Augusten Burroughs

American writer mainly of frank memoir material detailing a childhood amidst eccentric people, a battle with alcoholism and his homosexuality. Burroughs' first book, a novel, was written in 1999 and he stopped drinking after writing it. In 2002 he published his memoir "Running With Scissors."The book became a runaway best seller and was made into a film. He spares no details, however bizarre, causing some to question the authenticity of events. Although he disguises the names of the psychiatrist's family with which he was sent to live, six members of the Rodolph Turcotte family sued him for $2 million, alleging defamation, invasion of privacy, emotional distress, and fraud. The lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount in 2007.

Burroughs has since written several other memoirs including "Dry."