Collection: You Better Not Cry

Introduction
"You Better Not Cry" is a collection of holiday-themed, autobiographical essays written by Augusten Burroughs in 2009. Guide's 7 tales, presented as non-linear representations, capture the extraordinary as well as commonly scandalous minutes from Burroughs' Christmases throughout his life. As is his trademark design, Burroughs states each story with stunning sincerity, attacking humor, and also unabashed susceptability. The title suggests a play on the traditional Christmas song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", and as Burroughs himself suggests, guide has to do with "the season of whacked-out expectations and also substantial disappointment".

Childhood Christmas Memories
In the initial tale, "The Best as well as Worst of Times", Burroughs recounts his earliest memories of life with his dysfunctional family. His parents were divorced, and also he coped with his mom, who had major mental health and wellness problems. Therefore, his childhood Christmases were always uncertain, resting on whether his mom was feeling steady or unsteady. Some years, his mom would certainly develop an extraordinary Christmas experience full with an abundance of presents, while other years she would certainly go away, leaving Burroughs no choice however to celebrate the vacation alone.

"Jingle Hell" informs the tale of Burroughs' middle-school Christmas pageant, in which he was cast as one of the Wise Men. Desperate for focus, he added his very own flourishes to the efficiency, improvising a dancing sequence and also delighting in the resulting praise while additionally taking care of to enrage his fellow trainees as well as teacher.

Maturing as well as Creating His Own Traditions
In "And All Through the House", Burroughs, as a young adult, lovingly remembers a Christmas spent in New York City with a companion. They produce their own special vacation practices, such as making Santa hats out of light weight aluminum foil and enhancing their tree with pornographic publications. This irreverent event ends up being just one of his most treasured holiday memories.

One particularly amusing and also cringe-worthy tale, "Silent Night", states a Christmas event that Burroughs went to while in rehab in the 1980s. High up on drugs, he discovers himself roaming via the catered houseparty, stealing gifts, and also ultimately getting "detained" in a comically embarrassing screen. This is a zero hour in his life, leading him to seriously take into consideration sobriety for the very first time.

Encountering Grief as well as Moving Forward
"The Cult of Holly" defines how Burroughs tried to create the ideal Christmas experience for his passing away partner, in spite of his own long-lasting holiday resentment. This touching essay highlights Burroughs' sensations of sorrow and fear, made extra poignant by their contrast with the twinkling vacation decoration.

"Stability" is a much more reflective item, in which Burroughs assesses each of his past Christmas experiences, consisting of those loaded with disorder, broken heart, as well as dependency. As he decorates his apartment or condo for the holidays, he grapples with the suggestion that he is ultimately at a factor in his life where he has attained stability and joy-- a far cry from the mayhem of his childhood Christmases.

Final thought
In "You Better Not Cry", Burroughs masterfully shares the wit, pain, and reflection present in each of his unique holiday experiences. His sincere and prone narration discloses the long-lasting impact of family, partnerships, and also individual growth on just how one celebrates the season. Far from being a standard collection of heartfelt, holiday tales, these essays subject the raw emotions, gut-wrenching truths, and survival reactions of a male who has actually experienced the very best and worst of times.