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Chapter 1-2, pgs. 1-29
In these chapters, Augusten watches his mother prepare herself to go out with her friends. He doesn't want her to leave because he feels that their house is scary and lonely when she's gone. Then, Augusten's parents get into a fight and the father threatens to kill them both, so the mother calls a phyciatrist to protect them and help them. They meet in Dr. Finch's (psychiatrist) office and Augusten meets his daughter, Hope, who is very fun to be around. Total: 1174 -
Chapter 3, pgs. 30-37
In these chapters, Dr Finch is trying to help Deirdre (Augusten's mother) to express her anger so she can know how to deal with her husband. He also thinks that is healthy for her to release all her anger once in a while. Also, Augusten learns that Hope is not married and begins to ask her why, but the subject is quickly changed and the two move on to a new topic. Total: 1182 -
Chapter 4, pgs. 38-42
In this chapter, Deirdre takes Augusten with her to Dr. Finch's house for one of her emergency meetings and at first, Augusten is very excited. All of the houses on the block are polished and nice and look like they belong to rich and nice doctors, so he assumes Dr. Finch's house will be the same. However, when they get to the doctor's house, Augusten is dissapointed at how messy and out of place the house looks compared to everyone else's. Total: 1186 -
Chapter 4, pgs. 43-55
In this chapter, Augusten meets Dr. Finch's two other daughters, Vickie and Natalie. He plays with them for as long as he can bear until he finally ask Deirdre when they're going to leave and her answer is that he is going to stay at the Finch's house while she stays down at an apartment. She says it will be saferfor Augusten at the Finch's house since his father wants to kill them, but Augusten is still upset at her answer. Total: 1199 -
Chapter 5, pgs. 56-61
In this chapter, Augusten learns about Joranne, one of Dr. Finch's clients who has been living at he Fich's house for two years. He also learns that she has a condition that makes her an obsessive compulsive neurotic. In this way she must always be neat and spotless and she is afraid of dirt. For these reasons, Augusten finds her fascinating. Total: 1204 -
Chapter 5, pgs. 62-67
In this chapter, Augusten is getting more used to how the Finch's house is run. He finally gets to meet Joranne and finds that he has a bit in common with her. Finally, Deirdre comes to pick Augusten up from the Finch's, only, she's not herself, and Augusten immediately notices. Total: 1210 -
Chapter 6, pgs. 68-70
In this chapter, Augusten has become completely acustomed to the Finch's lifestyle and has spent most of his time with them. However, despite their generosity, he is afraid to tell them that he is gay. When he tells Hope this though, she says she already figured it out and tells his that it's because Dr. Finch adopted one of his patients and he was gay, so since she spent so much time around him, she knew what gays were like. Total: 1213 -
Chapter 6, pgs. 71-80
In this chapter, Hope invites her gay brother Neil over so Augusten can talk to him. When Neil gets to the house he finds Agnes (Dr. Finch's wife) eating dogfood and agrees with her that it tastes good, whih causes Hope and Augusten to try some. Finally, Augusten goes on a walk around town with Neil and tells him that he is gay, which takes Neil by surprise because Augusten acts like such a "normal" kid. After a long discussion, Neil tells Augusten that he is here for him to talk. Total: 1223 -
Chapter 7-9, pgs. 81-90
In these chapters, Deirdre's friend Fern takes them into her house and Augusten notes that all her children are "perfect". As for him, he's been skipping school and coming home early because what he really wants to do is spend time at the movies, so he asks Deirdre for money when he returns home. Total: 1233 -
Chapter 9-10, pgs. 91-102
In these chapters, the Finch's take Augusten and Deirdre out for their annual "parade" where they go around trying to convince people to believe in Mr. Finch and let him help them with their problems. Also, Hope and Natalie have a huge fight in which Augusten is interested, but to them, they're just letting their anger out in a healthy way. Total: 1245 -
Chapter 11-13, pgs.103-120
In these chapters, Augusten introduces his older biological brother who he rarely sees anymore and how his atittude was always very straightforward and direct. Agusten also hangs out more with Bookman, Dr. Finch's adopted son. Bookman shows Augusten some pictures he took in various places like New York. Also, Agusten wants to leave school because he's jealous of Bill Cosby's daughter. Total: 1262 -
Chapter 13-14, pgs. 121-144
In these chapters, Agusten plans with Dr. Finch to get him out of school by convincing the school that Agusten was mentally ill and needed to be examined. After playing along with the scheme that he tried to kill himself, Agusten awoke in the "madhouse". When he got out of there, his mother told him that Dr. Finch had become his legal guardian. Finally, while sitting in the kitchen talking about their lives, Agusten and Natalie take down the ceiling in the kitchen. Total: 1285 -
Chapter 14-15, pgs. 145- 154
In these chapters, Augusten and Natalie finish taking down the ceiling and put a window in the remaining gap n the ceiling. This provides some skylight and makes the kitchen much brighter. However, there is a gap left between the ceiling and the glass through which rain and snow fall so there is a bucket just below the gap to catch the snow and rain in. Total: 1294 -
Chapter 15, pgs. 153-162
In these chapters, Augusten meets the only "normal" Finch in the family, Kate. She was very sophisticated and well educated and made the other Finch's jealous. Also, Augusten aquires a book on hairstyles that he is determined to master, but he keeps getting stuck on one particular style and writes about it in his journal. Total: 1303 -
Chapter 18-19, pgs. 182-198
In these chapters, Hope goes crazy about dreams she has about her cat dying. She constantly needs to know whereshe is and once she actually dies, Hope thinks she buried her cat alive and tries to dig it up. Only Dr. Finch can finally calm herback down to her normal self. Also, Hope and Neil get in a fight and make up within the hour. Total: 1337 -
Chapter 15-18, pgs. 163-181
In these chapters, the Finch's have some close connections with God and feel that he is speaking to him in an interesting way. After interpreting the signs for several weeks, the Finch's learn that God is no longer communicating with them in this way so they must find another. Also, Natalie and Augusten plan to sing in front of a live audience at the mental hospital but when they actually get to it, it doesn't go so well. Total: 1321 -
Chapter 19-22, pgs. 199-226
In these chapters, Augusten dyes Neil's hair greenish and Augusten's mother meets a new friend. The friend, Dorothy, buys a dog and Deirdre gets upset until they discover that the dog is peaceful when given NyQuil. Also, the entire Finch house gets into a massive fight and Augusten and Natalie go outside and around the neighborhood for some free time and when they return everything is all better. Total: 1364 -
Chapter 22-25, pgs. 227-258
In these chapters, the Finch's begin to live outside in their front lawn. Also, Augusten's mom goes crazy and has another pshyciatric episode and meets a new friend in the process. In other matters though, Neil leaves and no one knows where he went or has heard from him since. Finally, Augusten feels trapped even with the most freedom in the world. Total: 1395 -
Chapter 28-30, pgs. 282-302
In these chapters, Augusten and Natalie save up enough money to go on a boat ride for a few days. When they get off, they sneak into a restaurant with no shoes on and they move into their own apartament together. Also, Augusten is doing really bad in college so he dropped out and discovered that his mom is not dealing with the finch's anymore and now, neither is Augusten. He is living his own life and doing very well. Total: 1427 -
Chapter 25-28, pgs. 259-281
In these chapters, Augusten embarasses himself in front of a straight guy whom he thought was gay and all the Finch's decide that Natalie looks like princess Diana. Also, Natalie and Augusten cheat the priest out of some money for movie tickets. Augusten also learns that the Christmas tree will stay in the house many months after Christmas because no one wants to take it out. Total: 1407 -
Chapter 30, pgs. 303-315
In these chapters, Augusten describes how Dr. Finch lost his license as a doctor and how Agnes is in a nursing home. He also says that Natalie is doing very well for herself and that His mother was paralyzed in an accident. Alos, Poo is successful in his business selling DVD's and Augusten's brother has a girlfriend and a son. Total: 1439