Running with Scissors: A Memoir
Augusten Burroughs
📚 Genre
Non-fiction, Memoir, Dysfunctional Family
🏢 Publisher
Picador / St. Martin's Press
📅 Publication Year
2005 (Movie Tie-in Edition)
🔢 ISBN
978-0312425418
About This Book
A dark, humorous, and controversial memoir detailing Burroughs' unconventional upbringing. After his parents' divorce, young Augusten is sent to live with his mother's eccentric and deeply disturbed psychiatrist, Dr. Finch, in a house filled with chaos, filth, and lack of boundaries. The cover features a child with a cardboard box over their head, symbolizing the surreal and isolated nature of the author's childhood.
Book Details
Language
English
Pages
304
Edition
Trade Paperback, Movie Tie-in Edition
Series
Standalone memoir, though followed by 'Dry' (continuing the autobiographical sequence)
Target Audience
Adult
Collector Information
Condition
Good. Visible shelf wear on the edges and corners. The bottom right corner shows some minor scuffing and lamination peel. The 'Now a Major Motion Picture' seal is printed on the cover.
Estimated Value
$5.00 - $12.00
Rarity
Common. This specific movie tie-in paperback was printed in massive quantities and is widely available in used bookstores and online marketplaces.
Historical Significance
A seminal work in the 'misery memoir' boom of the early 2000s; it spent over two years on the NYT Bestseller list. It was notable for its dark humor and faced legal challenges/lawsuits from the family depicted in the book regarding its accuracy.
Collector Notes
Minimal collector value for this specific edition. Collectors generally seek the first edition hardcover (2002) without the movie tie-in seal. To preserve, keep out of direct sunlight to prevent the red-heavy cover art from fading. Value for paperbacks remains stable but low due to high supply.
Similar Books
'The Glass Castle' by Jeannette Walls, 'Dry' by Augusten Burroughs, 'A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius' by Dave Eggers, 'Liar's Club' by Mary Karr
Notable Features
Includes a printed gold medallion indicating the book was adapted into a motion picture (2006 film starring Annette Bening and Alec Baldwin). New York Times Bestseller.