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SELF-MADE MAN.
1st 1999 Orion large trade edition paperback vg++ to fine book In stock shipped from our UK warehouse
Hardcover
First published July 22, 1999
8 people are currently reading
539 people want to read
About the author
Poppy Z. Brite
164 books3,615 followersPoppy Z. Brite (born Melissa Ann Brite, now going by Billy Martin) is an American author born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Born a biological female, Brite has written and talked much about his gender dysphoria/gender identity issues. He self-identifies almost completely as a homosexual male rather than female, and as of 2011 has started taking testosterone injections. His male name is Billy Martin.
He lived in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Athens, Georgia prior to returning to New Orleans in 1993. He loves UNC basketball and is a sometime season ticket holder for the NBA, but he saves his greatest affection for his hometown football team, the New Orleans Saints.
Brite and husband Chris DeBarr, a chef, run a de facto cat rescue and have, at any given time, between fifteen and twenty cats. Photos of the various felines are available on the "Cats" page of Brite's website. They have been known to have a few dogs and perhaps a snake as well in the menagerie. They are no longer together.
During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Brite at first opted to stay at home, but he eventually abandoned New Orleans and his cats and relocated 80 miles away to his mother's home in Mississippi. He used his blog to update his fans regarding the situation, including the unknown status of his house and many of his pets, and in October 2005 became one of the first 70,000 New Orleanians to begin repopulating the city.
In the following months, Brite has been an outspoken and sometimes harsh critic of those who are leaving New Orleans for good. He was quoted in the New York Times and elsewhere as saying, in reference to those considering leaving, "If you’re ever lucky enough to belong somewhere, if a place takes you in and you take it into yourself, you don't desert it just because it can kill you. There are things more valuable than life."
Born a biological female, Brite has written and talked much about his gender dysphoria/gender identity issues. He self-identifies almost completely as a homosexual male rather than female, and as of 2011 has started taking testosterone injections. His male name is Billy Martin.
He lived in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Athens, Georgia prior to returning to New Orleans in 1993. He loves UNC basketball and is a sometime season ticket holder for the NBA, but he saves his greatest affection for his hometown football team, the New Orleans Saints.
Brite and husband Chris DeBarr, a chef, run a de facto cat rescue and have, at any given time, between fifteen and twenty cats. Photos of the various felines are available on the "Cats" page of Brite's website. They have been known to have a few dogs and perhaps a snake as well in the menagerie. They are no longer together.
During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Brite at first opted to stay at home, but he eventually abandoned New Orleans and his cats and relocated 80 miles away to his mother's home in Mississippi. He used his blog to update his fans regarding the situation, including the unknown status of his house and many of his pets, and in October 2005 became one of the first 70,000 New Orleanians to begin repopulating the city.
In the following months, Brite has been an outspoken and sometimes harsh critic of those who are leaving New Orleans for good. He was quoted in the New York Times and elsewhere as saying, in reference to those considering leaving, "If you’re ever lucky enough to belong somewhere, if a place takes you in and you take it into yourself, you don't desert it just because it can kill you. There are things more valuable than life."
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 22, 2022
This book composes of 12 dark and sometimes disturbing tales from a self identifying homosexual man, who has written extensively about his gender dysphoria and transgender issues. These tales feel incomplete or part of a larger story. There's a fair bit of darkness, dark gay erotica, dark horror, dark supernatural tales and more. This didn't work for me, but I was very interested to read a few other reviews that strongly suggest that people don't start reading Brite with this collection, I take it, implying that to 'get' this collection, one may need have more context from his other work. 2 out of 12.
2008 read
2008 read
April 18, 2009
First published back in 1998, Poppy's selection of short stories was created to welcome the whole Y2K phenomena. The shorts compliment her past work as she attacks them from a great volume of angles that reflect a morbid spectrum of literary tastes. Not only are we immersed in her dark fantastical world of the macabre, but she sets our senses reeling with her erotic / gay tales of lust and desire. We are also lead to explore her Y2K based shorts and taken on a hallucinogenic ride with the heroes of 'Drawing Blood'. The compilation book therefore outlines her diversity yet clings to her possibly repeatative subject matter. A horror writer she certainly is, and it is a refreshing change to read her historically based short stories. The pace is set from the start, with a nasty little tale that bleeds it's dark humour through the pages. With each story comes an interesting forward by the author that is a superb addition to the compiltaion.
The stories included are:
1. In Vermis Veritas
2. Arise
3. Saved (with Christa Faust)
4. King Of The Cats (with David Ferguson)
5. Self-Made Man
6. Pin Money
7. America
8. Entertaining Mr. Orton
9. Monday's Special
10. Vine Of The Soul
11. Mussolini And The Axeman's Jazz
12. Are You Loathsome Tonight?
Any Poppy fan would be delighted with this book, but if you are a first time reader of this author I would recommened either Lost Souls or Equisite Corpse. Still, I did enjoy reading Self-Made Man, even if it only streches to a mere 180 pages, of which the type is a little on the large side!
The stories included are:
1. In Vermis Veritas
2. Arise
3. Saved (with Christa Faust)
4. King Of The Cats (with David Ferguson)
5. Self-Made Man
6. Pin Money
7. America
8. Entertaining Mr. Orton
9. Monday's Special
10. Vine Of The Soul
11. Mussolini And The Axeman's Jazz
12. Are You Loathsome Tonight?
Any Poppy fan would be delighted with this book, but if you are a first time reader of this author I would recommened either Lost Souls or Equisite Corpse. Still, I did enjoy reading Self-Made Man, even if it only streches to a mere 180 pages, of which the type is a little on the large side!
December 5, 2020
This is the 2nd Poppy book that I have read, I find them difficult to describe, because they feel a bit 'off centre' (in a good way), that's probably the best way I can describe it.
This is a collection of short stories, some of the stories were very good(4 stars), but others were not to my taste (2 stars), but on average I still liked it, and will be reading more of Poppy Z. Brite's books
This is a collection of short stories, some of the stories were very good(4 stars), but others were not to my taste (2 stars), but on average I still liked it, and will be reading more of Poppy Z. Brite's books
January 13, 2013
As in the now classic "Black Like Me" Norah Vincent meticulously plans and develops a disguise that will allow her to walk in a another's shoes. For a year and a half she is "Ned" and thrusts herself into different male roles. The book succeeds as a good read, but has limited value in its gender research. Touched on at the end, but not fully developed, was the ultimate fate of the author and how she crumbles from the pressure from living a false life. A dialog on how deceit and pretense can erode a psyche could be an interesting by-product of Vincent's research.
The chapter called "Love" was about dating. While the method was hardly scientific, it was the most enlightening on gender issues. Vincent's observes about how singles "confront" one another and expect to be hurt. She shows the baggage both males and females bring to their interactions. It is here where the disguise is most helpful in eliciting natural responses that might not otherwise be found.
In the chapter "Life" I enjoyed learning about individuals who chose monastic life and how their society is not free from pettiness. Attidudes towards sexuality are shown through ancedotes and were not surprising. In revealing her true self to the monks she receives Christian charity.
The sociological aspects of gender in lap dance clubs and door to door sales have been covered from so many angles that while Vincent's stories are interesting to read, there are no breakthroughs. Who wouldn't be surprised to find sad males, self-hating dancers or attention to the bottom line by dancers and management at lap dance clubs? One doesn't need an elaborate disguise to learn about macho ways to psych-up a sales force, how guys talk on the beat, or the how gender is manipulated to get ahead. These chapters are interesting for the slices of life that they are.
For me, the bowling episode illustrated the fault lines in class more than gender. Vincent is fully unaware. She compares the men's mix of coaching and competitiveness to that her peers at a tennis camp. The men's retreat was interesting in that I haven't read much about these and that they rarely appear in the media.
The male groups chosen may be the most accessible to a researcher, but they, in total do not encompass a very large segment of the male population. For instance, a veteran's group could replace the monastery and perhaps volunteering in a support function (since locker rooms would sink the project) for a major sport could substitute for being on a bowling team. The use of more representative groups would improve the research.
It would also have been better if the writer had a wider perspective. The author used a lot of pop jargon and showed an acceptance of what I come to think of as "media imparted wisdom". Two stand out. Vincent's expectation of racism and union membership (or at least support) among members of the bowling team shows her lack of interaction with blue collar people prior to her research. Vincent believes (and states as fact on p. 258) that Hillary Clinton owes her Senate seat to the women's movement. Clinton won this seat despite the nasty backlash to the women's movement which objectified her and made her its ultimate target. (It is the Sarah Palin generation that has a debt to the women's movement.) The backlash of the 80's and 90's illustrates the entrenchment of gender roles and how much emotional energy was (and still is) vested in them.
Through this research, Vincent becomes very sympathetic to men. She sees the stresses they have and the limited emotional range society permits them to have. These pressures may be similar to the ones bearing on her as she, like them, tries to act the male part.
Vincent's disguise and her acting abilities must have been first rate. She has unique observations and she presents them in a fun way. In many places this is a page turner. The act of doing what she did is an achievement in itself, but this work will not endure as the Griffen classic has for the limitations noted above.
The chapter called "Love" was about dating. While the method was hardly scientific, it was the most enlightening on gender issues. Vincent's observes about how singles "confront" one another and expect to be hurt. She shows the baggage both males and females bring to their interactions. It is here where the disguise is most helpful in eliciting natural responses that might not otherwise be found.
In the chapter "Life" I enjoyed learning about individuals who chose monastic life and how their society is not free from pettiness. Attidudes towards sexuality are shown through ancedotes and were not surprising. In revealing her true self to the monks she receives Christian charity.
The sociological aspects of gender in lap dance clubs and door to door sales have been covered from so many angles that while Vincent's stories are interesting to read, there are no breakthroughs. Who wouldn't be surprised to find sad males, self-hating dancers or attention to the bottom line by dancers and management at lap dance clubs? One doesn't need an elaborate disguise to learn about macho ways to psych-up a sales force, how guys talk on the beat, or the how gender is manipulated to get ahead. These chapters are interesting for the slices of life that they are.
For me, the bowling episode illustrated the fault lines in class more than gender. Vincent is fully unaware. She compares the men's mix of coaching and competitiveness to that her peers at a tennis camp. The men's retreat was interesting in that I haven't read much about these and that they rarely appear in the media.
The male groups chosen may be the most accessible to a researcher, but they, in total do not encompass a very large segment of the male population. For instance, a veteran's group could replace the monastery and perhaps volunteering in a support function (since locker rooms would sink the project) for a major sport could substitute for being on a bowling team. The use of more representative groups would improve the research.
It would also have been better if the writer had a wider perspective. The author used a lot of pop jargon and showed an acceptance of what I come to think of as "media imparted wisdom". Two stand out. Vincent's expectation of racism and union membership (or at least support) among members of the bowling team shows her lack of interaction with blue collar people prior to her research. Vincent believes (and states as fact on p. 258) that Hillary Clinton owes her Senate seat to the women's movement. Clinton won this seat despite the nasty backlash to the women's movement which objectified her and made her its ultimate target. (It is the Sarah Palin generation that has a debt to the women's movement.) The backlash of the 80's and 90's illustrates the entrenchment of gender roles and how much emotional energy was (and still is) vested in them.
Through this research, Vincent becomes very sympathetic to men. She sees the stresses they have and the limited emotional range society permits them to have. These pressures may be similar to the ones bearing on her as she, like them, tries to act the male part.
Vincent's disguise and her acting abilities must have been first rate. She has unique observations and she presents them in a fun way. In many places this is a page turner. The act of doing what she did is an achievement in itself, but this work will not endure as the Griffen classic has for the limitations noted above.
September 13, 2016
A collection of Poppy's short stories which has an appearance from one of her main characters "Ghost"
March 26, 2016
this book was fun to read being a Poppy Z. Brite fan but dont read this as a first book jumping into his work.
May 17, 2024
“Until the moment inspiration settled its divine hands on my shoulders and pushed me out of my frame, I had been proud of my little balancing act. No other girl in my school could float like me - that's what I said to myself. No boy could, either. Pride like that wraps a blindfold over your eyes and plugs your ears with wax.”
- “Intro”
“It wore on me, though, it undermined my assumptions. The death of an assumption always breaks your heart.”
- “Intro”
“Gnosis is a knowledge possessed of a revelatory force and rooted in a recognition of one's true self.”
- “Intro”
“We may safely assume the failure on behalf of the literal-minded to recognize that every encounter with a text represents an act of ‘possession.’ As the reader devours the text, the text inexorably colonizes the reader, who is, unlike the devouring text, altered by this process, in large part by means of that truest, most infallible expression of theme, the detail. As a result, every vibrant detail contains an etotic component.”
- “Intro”
“Reading a good book is a lot like sinking your fingers up to the second knuckle in someone's brain.”
- “Self Made Man”
“The Wounded Stag had no TV. Pictures were passé here, best left to that stillborn golden calf that was the other Hollywood. Sound was the thing, pounds and pounds of it pushing against the eardrums, saturating the brain, making the very skin feel tender and bruised if you withstood it long enough. Beyond headache lay transcendence.”
- “Self Made Man”
- “Intro”
“It wore on me, though, it undermined my assumptions. The death of an assumption always breaks your heart.”
- “Intro”
“Gnosis is a knowledge possessed of a revelatory force and rooted in a recognition of one's true self.”
- “Intro”
“We may safely assume the failure on behalf of the literal-minded to recognize that every encounter with a text represents an act of ‘possession.’ As the reader devours the text, the text inexorably colonizes the reader, who is, unlike the devouring text, altered by this process, in large part by means of that truest, most infallible expression of theme, the detail. As a result, every vibrant detail contains an etotic component.”
- “Intro”
“Reading a good book is a lot like sinking your fingers up to the second knuckle in someone's brain.”
- “Self Made Man”
“The Wounded Stag had no TV. Pictures were passé here, best left to that stillborn golden calf that was the other Hollywood. Sound was the thing, pounds and pounds of it pushing against the eardrums, saturating the brain, making the very skin feel tender and bruised if you withstood it long enough. Beyond headache lay transcendence.”
- “Self Made Man”
November 2, 2025
Genuinely this was the most horrifically awful piece of heinous filth I have ever read. I had to read this for class and honestly I wish that for the first time in my life I had intentionally not done the reading. I am so deeply disturbed, actually down to my core. I don't care if its written well, or if I shouldn't be judging what other people like to read. Unless you are prepared for what you are going to be reading and know you like that kind of thing, this will be the most awful thing you have ever read. Excuse me while I bleach my brain.
June 13, 2021
A mixed bag of tales, some snappy complete stories, others feel like the start of something and a couple read like a random chapter plucked from a book? A lot of graphic sex in these stories which felt a bit much at times as the stories were very short. A couple of stories without sex were really intriguing and left me wanting more.
November 7, 2021
Probably not the best one for me to start with, some of the short stories referenced his previous works and I have no context or love for them.
Best story for me was Arise, otherwise was glad at the short length of some of these.
Best story for me was Arise, otherwise was glad at the short length of some of these.
September 4, 2023
I've read a few of Mr. Brite's (Martin's) short story collections, and this was my favorite by far. The diversity of the stories, the historical fiction and fairy tales all blended together flawlessly. I can't wait to read this book again and purchase it for myself!
September 21, 2018
Any description of the book would ruin the story. The story is good but just cobbled pieces. Short story that leaves you with lots of questions
Read
May 27, 2019Gross-out body trauma stuff just doesn't appeal to me. I knew this author did more bizarre, icky stuff, and I really wanted to try new types of horror but...nope: DNF @ pg 30-something.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2021
Quite possibly one of the most disturbing short stories I've ever read, and I loved it.
September 8, 2024
love when someone asks what im reading and i have to either lie or straight up be like “well the last short story was a jeffrey dahmer fanfic and this one is a furry porn fairytale retelling”
3.5 ☆
3.5 ☆
July 12, 2025
Some stores were okay, some boring.
November 22, 2025
I get what the other reviewers are saying about a lot of the stories feeling unfinished. However... I don't care and I enjoyed it. (I'm in a bit of a Poppy Z Brite phase so I'm biased.)
March 8, 2023
I read quite a few of Ms. Brite's novels over a decade ago and can honestly say I enjoyed them but not without reservations. Unfortunately my library is slow in producing copies to reread. When I reread these stories a more informed review will be provided.
April 27, 2007
Wooooooo. Entertaining Mr Orton. Wow.
October 21, 2014
Anchored in Ray Bradbury, a disturbing dive into serial killing and zombies.
March 7, 2013
Uninspired horror story for little goth kids with no taste.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews