Pissing in a River - Softcover

Sprecher, Lorrie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 155861852X ISBN 13: 9781558618527

Publisher: The Feminist Press at CUNY, 2014

Synopsis

Amanda moves to London with nothing but her guitar and her collection of punk music as the soundtrack to her every move. With the company of a few friendly voices in her head, she looks for—and finds—a best friend and new lover. She forms a band, Lesbian Raincoat, and completely rewrites the story of her life.

In this irreverently funny yet profound novel, Amanda risks deportation, recalls the fervor of AIDS activism in the United States, connects to the class struggle of punk, and finds redemption in love. But she also must confront her own mental illness, her lover's rape, and the violence of post-9/11 politics. Pissing in a River captures the glee and turbulence of surviving the cacophony of modern life.

Lorrie Sprecher is the author of Sister Safety Pin and Anxiety Attack. She was a member of ACT UP/DC, has a PhD in English and American literature, and resides with her dog Kurt in Syracuse, New York. The punk song "It's a Heteronormative World, No!," recorded by her band Sugar Rat, appears on a compilation put out by Riot Grrrl Berlin.

About this title

About the Author:

Lorrie Sprecher is the author of Sister Safety Pin (Firebrand, 1994). Her collection of short fiction, Anxiety Attack, was published by Violet Ink in 1992. Her work has appeared in anthologies including Dykes With Baggage (Alyson Books, 2000); Lavender Mansions: 40 Contemporary Lesbian and Gay Short Stories (Westview Press, 1994); Glibquips: Funny Words by Funny Women (The Crossing Press, 1994). Excerpts of early drafts of this novel have appeared in various journals and online zines.

Lorrie was a member of ACT UP/DC (the AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power in Washington, DC) and has been arrested six times for acts of nonviolent civil disobedience. She has a PhD in English and American literature from the University of Maryland, College Park. Lorrie and her dog Kurt reside in Syracuse, New York.

Her edgy, quirky voice delivers an acerbic cultural critique, and at her readings, she has been told that she should consider a career in stand-up comedy.

Before 9/11, Lorrie wrote songs against the Taliban for RAWA (the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan) and is an outspoken critic of elective wars and the US government’s use of torture. The punk song It’s a Heteronormative World, No!” recorded by her band Sugar Rat appears on a compilation put out by Riot Grrrl Berlin. Sugar Rat’s music is available for digital download. For more information on her writing and music, please visit her websites: www.lorriesprecher.com and www.sugarrat.com.

Lorrie is interested in the struggle for human rights and animal rights around the globe. She lives in her head but also in the world.

Review:

An honest and genuine DIY punk-rock lesbian love story from back in the day.”
Kirkus

"Lorrie Sprecher's Pissing in a River is testament to the fact that women are not hidden from the world, we're IN it. And sometimes we make noise about that."
Kristin Hersh, author of Rat Girl

Pissing in a River is a love letter to the obsessions that captivated an outcast generation: punk, politics, passion, and provocation. Sprecher’s smart and fiercely empathetic characters evoke the beauty of the chosen family, the shelter from solitude in which they revel together, and the art that keeps them alive.”
Maria Raha, author of Cinderella's Big Score: Women of the Punk and Indie Underground

Beautiful and honest, Pissing in a River chronicles the lives of queer activists: their art, their downfalls, and their epic love stories.”
Cristy C. Road, author of Spit and Passion

“An honest and genuine DIY punk-rock lesbian love story from back in the day.”
―Kirkus

"Lorrie Sprecher's Pissing in a River is testament to the fact that women are not hidden from the world, we're IN it. And sometimes we make noise about that."
―Kristin Hersh, author of Rat Girl

“Pissing in a River is a love letter to the obsessions that captivated an outcast generation: punk, politics, passion, and provocation. Sprecher’s smart and fiercely empathetic characters evoke the beauty of the chosen family, the shelter from solitude in which they revel together, and the art that keeps them alive.”
―Maria Raha, author of Cinderella's Big Score: Women of the Punk and Indie Underground

“Beautiful and honest, Pissing in a River chronicles the lives of queer activists: their art, their downfalls, and their epic love stories.”
―Cristy C. Road, author of Spit and Passion

About this edition

• Publisher: The Feminist Press at CUNY
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 155861852X
• ISBN 13: 9781558618527
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256