Book Review: This Is How

Title: This Is How: Proven Aid in Overcoming Shyness, Molestation, Fatness, Spinsterhood, Grief, Disease, Lushery, Decrepitude & More. For Young and Old Alike.

Author: Augusten Burroughs

Genre: Non-fiction, self help, autobiographical 

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: May 8, 2012

Synopsis: To say that Augusten Burroughs has lived an unusual life is an understatement.  From having no formal education past third grade and being raised by his mother’s psychiatrist in the seventies to enjoying one of the most successful advertising careers of the eighties to experiencing a spectacular downfall and rehab stint in the nineties to having a number one bestselling writing career in the new millennium, Burroughs has faced humiliation, transformation and everything in between. Read more ...

Review: I was able to read and review This is How (for free) courtesy of 'Goodreads First Reads' Giveaway Program and St. Martin’s Press. Thank you!

If not for receiving This Is How, I probably would not have picked it up. In the past I’ve read Dry by Augusten Burroughs and enjoyed it, but have never read a book that could be categorised as “self help”. Nonetheless, I was surprised to find that I really did enjoy This Is How.

When I first began This Is How I assumed that it would contain the dark humour that is a feature of Burroughs previously published titles. Although I did find myself laughing at a few anecdotes and insights, Burroughs took the writing and subject matter of his latest book very seriously. When I first saw this book I thought it would be a sort of joke self-help book; the title, cover and reputation of the author provided evidence to this guess. I was utterly wrong though, as This Is How is truly meant to provide one with guidance and advice.

Although my first “self-help”, I did find that Burroughs at times relented to the endlessly clichéd writing of typical self-help books. Additionally, the narration was disjointed in parts, with side notes that I personally felt did not connect well with the chapter’s topic. This said, I did think that This Is How contained moments of insight and was generally thought-provoking and inducing of self-reflection. I found that Burroughs was able to find a balance between his usual dark humour and the seriousness that this type of book calls for.

Overall, This Is How was an interesting read and made me think of particular aspects of my life. I enjoyed this book while I was reading it, and can imagine picking it up in the future to re-read certain chapters.

My Rating:  3.5/5.0