Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Apr 2008
256 pages
Genre: Biography/Memoir
Publication Information
Millions of listeners have been flat-out astonished, profoundly moved, and massively entertained by the writing of Augusten Burroughs. Now, with A Wolf At The Table—his first full-length memoir in five years—Augusten returns to his literary roots as one of the most famous memoirists of our time, yet he makes a quantum leap forward into untapped emotional terrain: the radical pendulum swing between love and hate, the unspeakably terrifying relationship between father and son. A Wolf At The Table is the story of Augusten's relationship with his father, John Robison, Sr., a man only briefly touched upon in Running With Scissors. Told with shocking honesty and penetrating insight, A Wolf At The Table is more than the companion volume to Running with Scissors—it's a story of stunning psychological cruelty and the redemptive power of hope.
"After many pages of invective, not all of which seems warranted, the author finally demonstrates some perspective, writing, "All he was guilty of was not wanting me." A deeply felt personal essay padded to book length." - Kirkus Reviews.
"Starred Review. Avoiding self-pity, Burroughs paints his father with unwavering honesty, forcing the reader to confront, as he did, a man who even on his deathbed, refused his son a hint of affection. His father missed so much, Burroughs muses, not knowing his son. Luckily, Burroughs does not deny the reader such an enormous pleasure." - Publishers Weekly.
"[Burroughs] remains a writer with a large and loyal following, a fluent and funny storyteller whenever he actually has stories to tell. Maybe those stories needn't be so personal. Maybe his range can expand beyond tales of dysfunction. And maybe some thoughts belong on the page more than others do." - New York Times, Janet Maslin.
This information about A Wolf at the Table was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
© Dennis Pilsits
Augusten Burroughs is the author of Running with Scissors, Dry, Magical Thinking: True Stories, Possible Side Effects, A Wolf at the Table and You Better Not Cry. Burroughs's writing has appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers around the world including The New York Times and New York Magazine. He resides in New York City and Western Massachusetts.
Link to Augusten Burroughs's Website
Name Pronunciation
Augusten Burroughs: au-GUS-ten
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