Amanda moves to London with nothing but her guitar and her collection of punk music as the soundtrack to her every step. 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 story, 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.