Dry, a Memoir.

Dry, A Memoir

Augusten Burroughs

St Martin's Press

175 5th Avenue, New York, NY, 10010

0312272057, $24.95, 293 pp.

Augusten is a young advertising copywriter who is also gay. In his biography, he walks the reader through the swamp of alcoholism leaving us both horrified and amused

We meet him as his devoted colleagues participate in an intervention where he reluctantly agrees to seek help for his drinking problem. He chooses a facility which caters to gay men called The Proud Institute "A rehab hospital run by fags will be hip. Plus there's the possibility of good music and sex." (p23) After a time in detox he enters into the routine of institutional life: morning affirmations where one reminds onself of one's worth, group therapy, one on one therapy, evening affirmations. He becomes friendly with a Brit named Hayden. He misses his true love who goes by the name Pighead, an AIDs patient and an investment banker.

His counselor at the Institute, Rae, assures him that Rehab is just the start. He will need counseling four times each week for six months, then AA meetings every day. Upon release he begins to see another counselor and attends AA meetings daily. He struggles, "I miss alcohol. Like it's a person. I feel abandoned." (p117)

While attending an AA meeting he meets a dazzlingly handsome gay man, Foster, and finds himself falling in love. The feelings are returned and they embark on a relationship even though a romantic relationship with another alcoholic is strongly proscribed.

We get a glimpse of his heavy duty battle against the tentacles of inebriety when he agrees to meet his friend, Jim, in a bar for the purpose of becoming acquainted with Jim's new girl friend. As he enters the bar he notices that "colorful liquor bottles are lit from below like fine art. They look breathtakingly beautiful. Seeing them, I am filled with longing. It's not an ordinary craving. It's a romantic craving. Because I don't just drink alcohol. I actually love it." (p130) He exits as soon as he is able.

His relationship with Foster continues even though Foster has 'slipped' back into his addiction to crack and is on a downward spiral. Pighead is hospitalized. Things are beginning to become uncontrollable and Augusten is sick of AA and is positive he can handle everything without the aid of meetings. He knows Foster is dragging him down and he can't bear the thought of the impending death of his beloved friend, Pighead. He finds himself inside of a bar. "I would like to conveniently sidestep what is happening in my life at the moment." (258) He takes a drink. "An odd thing happens. Instead of getting sloppy drunk I get focused drunk. . . I have the clarity of mind to know that the reason I am drunk and in a dark bar with a strange guy is because I am desperate to control something." (p259)

Since a fair amount of intemperence has appeared in my family, this reviewer appreciated Augusten's bio for the insight it offers into the mind of those who contend with the bottle. I read the book in a day and a half and found it both revealing and entertaining. Augusten is a funny guy in addition to being very smart and gifted. I enjoyed getting to know him.