Running With Scissors is not scary in the horror movie sense, but scary in the horrifying sense. This is book two in my "branching out of Black chick lit" venture. I didn't realize it was the true story of the author's childhood until I got the book and read the jacket. It reads like straight fiction. I'm halfway through the book and all I can say is poor kid. I know he's a best-selling author now, but he's lucky to have survived his childhood. If writing really is cathartic, I can definitely see why he needed to pen these memoirs. He's really funny...the book is a great read. It's a page-turner, but I'm turning pages with one eye shut, preparing myself for the next weird, unfortunate event in this poor kids life.
The movie version will be out in the Fall...It could easily be seen as a dark depressing drama or dark disturbing comedy. Either way, I'm sure I'll give it a look-see.
Hmm- i think I may just pick up my copy and check it out.
Posted by: Jennifer | January 2006 at 12:15 PM
weird? how? I'm curious. Did bad things happen to him? Was he humiliated a lot?
Posted by: God's Child | January 2006 at 08:26 PM
@Jennifer-I'm pretty sure you'll love this book.
@GC-I don't want to name things because it might give it away to folks who might decide to read it. The shock factor of a lot of what happens to this kid and the way the author drops it on the reader...like 'bows...is a big part of why the book is so good. And yes, he was humiliated a lot.
Posted by: Quel | January 2006 at 12:42 PM
He has a second one out called Dry, about his adult life as an alcoholic. I read them in reverse order, so I had a little perspective while reading Running With Scissors because I know that no matter how weird things get, he has to end up as an ad exec in New York before the next book, but still...what a fucked up childhood. Not a sane adult in sight.
I think the second book is the best of the two, although I enjoyed both of them, for different reasons.
Posted by: Ray | January 2006 at 07:51 AM
@Ray-I wish I had never found out this was a true story. Knowing it's a real person makes it a little hard...I cried during one whole chapter. I feel like I have to read Dry now...I MUST find out HOW he's still okay.
Posted by: Quel | January 2006 at 03:43 PM
Dry will make you cry too, especially if you know anybody that's had trouble with addiction. But definitely get it.
Posted by: Ray | January 2006 at 07:57 PM