Don't Call Me Jupiter—Book One "Tightrope"

Memoir of a Reluctant Hippie Kid

By: Tom J. Bross

Narrated by: Tom J. Bross

Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

For fans of Running with Scissors, The Glass Castle, and Educated, comes a true coming-of-age memoir about a vagabond family led by a self-absorbed, eccentric hippie mother during the age of Aquarius.

Devastating family drama, abandonment, and drugs are balanced with laugh-out-loud humor that will keep you turning pages. You'll laugh, cry, and be left begging for more. The story begins with an episode that occurred in 1974.

When Tom Bross (age 12) experiences a sudden move from Davis to San Anselmo to live with their God Family. Just two months later they move back to Davis with no place to live. His brother and sisters are dropped off at their friend's houses. Tom ends up in the garage of one of his mother's ex-lovers. It's from this dreary location that he recalls his family's truly strange transition.

Led by his mother, the Martha Stewart of Hippies, they transform from a normal conservative, mid-western, Catholic family into a clan of liberal, psychedelic-bus-tripping, pot-smoking, nature-loving, California free spirits. And with most dysfunctional families they come with a cost.

Author's Note: “Imagine a 1970’s version of Shameless but with less booze, more weed, and way more hallucinogenics.”

DON’T CALL ME JUPITER PROVIDES AN ACCURATE, VISCERAL, ENTERTAINING, REAL-LIFE PERSPECTIVE INTO THE UPS AND DOWNS OF SURVIVING A HIPPIE CHILDHOOD WITH A NARCISSIST AS A MOTHER. AS YOU DIG DEEPER INTO HIS STRUGGLE YOU LEARN HOW TO FORGIVE WHAT YOU CAN'T FORGET.

©2021 Tom J. Bross (P)2021 Tom J. Bross

Gripping Animated Storytelling

Tom J. Bross is an excellent storyteller with an amazing memory for detail about his unusual childhood as the son of a beautiful preppy turned free spirit hippie Mom of five children who she loved, yet they often needed to find their own way to survive the world around them. His stories are relatable, surprising, shocking, interesting funny and loving, often all at once.

I have followed the author and know he has many photos to go with these stories. His animated storytelling is so good they aren't needed to follow along, yet I am going to go look for the photos and then start listening to Book Two!

How love of family and resilience trumps all!

I disliked how self absorbed Mare was and LOVED how her children thrived in spite of it.

Can't wait for the next book!

Loved the raw honesty, life lessons and love for your siblings and mom even through all the dysfunction.

Great Book!

Excellently written book. Takes me back to my childhood years and how we all have things....in our past. A story for all people to find their inner Empathy.

Great story, don’t recommend audiobook though.

I think I would have enjoyed this book much more if not in audiobook. The author read so fast, with poor inflection and little regard for punctuation. I love the story, though! It helped when I slowed the reading speed down just a little bit.

Flashback to the 1970s in Northern California

Told in a series of flashbacks punctuated with more recent visits to a therapist, Bross relives his childhood in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Bross himself narrates the audiobook well, his voice is very pleasant, even when recounting horrifying incidents and a litany of neglect that puts him in danger and discomfort while growing up with alternately too much control - by a domineering step-father - and then too little control - by his charismatic mother.

Yet Bross’s deep affection for his mother and his siblings kept him afloat when a lesser mensch would have called time and shuffled off this mortal coil. Despite a growing discomfort with the circumstances of his life, Bross remained indomitable, rationalizing his experiences with the help of his particular brand of dark humor and the support of his older sister. And there was fun, with his bitingly-cynical, counter-culture, unreliable mother. And it was cool... some of the time.

Bross’s family reflected the Zeitgeist of the 1970s in California - the good, the bad, and the ugly. Bross met some interesting and famous people in his time in groovy San Francisco, affluent Marin County, and rural Davis. He was an observant child whose memories were stored so that he can report to us now the chaos swirling around him then.

Love this series!

I have read all three books and was captivated and horrified from the get go. Captivated because I was fascinated with hippies from the time I was five during the 60s. And you captured the lifestyle superbly and your way of writing made us feel like we were there! Horrified because I was too much like Marr raising my own children in the 90s and beyond. Self centered with my addictions and midlife crisis. Fortunately we can change and adult children forgive but they have scars from the negative times that unfortunately scream louder then the plenty of fun times. And as they forgive you, you never forgive yourself. I was sad when I finished book three, like it was a goodbye. I hope you write more books.

Laugh-out-loud Trauma!

I’ve read the trilogy but was looking forward to listening to Tom tell his own story. This audiobook did not disappoint. I had a long solo drive yesterday and finished the book in one shot. I was laughing out loud in my car by myself. There are so many memorable little moments that make this memoir worthwhile. And if Tom looks familiar, you probably recognize him as the San Francisco hula hoop champ 😂🖤