I heart Augusten

Melissa joined me a few nights ago, and we went to hear Augusten Burroughs do a reading from his new book. As soon as I started reading his books last year, I was instantly sad I hadn’t read them sooner. It was one of those ‘where have you been all my life’ type of moments. He is funny, smart and very sarcastic. All qualities I love in a writer. That and romantic, depressing and inventive. Running was Scissors had the same effect that Naked did, but this seemed closer to home. He had grown up in Amherst and North Hampton, and having gone to college there, I could visualize so many of the stories firsthand.

When we walked into the bookstore, it was packed, and one of the employees was kind enough to lend me a stool. Without this, I would have seen nothing. Between the lights shining on us and the podium and all the body heat - it was hot in there. Melissa hates to be hot. She disrobed to the point that shoes were off, and she was just wearing a thin tank top. She actually went and asked if they could turn some of the lighting off. Can you tell we’re high maintenance? Our poor husbands!

Augusten is tall. And I know this because we walked right by him! I had to hold myself back from screaming ‘I love you Augusten!!!!’. And when he read from the new book, he was funny and very entertaining. During Q&A he mentioned some awesome accounts of his brother (who has Asperger Syndrome); and genuinely seemed pleased to have such a devoted audience. He explained that booksellers have told him that his readers are smarter than most. Of course we are.

After the hour was up, everyone got in line to get their book signed. I estimate that line would have taken at least 1 hour to get through. I needed to go home and finish editing a video, so we split. I heard him speak, and saw him in person — this I will remember always.

This is where the real serendipitous moment happened.

We hailed a cab and hopped in. The driver asked who was speaking and we told him. “That is too weird - I’m listening to him right now!” He turned up his car radio, and sure enough it was Augusten reading Dry. That was truly magical.