Author: Augusten Burroughs                
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press 
Year: 2008
Price: About $24.95

Augusten Burroughs' latest offering, “A Wolf at the Table: A Memoir of My Father”, focuses on his relationship with his father. Much of this book takes place in the time period pre-dating Burrough's now famous first memoir, “Running with Scissors”.   Brutal honesty and wit are just two things you’ll definitely find in Burroughs' writing. He goes above and beyond delivering that in this book. It’s also quite amazing how Burroughs conjures up his young self and tells the story through that innocent, wide-eyed lens.

In “Running with Scissors”, we see the troubled relationship Augusten has with his mother and how he came to live with the quirky (if not a little crazy) Finches. “A Wolf at the Table” fills in many of the blanks by detailing the troubled relationship Augusten had with his father from as far back as he can remember. Yet, even if you haven't read his first memoir, don't let that stop you from picking this one up. It stands well on its own.

The humor here is more subtle, for there aren't as many outrageous things going on all around Augusten. The book takes on a more somber tone as it explores a very troubled father/son relationship.

This is the perfect Father's Day gift to give to Dad's and ex-husbands who are abusive in any way, shape or form. It most likely won't change them as they are self-absorbed, cruel people....but it can give a voice to what you have been afraid to say or unable to articulate. Abuse comes in many forms and the extreme unavailability of Augusten's father while he was growing up left a permanent scar on his soul.

The intimacy created with the reader in this book is like nothing I you have ever read before. Just like when a good friend tells you about something incredibly awful that happened to them, and you don't know what to say in response, this book leaves you speechless. It is like you have been trusted with the biggest secret of your life, something that is not your business to repeat to anyone else… so you know right off the bat you’ll love this one: after all us latinos love chisme like there’s no tomorrow.