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Bottoming for God
Bottoming For A story about gender euphoria, sobriety, old skool NYC, true love, past lives and coming home.
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Published September 5, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 29, 2024
A chance meeting the author in Costa Rica, Barb Morrison, would not fit the usual type of person I would connect with on a social level, but they just came across as so warm and authentic. Accompanied by their wife, it was quite comfortable to hang out with them. During our couple visits they dropped some tidbits about their life from a poor, dysfunctional family in NYC growing up in a female body, but wanting nothing more than to be just like their brothers and a total badass at that. During our conversation, they casually let it be known that they had written a book about their life growing up.
Now... I am not a big book reader, let alone be open to reading books about lifestyles I cannot relate to and have little or no interest in. And if all that was not enough to ensure I had no interest in reading this book, I just had to alone look at the title. Just to be courteous and with a hint of mild curiosity (mainly because there was something about this person and their cheerful, fun zen-like presence that really intrigued me), I thought I would load down a sample of the book.
Whoa! Edgy and raw right out the gate. Again, the first few pages confirmed this book was not for me. But, I thought the least I could do was finish the sample. To my surprise, I was halfway through the sample, I was hooked and bought the book.
NYC Punk rock scene (back when I was discovering drugs on disco) was their ticket to allow her to explore and indulge in the life they were born to lead and to get people to stop trying to stuff them into a dress and conform to what parents and society expectations.
A great roller-coaster of a story that immerses you into a life almost no-one could comprehend. A life lived as a raunchy punk rock band member, combined with the gritty street life of addiction on the streets and drug dens of NYC. A memoir that goes from badass to Buddha. An excellent read for those of us who think we are enlightened and seen and done it all.
Now... I am not a big book reader, let alone be open to reading books about lifestyles I cannot relate to and have little or no interest in. And if all that was not enough to ensure I had no interest in reading this book, I just had to alone look at the title. Just to be courteous and with a hint of mild curiosity (mainly because there was something about this person and their cheerful, fun zen-like presence that really intrigued me), I thought I would load down a sample of the book.
Whoa! Edgy and raw right out the gate. Again, the first few pages confirmed this book was not for me. But, I thought the least I could do was finish the sample. To my surprise, I was halfway through the sample, I was hooked and bought the book.
NYC Punk rock scene (back when I was discovering drugs on disco) was their ticket to allow her to explore and indulge in the life they were born to lead and to get people to stop trying to stuff them into a dress and conform to what parents and society expectations.
A great roller-coaster of a story that immerses you into a life almost no-one could comprehend. A life lived as a raunchy punk rock band member, combined with the gritty street life of addiction on the streets and drug dens of NYC. A memoir that goes from badass to Buddha. An excellent read for those of us who think we are enlightened and seen and done it all.
January 30, 2024
Tenderness and grit. Young adulthood in NYC rabble-rousing punk rock, and a softer grown-up spirituality. The way something from the past only makes perfect sense after two more decades of life experience, a perfect puzzle piece, the way tragedies can turn into gifts with hindsight and time.
There is the terror and navigation of growing up in an abusive household mixed with admiration and forgiveness for the lessons and love of family. There are the wild, raucous days in drugs and alcohol and music in the city, with the brutal honesty of getting and staying sober for over three decades and the “rigorous honesty” it takes, every single day. There is friend love, romantic love, and self-love from an always-swirling queer experience before much of today’s language even existed, sprinkled with past lives philosophy and a good case that we are all here to keep learning from each other.
If anything undeniable can be said about Barb, it is that in a world of people trying to desperately to appear interesting, the authenticity of Barb’s experience and perspective is so genuine and sincere in its equal parts wisdom and “lay back and let the universe love you” approach, you’ll be left feeling inspired even among the unsavory parts of the human experience. We need it all, and Barb’s voice helps to make sense of it.
There is the terror and navigation of growing up in an abusive household mixed with admiration and forgiveness for the lessons and love of family. There are the wild, raucous days in drugs and alcohol and music in the city, with the brutal honesty of getting and staying sober for over three decades and the “rigorous honesty” it takes, every single day. There is friend love, romantic love, and self-love from an always-swirling queer experience before much of today’s language even existed, sprinkled with past lives philosophy and a good case that we are all here to keep learning from each other.
If anything undeniable can be said about Barb, it is that in a world of people trying to desperately to appear interesting, the authenticity of Barb’s experience and perspective is so genuine and sincere in its equal parts wisdom and “lay back and let the universe love you” approach, you’ll be left feeling inspired even among the unsavory parts of the human experience. We need it all, and Barb’s voice helps to make sense of it.
June 11, 2024
Barb is the real hecking deal y’all.
May 4, 2025
punk rock. lgbt. coming of age. NYC.
An insanely captivating read. Could not put it down once I started reading and finished it in one day. The author’s style of writing feels comfortable—as if you’re hanging with a friend listening to them tell a story, which makes it extremely digestible and even more interesting. Highly, highly recommend!
An insanely captivating read. Could not put it down once I started reading and finished it in one day. The author’s style of writing feels comfortable—as if you’re hanging with a friend listening to them tell a story, which makes it extremely digestible and even more interesting. Highly, highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews