Augusten Burroughs

Augusten Burroughs, a New York Times bestselling author, is recognized for his candid memoirs detailing personal experiences and observations on contemporary life. After building a successful eighteen-year career in advertising, including a tenure at Ogilvy & Mather in New York beginning in 1989, Augusten Burroughs transitioned to full-time writing, establishing himself as a prominent memoirist. Burroughs had commenced his professional journey in advertising as San Francisco’s youngest copywriter. In 2000, he released his debut novel, Sellevision, which paved the way for his New York Times bestselling memoir, Running with Scissors, published in 2002.

This seminal work chronicled his childhood experiences and was subsequently adapted into a critically acclaimed film in 2006. Burroughs continued to achieve critical and commercial success with subsequent memoirs, including Dry (2003), which detailed his journey through alcoholism, and essay collections like Magical Thinking (2003) and Possible Side Effects (2006). His raw and humorous reflections earned him widespread recognition, including being ranked 15th on Entertainment Weekly’s ‘The 25 Funniest People in America’ in 2004. His work frequently explored themes of advertising, psychiatrists, and family dynamics, appearing in publications such as The New York Times and contributing to National Public Radio’s Morning Edition.

For his contributions to literature, Burroughs received a special Trustee Award at the Lambda Literary Awards in 2013. In 2016, Burroughs released Lust & Wonder: A Memoir, discussing his post-rehab life and relationships, followed by Toil & Trouble: A Memoir in 2019, documenting his experiences as a ‘witch’ and his move to Connecticut. Most recently, Burroughs expanded his literary repertoire into children’s literature with the publication of My Little Thief in 2023.