you advice on just about everything in life. The best advice, which is basically: take control of your life by owning your decisions and accepting the consequences. Burroughs' voice (both how he writes and how he reads) makes big truths seem like common sense. One of my favourite authors.

What other book might you compare This Is How to and why?

There really is no comparison... The Bible? Or rather, a bible for reasonable people who actually think about things. A Desiderata without the mush. A straight talk from the part of yourself that still knows what it's all about.

What does Augusten Burroughs bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His emphases and pauses highlight different nuances (I have also read the printed version) and made the essays even more relatable.

What insight do you think you’ll apply from This Is How?

Ummm... everything! The one insight that had the biggest impact on me is: "At the heart of all unhappiness lies dishonesty." But that's just one of many.

Any additional comments?

Buy it. Listen to it. Live it. Repeat.

so glad I chose it!!!!

I really enjoyed this. I plan to listen to it again. He covers a lot of things and does it very well.

His section on how to handle death was so helpful. Every caretaker should listen to him give advice on what to expect and how to handle it.

A very thought provoking novel.

This is a little weird, but i love his work

What made the experience of listening to This Is How the most enjoyable?

This is different than his other works. it's seemed more personal and by that i mean preachy. there was some good stuff in there, and he's obviously still working through things in his life, this just felt different for some reason. his previous works came off as more of a story being told. This came off more as, well... preachy. i still liked it and found value in some of what he talked about. it's really hard to pin-point, but there was something just off about this. if you are looking to get this because you liked his previous works, be wary. that's all i'm saying.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

found a way to make the voice of the author come across as a story being told, not something i'm being told. hard to explain, but... yeah.

Have you listened to any of Augusten Burroughs’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I love Augusten. I have listened to his previous work, but his work comes off better as a story, and not as "this is how it is".

What insight do you think you’ll apply from This Is How?

Trying to figure that out now. there were nuggets of wisdom here. thinking instead of jumping off a building, just finding a new city with a building i don't want to jump from.