Augusten Xon Burroughs (born Christopher Richter Robison, October 23, 1965) is an American writer known for his New York Times bestselling memoir Running with Scissors (2002). Burroughs was born Christopher Richter Robison to a philosophy academic, John Robison, and a poet, Margaret Robison. Both parents struggled with mental health problems and alcoholism and they separated when Augusten was 12. Augusten was sent by his mother to live with his parents’ psychiatrist because she was going through a difficult time. In his book, Running with Scissors, Burroughs says he lived with the psychiatrist and his large family for more than 3 years; members of the family say it was about 18 months. Eventually Burroughs’ mother signed over guardianship of her younger son to the psychiatrist, Dr Rodolph Harvey Turcotte.