Synopses & Reviews
The hilarious first novel by the #1 bestselling author of
Running with Scissors,
Dry,
A Wolf at the Table, and
You Better Not Cry,
Sellevision is Augusten Burrough's darkly funny and vastly entertaining skewering of a very troubled home-shopping channel.
Welcome to the world of Sellevision, America's premier retail broadcasting network. When Max Andrews, the much loved and handsome (that is, lonely and gay) host of a "Toys for Tots" segment, accidentally exposes himself in front of millions of kids, Sellevision faces its first big scandal. As Max struggles to find a new job in television, the popular and perky host Peggy Jean Smythe is receiving sinister emails from a stalker. Popping pills and drinking heavily, she fails to notice that her husband is spending a lot of time with the young babysitter who lives next door. Then there's Leigh, whose affair with married Sellevision boss Howard Toast is going nowhere until she announces their relationship on air. A blistering satire of our overcharged, scandal-obsessed world, Sellevision is "an absolute howl . . . wicked fun" (New York Daily News).
Review
"An absolute howl, about on-camera personalities who sell things on those home-shopper channels. This one has its characters fall apart very publicly: One is axed after he accidentally exposes himself on air. Another is the target of a surprising stalker. And so on." (New York Daily News)
Review
"...one of the hoots of this fall." (People)
Review
"
Sellevision is brilliant, subversive, and marvelously evil. In this stunningly fresh debut, Augusten Burroughs has redefined the edge. This is
TV Guide for the morally bereft and spiritually bankrupt. Thank God. I feel queasy I didn't write it."--Suzanne Finnamore, author of
Otherwise Engaged"A painfully hilarious look at the dark side of consumer capitalism and the perils of third-tier celebrity. Days after reading it, I'm still buoyed by the invigorating malice I encountered on virtually every page. Augusten Burroughs has slam-dunked the zeitgeist."--Robert Rodi, author of Kept Boy
"Savvy, very entertaining. Is there a funnier combination than fast-moving soap opera and tawdry comedy? Underneath all the lunacy lies a grim truth: the thin line separating grotesque satire and everyday reality has been erased and will never exist again."--Bret Easton Ellis, author of American Psycho
Review
“Savvy, very entertaining. Is there a funnier combination than fast-moving soap-opera and tawdry comedy? Underneath all the lunacy lies a grim truth: the thin line separating grotesque satire and everyday reality has been erased and will never exist again.” —Brett Easton Ellis
“An absolute howl ...wicked fun.” —New York Daily News
“One of the hoots of this fall.” —People
“Acidic entertainment.” —Entertainment Weekly
Review
Praise for
Sellevision:
"Savvy, very entertaining. Is there a funnier combination than fast-moving soap-opera and tawdry comedy? Underneath all the lunacy lies a grim truth: the thin line separating grotesque satire and everyday reality has been erased and will never exist again."--Bret Easton Ellis
"An absolute howl ...wicked fun."--New York Daily News
"One of the hoots of this fall."--People
"Acidic entertainment."--Entertainment Weekly Praise for Running with Scissors:
"A flawless audio adaptation of his alternately riotous and heartbreaking memoir." --Publishers Weekly
"Burroughs's account of his deranged adolescence is clear-eyed and often wildly funny. To hear it not only in his own words, but in his own voice in this fine production is ideal."--AudioFile
"There is a dusting of David Sedaris in Burroughs's style, a laughing-through-your-tears candor that's as appealing as the situations are appalling."--BookPage
Praise for Dry:
"Burroughs's telling of the tale alternates among hilarious, pathetic, existential, and hopeful. It is an earnest and cautionary tale of calamity, brimming with often Sedaris-like darkly comic quips...Burroughs's slight Southern accent and gentle yet glib delivery should summon empathy on the listener's part that may have been lost with another reader." --Publishers Weekly
"[Burroughs's] performance blends self-deprecating black humor with wise-cracking confidence. His natural (or hard-learned) wit and charm keep the listener rooting for his success." --AudioFile Praise for Possible Side Effects:"Nostalgia, entertainment and humor are possible side effects of listening to ths audiobook...Light and endearing with the occasional somber thought, this audiobook takes hold of listeners from the beginning and carries them through adventure and mishaps that prove worth the trip."--Publishers Weekly
Review
"
Sellevision is brilliant, subversive, and marvelously evil. In this stunningly fresh debut, Augusten Burroughs has redefined the edge. This is
TV Guide for the morally bereft and spiritually bankrupt. Thank God. I feel queasy I didn't write it."--Suzanne Finnamore, author of
Otherwise Engaged"A painfully hilarious look at the dark side of consumer capitalism and the perils of third-tier celebrity. Days after reading it, I'm still buoyed by the invigorating malice I encountered on virtually every page. Augusten Burroughs has slam-dunked the zeitgeist."--Robert Rodi, author of Kept Boy
"Savvy, very entertaining. Is there a funnier combination than fast-moving soap opera and tawdry comedy? Underneath all the lunacy lies a grim truth: the thin line separating grotesque satire and everyday reality has been erased and will never exist again."--Bret Easton Ellis, author of American Psycho
Review
"One of the most compelling and screamingly funny voices of the new century." --
USA Today"Acidic entertainment." --Entertainment Weekly
"Sellevision is good company for the beach or the plane. . . . The material sparkles." --Booklist
"Savvy, very entertaining. Is there a funnier combination than fast-moving soap opera and tawdry comedy? Underneath all the lunacy lies a grim truth: the thin line separating grotesque satire and everyday reality has been erased and will never exist again."--Bret Easton Ellis, author of American Psycho
"Sellevision is brilliant, subversive, and marvelously evil. In this stunningly fresh debut, Augusten Burroughs has redefined the edge. This is TV Guide for the morally bereft and spiritually bankrupt. Thank God. I feel queasy I didn't write it."--Suzanne Finnamore, author of Otherwise Engaged
"A painfully hilarious look at the dark side of consumer capitalism and the perils of third-tier celebrity. Days after reading it, I'm still buoyed by the invigorating malice I encountered on virtually every page. Augusten Burroughs has slam-dunked the zeitgeist."--Robert Rodi, author of Kept Boy
Synopsis
Sellevision is America's premier shop-at-home channel until disaster strikes each of its frighteningly telegenic hosts in this ruthless send-up of home shopping TV that is as impossible to put down as a remote control and a credit card.
Synopsis
Ruthless ambition. Sex with minors. And Princess Diana key fobs. Operators are standing by.
Synopsis
Darkly funny and gleefully mean-spirited,
Sellevision explores greed, obsession and third tier celebrity, in the world of a fictional home shopping network.
Welcome to the troubled world of Sellevision, Americas premier retail broadcasting network. When Max Andrews, the much-loved and handsome (lonely and gay) host of “Slumber Sunday Sundown” accidentally exposes himself in front of twenty million kids and their parents during a “Toys for Tots” segment, Sellevision faces its first big scandal. As Max fails to find a job in television, another host, the popular and perky Peggy Jean Smythe is receiving sinister emails about her appearance from a stalker. Popping pills and drinking heavily, she fails to notice that her husband is spending a lot of time with the very young babysitter who lives next door. Then theres Leigh, whose affair with Sellevision boss Howard Toast is going nowhere, until she exposes him on air; and Bebe, Sellevisions star host, who finds Mr. Right through the Internet--if she can just stop her shopping addiction from taking over.
Synopsis
Darkly funny and gleefully mean-spirited, an account of the greed and insanity of a fictional home shopping network
Synopsis
Darkly funny and gleefully mean-spirited,
Sellevision explores greed, obsession and third tier celebrity, in the world of a fictional home shopping network.
Welcome to the troubled world of Sellevision, Americas premier retail broadcasting network. When Max Andrews, the much-loved and handsome (lonely and gay) host of “Slumber Sunday Sundown” accidentally exposes himself in front of twenty million kids and their parents during a “Toys for Tots” segment, Sellevision faces its first big scandal. As Max fails to find a job in television, another host, the popular and perky Peggy Jean Smythe is receiving sinister emails about her appearance from a stalker. Popping pills and drinking heavily, she fails to notice that her husband is spending a lot of time with the very young babysitter who lives next door. Then theres Leigh, whose affair with Sellevision boss Howard Toast is going nowhere, until she exposes him on air; and Bebe, Sellevisions star host, who finds Mr. Right through the Internet--if she can just stop her shopping addiction from taking over.
About the Author
Augusten Burroughs is the author of Running with Scissors, Dry, Magical Thinking, and Possible Side Effects, all of which have been New York Times bestsellers and are published around the world. A film version of Running with Scissors, starring Annette Benning and Gwyneth Paltrow, was adapted for the screen by Ryan Murphy. Augusten has been named one of the fifteen funniest people in America by Entertainment Weekly. He lives in New York City and Western Massachusetts. Visit www.augusten.com. Robin Miles began her audiobook narration in 1994. She's read over 130 titles covering many different genres and has won multiple Earphones awards. Her many audiobook credits include Augusten Burroughs's Sellevision, Edwidge Danticat's Brother I'm Dying, and Lalita Tademy's Cane River. Her film and television credits include The Last Days of Disco, Primary Colors, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order, New York Undercover, National Geographics Tales from the Wild, All My Children, and One Life to Live. She regularly gives seminars to members of SAG and AFTRA actors' unions, and in 2005 she started Narration Arts Workshop in New York City, offering audiobook recording classes and coaching. She holds a B.A. in Theater Studies from Yale University, an MFA in acting from the Yale School of Drama, and a certificate from the British American Drama Academy in England.