D I S T U R B / E N R A P T U R EWWW.S I B L I N G R I VA L RY P R E S S.COM

Title: Boss Broad

Author: Megan Volpert

Genre: Essay / Poetry

ISBN: 978-1-943977-63-5

LOC Number: 2019933542

Publication Date: 06/11/2019

Retail Price: $19.95

5.83 x 8.27” Paperback; 238 Pages

Distributed by Ingram and Sibling Rivalry Press

Author is available for appearances and interviews

Publisher Contact: info@siblingrivalrypress.com

Trade, library, and educational discounts available

Desk copies available for educators

N EW FRO M S I B LI N G R I VA LRY PR ESSa full-length collection of poetry and essays

BOSS BROAD CONTAINS FORTY POEMS AND DOZENS OF ESSAYS THAT EXPLORE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A MIDDLE-AGED HERO. THE POEMS ARE ENGLISH-TO-ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS OF BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN SONGS—POPULAR ONES WHERE HE DIRECTLY ADDRESSES A FEMALE LISTENER, WHICH VOLPERT AUDACIOUSLY REWRITES TO ANSWER THE BOSS BACK USING HIS OWN RHYME AND METER. IN THESE PAGES VOLPERT WEARS SPRINGSTEEN'S OWN LYRICAL SWAGGER SO THAT ROSALITA BECOMES A DRAG QUEEN, WENDY CAPTAINS HER OWN SHIP, AND BOBBY JEAN FINALLY COMES OUT OF THE CLOSET. THE ESSAYS EXAMINE INJECTIONS OF SPIRITUALITY IN PROGRESSIVE POLITICS, WITH TOPICS INCLUDING STEPHEN COLBERT, PATTI SMITH, THE AUTHOR’S CAREER AS A PUNK HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER, WHAT SHE LEARNED SURVIVING HURRICANES IN LOUISIANA, AND MEDITATIONS ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A COOL LIBERAL. AS USUAL, VOLPERT TRESPASSES ON HALLOWED GROUND, DOING BATTLE WITH HER WHITE LADY DEMONS IN THE NAME OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL.

MEGAN VOLPERT IS THE AUTHOR OF A BUNCH OF BOOKS ON POPULAR CULTURE, INCLUDING TWO LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD FINALISTS AND AN AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION HONOREE. SHE HAS BEEN TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH IN ATLANTA FOR OVER A DECADE AND WAS 2014 TEACHER OF THE YEAR. SHE WRITES FOR POPMATTERS AND HAS EDITED ANTHOLOGIES OF PHILOSOPHICAL ESSAYS ON TOM PETTY AND RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE . MORE INFO CAN PREDICTABLY BE

FOUND AT WWW.MEGANVOLPERT.COM

“Megan Volpert has in common with other high-rolling ornery genius pistols a lot of nerve, a lot of heart, and an inability to leave anything said alone...Stay out of her way if you can't take a little mussing up." -DARA WIER, author of Reverse Rapture

“We trust her like we trusted our favorite bands in high school.” - GRIST JOURNAL

“Her poetry is impolite, mocking, razor sharp, tough as saints sandals, funny, unexpected, and refreshing." - JOHN YAU, author of FURTHER ADVENTURES IN MONOCHROME

“In a time when we have so little faith in the healing power of rock ‘n’ roll, and possibly less in humanity, along comes this inspiring humbling blazing page turner. I initially thought, ‘oh Greil Marcus from a feminist angle, like Joan Didion,’ then all of a sudden I was on the back of some Jodorowsky-fueled motorcycle checking out Volpert’s house, wife, classroom, and childhood. These essays are so life, joy, human affirming, I was startled at my reaction. Oh, did I mention this is a book about Bruce? This is a great fucking book.”

— ED HAMMELL —aka HAMELL ON TRIAL

“Touching on subjects such as the through-line of coolness and the righteousness of Patti Smith, Boss Broad reflects on a world shaped by musicians, writers, comedians, philosophers, politicians, and other influencers and icons. Megan Volpert traverses progressive politics, pop culture, and spirituality in a uniquely crafted memoir incorporating brilliantly rewritten Springsteen songs. Rock and roll shows are the only place that I feel church with any consistency. Volpert is a boss broad preaching something fine.”

— MARY ANN NAYLOR —founder of CHURCH OF GIRL RADIO

“Boss Broad’s cross-genre world of book reviews, pop Americana, and Springsteen song translations slaked thirsts I forgot I had: the quench of reading it restored me. Volpert re-rhythms and re-lyrics anthems of defiance and love with extraordinary language energy. Her wise words brace American pop and political culture with feminism and anti-racism, gender equality, queer style, social justice, and the nobility of teaching the young, while giving full-throttle to a frank and funny sincerity we wish we too could muster in the face of the cynicism.”

— ERIN MOURÉ —author of THE ELEMENTS

“This Springsteen Catechism for Youth; this apostrophe to The Boss, blessed by Pope Colbert; this time-warped documentary fiction; this cacophony of voices disrupting notions of listening, hearing; this queering of Bruce’s lyrics until we become champions of intersectional justice; this fandom that exposes us all—destabilizes our fantasies of the real and shows us what, in ritual worship, destroys us every day. Read this, say three Hail Marys, and loan Boss Broad to a friend who knows that which is suffering is sacred. Amen.”

— KASS FLEISHER —author of TALKING OUT OF SCHOOL

“Fleeing toward another America, as Genet says, Boss Broad grapples with the question of where we have been and where we place ourselves for a strategic future in music, in poems, and in prose strumming along our bones. We need Megan Volpert for the strength of never surrendering, for knowing how we outnumber the fascists.”

— CACONRAD —author of WHILE STANDING IN LINE FOR DEATH

SIBLING RIVALRY PRESSd i s t u r b / e n r a p t u r e

: :m o r e p r a i s e f o rBOSS BROAD