Last modified: Thursday, May 15, 2008 1:38 AM EDT 'Running With Scissors' a strange, absorbing tale BY PAIGE FONTES ATTLEBORO HIGH SCHOOL The New York Times bestseller "Running With Scissors," by Augusten Burroughs, is a memoir that will surely keep the reader's full attention. This strange, at times disturbing, book pulls the reader into the life of Augusten from age 9 to 17. Augusten faced challenges while growing up as an only child and encounters many things that no ordinary teenager would normally experience. At a young age, he realized why he was so fascinated with items like hair products and jewelry. He came to the life changing realization he was gay. At first he was uncomfortable sharing this information with his family because their relationships were not strong. But as he grew older, his secret was slowly revealed. Augusten's mother, Deidre, was an aspiring poet who hoped to one day become famous. His father was a professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and had a severe alcohol problem. When his parents finally divorced, Augusten was left in the hands of his mother, while his father left behind all of his fatherly commitments. They moved to Amherst to start a new "perfect" life. Then the downward spiral began. Deirdre struggles with issues from the marriage and needs guidance in her life. She turns to a nearby psychologist, Dr. Finch, who becomes a huge part of their lives. Augusten sat through many sessions of his mother's appointments with Dr. Finch, and became friendly with him and his daughter Hope, the receptionist. Their bond grew closer and before he knew it, his mother had him staying at the Finches' after claiming she was protecting him against his father. Augusten is forced to live with the Finches against his will, but ultimately meets the people who help him figure out who he really is and what he wants in life. Burroughs illustrates his childhood perfectly; making his book one that is too hard to put down. His book can be bought at any local bookstore or online at www.amazon.com. A movie version of this book came out in 2006. To learn more about Burroughs visit his Web site at www.augusten.com.