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Dry (memoir)
Encyclopedia
Dry is a memoir
written by American
writer Augusten Burroughs
. It describes the author's battle with alcoholism
. Dry was written before Running With Scissors, but was published second. Dry reached number 24 on the New York Times Best Seller list for Hardcover Nonfiction.
Although the memoir is based on actual events, the first pages include this author's note: "This memoir is based on my experiences over a ten-year period. Names have been changed, characters combined, and events compressed. Certain episodes are imaginative re-creation, and those episodes are not intended to portray actual events."
by his co-workers and boss as well as his time spent at a rehab
facility that caters specifically to gay and lesbian patients. The second part of the novel deals with Burroughs' first bout with sobriety
since leaving the rehab program. He meets a love interest at his group therapy sessions and takes in a fellow addict in recovery. Part II also shows the decline in health in Burroughs' ex-boyfriend and current friend, only named Pighead in the memoir. Pighead is living with HIV
, and although healthy in the beginning of the book, he eventually succumbs to the effects of HIV. The death of his friend sends Burroughs into a relapse, including drinking, cocaine and crack. The memoir ends with Burroughs getting clean and helping another alcoholic friend of his through his recovery.
Greer: Burroughs's co-worker and friend. Part of the intervention
Jim: Mortician. Burroughs's drinking buddy. Reappears in the end sober and in recovery as well.
Pighead: Burroughs's best friend and former love interest.
Foster: Burroughs's love interest in the memoir. They meet at group therapy for alcohol/drug addicts.
Hayden: Recovering addict who moves in with Burroughs midway through the memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
written by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer Augusten Burroughs
Augusten Burroughs
Augusten Xon Burroughs is an American writer known for his New York Times bestselling memoir Running with Scissors .- Life :...
. It describes the author's battle with alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
. Dry was written before Running With Scissors, but was published second. Dry reached number 24 on the New York Times Best Seller list for Hardcover Nonfiction.
Although the memoir is based on actual events, the first pages include this author's note: "This memoir is based on my experiences over a ten-year period. Names have been changed, characters combined, and events compressed. Certain episodes are imaginative re-creation, and those episodes are not intended to portray actual events."
Synopsis
The first part of the memoir centers on Burroughs' interventionIntervention (counseling)
An intervention is an orchestrated attempt by one, or often many, people to get someone to seek professional help with an addiction or some kind of traumatic event or crisis, or other serious problem. The term intervention is most often used when the traumatic event involves addiction to drugs...
by his co-workers and boss as well as his time spent at a rehab
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
facility that caters specifically to gay and lesbian patients. The second part of the novel deals with Burroughs' first bout with sobriety
Sobriety
Sobriety is the condition of not having any measurable levels, or effects from, alcohol or other drugs that alter ones mood or behaviors. According to WHO "Lexicon of alcohol and drug terms..." sobriety is continued abstinence from alcohol and psychoactive drug use...
since leaving the rehab program. He meets a love interest at his group therapy sessions and takes in a fellow addict in recovery. Part II also shows the decline in health in Burroughs' ex-boyfriend and current friend, only named Pighead in the memoir. Pighead is living with HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
, and although healthy in the beginning of the book, he eventually succumbs to the effects of HIV. The death of his friend sends Burroughs into a relapse, including drinking, cocaine and crack. The memoir ends with Burroughs getting clean and helping another alcoholic friend of his through his recovery.
Characters
Augusten: Main character and author of the memoir.Greer: Burroughs's co-worker and friend. Part of the intervention
Jim: Mortician. Burroughs's drinking buddy. Reappears in the end sober and in recovery as well.
Pighead: Burroughs's best friend and former love interest.
Foster: Burroughs's love interest in the memoir. They meet at group therapy for alcohol/drug addicts.
Hayden: Recovering addict who moves in with Burroughs midway through the memoir
Film adaptation
Burroughs is writing the script for a Showtime series based on the memoir. No release date has been announced.See also
- Augusten Burroughs on addiction, writing, his family and his new book