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Dry  By  cover art

Dry

By: Augusten Burroughs
Narrated by: Augusten Burroughs
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Publisher's summary

You may not know it, but you've met Augusten Burroughs. You've seen him on the street, in bars, on the subway, at restaurants: a twentysomething guy, nice suit, works in advertising. Regular. Ordinary. But when the ordinary person had two drinks, Augusten was circling the drain by having twelve; when the ordinary person went home at midnight, Augusten never went home at all. Loud, distracting ties, automated wake-up calls and cologne on the tongue could only hide so much for so long. At the request (well, it wasn't really a request) of his employers, Augusten lands in rehab, where his dreams of group therapy with Robert Downey Jr. are immediately dashed by grim reality of fluorescent lighting and paper hospital slippers. But when Augusten is forced to examine himself, something actually starts to click and that's when he finds himself in the worst trouble of all. Because when his thirty days are up, he has to return to his same drunken Manhattan life - and live it sober. What follows is a memoir that's as moving as it is funny, as heartbreaking as it is true. Dry is the story of love, loss, and Starbucks as a Higher Power.
©2003 Augusten Burroughs; ©2003 by Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC

Critic reviews

"Mr. Burroughs remains ebulliently glib when it's useful, as befits his advertising skills....[He] remains adept at mixing comedy and calamity." (The New York Times)
"Like the alcohol he so enjoys, Burroughs' story of getting dry will go straight into your bloodstream and leave you buzzing, exhilarated, and wiped out...this memoir operates on a high level of involvement and suspense." (Kirkus Reviews)
"[A] wrenching, edifying journey...with the added benefit of being really entertaining." (The New York Times Book Reviews)
"Harrowing yet hilarious personal encounter....His performance blends self-deprecating black humor with wise-cracking confidence. His natural wit and charm keep the listener rooting for his success." (AudioFile)

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Featured Article: The top 100 memoirs of all time


All genres considered, the memoir is among the most difficult and complex for a writer to pull off. After all, giving voice to your own lived experience and recounting deeply painful or uncomfortable memories in a way that still engages and entertains is a remarkable feat. These autobiographies, often narrated by the authors themselves, shine with raw, unfiltered emotion sure to resonate with any listener. But don't just take our word for it—queue up any one of these listens, and you'll hear exactly what we mean.

What listeners say about Dry

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Raw and real

Excellent writing and story telling. Not always easy to listen to real raw truth but its told like it is. Addiction is rough , sober is tough Life makes you strong

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • M
  • 09-22-20

Great story but hard to listen to

A good, funny and inspiring memoir, read (somewhat excruciatingly) by the author himself. Probably best enjoyed in print.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

awesome

this book is to me like a blinking lights of a street lumps for Augusten

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So much I could relate to

As a woman I was leery of listening to a memoir from a male alcoholic's viewpoint. But the writing is pretty incredible and I could still relate to the story very easily. The only criticism I have is that I wished Burroughs would have gone into more detail about what happened after he sobered up a 2nd time. Other than that, a very frank and relatable read.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story

Thanks to author for reading! It was personable and funny and real. I found some things unbelievable

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this book.

I love drunk stories, this was one of the best. I’ll probably listen to it again.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Go for it...

This is a great book...no need to hesitate on this purchase. And thankfully it's not as graphic as his last....

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book

This books opens your eyes and mind to the life of an alcoholic. Great narration and story. Enjoyable read.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Fascinating and raw

And also occasionally quite funny. This is a great memoir as it really chronicles the side of addiction that comes after the party ends. It should be required listening for all teens and 20-somethings.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great the first time and better the second time

Was told I should read this by my wife 10+ years ago. Really enjoyed it as a hazard story of what could happen just not to me. The picture it paints seems so far off it is almost comical. Re-listened to it after being in recovery for almost two years. WOW. It is a powerful message of exactly one path that is likely to happen to somebody who takes recovery lightly. Brilliantly written and performed. You can almost smell the alcohol coming out of his pores, the sleazy run down bar scene the morning hangover happening all too frequently. Give this a read if you are a functional alcoholic or in recovery and enjoy the ride and learn from his mistakes. My son got his name from the author/book.

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