You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas

Augusten Burroughs is a terrific storyteller, and he tells some wonderful stories in You Better Not Cry. Burroughs is at his best when writing about his unconventional childhood, and the first story in this book is a great example of that. This is a great collection of essays for any time of the year.

Augusten Burroughs loves Christmas, but it doesn't seem to love him back. This collection of darkly humorous, real, and yet beautiful memoir stories details various Christmases, from eating the face off a life-sized Jesus/Santa to Christmas with the homeless, from dealing with a one-night-stand with a French Santa to a flooded house. I read it in one day, couldn't put it down. Definitely deserves a place on the shelf with holiday essays of Laurie Notaro and David Sedaris. It will truly put you in a holiday mood by putting it all into perspective. Grade: A

This is a great, albeit very short, holiday assortment of stories told by everyone's favorite messed up guy, Augusten Burroughs. "You Better Not Cry" describes some of the most traumatic and just downright bizarre Christmases of Augusten's past, ranging from the time he ate Santa's face to the time French Santa gave it to him up the...well, you know. Although these aren't the poigant Christmas stories you'll want to read aloud to your children in front of the fireplace, they are really, REALLY freakin' funny, and I think I've found a new holiday tradition in this little book.

I've been doing a fair amount of holiday-based reading. When I picked this one up, the first thing that struck me was the quality of the writing itself. Burroughs has wonderful stoires to share and he shares them in beautiful language. The stories themselves run the gamut -- humor, love, sadness, forgiveness, the essentials of all his works. I have never read a description of being in love like you'll find in this book. You better run out and grab this one!

I have enjoyed reading Augusten Burroughs books for many years. I was thrilled to learn that he had a new book out. Being a bit of a scrooge myself, I knew this book would not disappoint. It is a compilation of several different essays. I really enjoyed reading the book and it helped pull me into the Christmas spirit.