When it ends she immediately takes up with Dorothy, another one of Dr. Deirdre is delusional about the relationship’s future, wondering why Fern's husband won't support it, and why Fern won't leave her family. The woman's name is Fern, and she is a minister’s wife. While skipping school one day, Augusten walks in on his mother during a sexual act with another woman. The two are involved romantically and sexually for several years until Neil disappears, and as of the end of the book is never heard from again.

Neil becomes somewhat obsessed with Augusten, who is mildly verbally abusive to him. He is twenty years older than Augusten and coerces him into his first sexual experience. Similarly, Augusten becomes the lover of Neil Bookman. She is a crude and fearless girl who at one point was placed under the legal guardianship of one of her father’s patients-a forty year old failed tennis player who was also her lover. Finch’s daughter Natalie is one year older than Augusten and becomes his best friend. Augusten’s primary residence is at the Finch’s, staying with his mother only occasionally.Īugusten begins writing in his journal, at times up to four hours a day. Finch’s daughters and the three of them play with an old electroshock therapy machine.Īugusten at first stays with the Finches under the guise of needing to be protected against his father. He is disappointed to find that the Finch residence, although large, is rundown and filthy. Augusten has a preconceived notion that the homes of Doctors are all tasteful and luxurious. Soon, Augusten and Deirdre make their first visit to the Finch’s house. Augusten befriends the receptionist in the office whose name is Hope. Augusten and his mother then move to Amherst.ĭeirdre’s sessions with Dr. Before long Deirdre (Augusten's Mother) and Augusten’s father divorce. The relationship is dysfunctional and violent.įollowing his mother's first minor psychotic break she begins seeing Dr. His father is a severe alcoholic and a Mathematics professor at the University of Massachusetts. His mother is a narcissistic poet who insists that she will some day be famous. He lives with his Mother (Deirdre) and Father in rural Massachusetts. During most of this time Augusten lives with the family of his mother's rather unorthodox psychiatrist.Īt the book's beginning, young Augusten enjoys dressing in his mother’s clothes, listening to music and is fascinated by shiny things (mirrors, jewelry) and doctors.

'infobox Book ' name Running With Scissors image author Augusten Burroughs country USA language English genre Memoir publisher Picador USA release date Reprint edition (June 2003) media type Paperback pages 320 isbn 031242227X Running With Scissors is the memoir of Augusten Burroughs.

Running with scissors author