Running with Scissors (by Augusten Burroughs)

Q. Why did you choose this book?
A. Last year I read Look Me in the Eye, by John Elder Robison, who is the brother of Augusten Burroughs. I liked that book and wanted to explore this highly dysfunctional family from another autobiographical angle.

Q. Did you like the book?
A. Yes, it was very entertaining.

Q. Were the characters believable?
A. They were, because this is a work of non-fiction, and some of them were so bizarre that nobody could think to make them up.

Q. Did you like the writing style?
A. Yes. He's a strong, effective writer, and very funny.

Q. Did you think about the book when you were doing other things?
A. No. It wasn't spellbinding, but I enjoyed the time I spent with it.

Q. Was there anything about the book that drove you nuts?
A. One thing: "all right" was misspelled throughout the book as "alright," and that word appeared many, many times. I don't blame the author for this. He's an excellent writer (especially considering how much school he missed along the way). I do think some editor should have corrected this before it went to print.

Q. How did you feel when you finished the book?
A. I'm looking forward to reading Augusten Burroughs' next book, which I understand is out now.

Q. Will you keep the book to reread later?
A. For a while at least. I may want to compare notes between this book, the new one, and the one written by the author's brother.

Q. Any final thoughts about the book?
A. Any dysfunctional areas in my own family paled in comparison to those of the families described in this book. Boy, am I grateful for that.