Editing Don't Call Me Jupiter

{{Infobox book series
| name          = Don't Call Me Jupiter
| image         = 
| caption       = 
| author        = Tom J. Bross
| country       = United States
| language      = English
| genre         = Memoir, Coming-of-age, Autobiography
| publisher     = Independently published
| first_pub     = 2021
| last_pub      = 2022
| no_books      = 3
}}

'''''Don't Call Me Jupiter''''' is a three-volume [[memoir]] series written by American author '''Tom J. Bross'''. Subtitled ''Memoir of a Reluctant Hippie Kid'', the series chronicles Bross's unconventional [[coming-of-age]] experience growing up in a vagabond family headed by an eccentric, counterculture mother during the 1970s, and follows the long-term consequences of that upbringing into adulthood. The series has been compared by critics and readers to ''[[The Glass Castle]]'' by Jeannette Walls, ''[[Running with Scissors]]'' by Augusten Burroughs, ''[[Educated (memoir)|Educated]]'' by Tara Westover, ''[[Angela's Ashes]]'' by Frank McCourt, and ''[[Wild (Strayed memoir)|Wild]]'' by Cheryl Strayed.

== Overview ==

The ''Don't Call Me Jupiter'' series blends [[dark humor]] with raw emotional honesty to portray a childhood defined by instability, substance abuse, and parental neglect, set against the backdrop of [[counterculture]] America. Bross describes the series as "a 1970s version of ''[[Shameless (U.S. TV series)|Shameless]]'' but with less booze, more weed, and way more hallucinogenics." While humor is a consistent thread throughout all three volumes, the central theme is [[abandonment]]—emotional, physical, and generational.

The series spans roughly three decades, from the mid-1970s through the late 1990s and into the early 2000s, tracing Bross's evolution from a perceptive, sensitive child into a reluctant caregiver and surrogate parent.

== Author ==

'''Tom J. Bross''' is an American author, narrator, and former marketing and advertising professional based in [[California]]. Before turning to memoir writing, Bross worked in television and radio advertising. He holds a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in [[Graphic Design]] from [[California State University, Chico]], which he earned in 1986 after working his way through college.

Bross has noted that he was a keenly observant child who recognized early on that his family was unusual. He began keeping notes as a child, which eventually formed the foundation for the memoir series. He has described himself as "an extremely sensitive kid who always felt the force of emotions growing up."

A notable early distinction: Bross was crowned the 1968 San Francisco [[Hula Hoop]] Champion and appeared as a child in a national television advertisement for [[Clorox]] bleach.

All copies of the books ordered through his official website are personally signed by the author, accompanied by bookmarks featuring artwork by his sister Shelley.

== Books in the Series ==

=== Book One: ''Tightrope'' (2021) ===

{{Infobox book
| name          = Don't Call Me Jupiter — Book One "Tightrope"
| subtitle      = Memoir of a Reluctant Hippie Kid
| author        = Tom J. Bross
| publisher     = Independently published
| pub_date      = 2021
| isbn          = 979-8598485941
| genre         = Memoir
}}

The first volume opens in '''1974''' and follows twelve-year-old Tom Bross through a sudden uprooting from [[Davis, California]] to [[San Anselmo, California|San Anselmo]] to live with the family's so-called "God Family." Only two months later, the family moves back to Davis with nowhere to live. Tom's siblings are dispersed among friends' homes, while Tom himself ends up sleeping in the garage of one of his mother's former lovers.

From this bleak starting point, Bross reconstructs the family's "truly strange transition" and delves into his earlier childhood. The narrative introduces his mother, '''Mare''', whose embrace of [[hippie]] counterculture ideals—including a permissive attitude toward [[cannabis|marijuana]] and [[hallucinogen|hallucinogens]]—stands in stark contrast to the rigid discipline of their stepfather, '''John'''. Bross chronicles how drug use became normalized within the household and the psychological toll this took on him and his siblings.

Despite the dysfunction, the bonds between the Bross siblings emerge as a source of warmth and resilience throughout the book.

'''Themes:''' Abandonment, parental neglect, counterculture, drug normalization, sibling loyalty, identity formation.

=== Book Two: ''Lightning Crashes'' (2021) ===

{{Infobox book
| name          = Don't Call Me Jupiter — Book Two "Lightning Crashes"
| subtitle      = Memoir of a Reluctant Hippie Kid
| author        = Tom J. Bross
| publisher     = Independently published
| pub_date      = 2021
| isbn          = 979-8499401965
| genre         = Memoir
}}

The second volume fast-forwards to '''1996''', when a '''suspicious death''' within the family sends shockwaves through the now-disbanded Bross family and forces them back together. Tom, described as "the quintessential lifetime bachelor," is thrust back into the chaos of his family's world as they scramble to determine what happened and care for the two young children left behind.

The central mystery of the book—whether the death was the result of murder, drugs, abuse, or some other cause—gives the narrative a dramatic urgency absent from the first volume. The book grapples with the long-term consequences of choices made during the 1970s and examines whether the cycle of abandonment that defined the family can be broken.

'''Themes:''' Cycles of dysfunction, grief, family crisis, accountability, forgiveness, legacy.

=== Book Three: ''Wheel in the Sky'' (2022) ===

{{Infobox book
| name          = Don't Call Me Jupiter — Book Three "Wheel in the Sky"
| subtitle      = Memoir of a Reluctant Hippie Kid
| author        = Tom J. Bross
| publisher     = Independently published
| pub_date      = September 20, 2022
| pages         = 388
| isbn          = 979-8353482420
| genre         = Memoir
}}

The concluding volume follows Tom as he takes on the most daunting challenge of his life: becoming a '''single parent''' to his two young nephews following his sister's death. Known within the family as "the fun and goofy uncle," Bross suddenly finds himself solely responsible for raising the boys and providing them with a stable home.

The book explores his growing self-doubt—questioning whether he can give the children the life they deserve, and whether a traditional two-parent household might serve them better. The promises of family support prove unreliable, and Tom is largely on his own. The decisions he makes in this final volume, the narrative suggests, will permanently alter the trajectories of everyone involved.

The book is described as the conclusion to the question posed across the entire series: '''Will the cycle of abandonment be broken?'''

'''Themes:''' Parenthood, sacrifice, self-doubt, family obligation, breaking generational cycles, redemption.

== Reception ==

The series has been warmly received by readers, particularly those drawn to [[dysfunctional family]] memoirs. Reviewers have praised Bross for his humor, emotional honesty, and vivid period detail, noting that his pop-cultural references to [[shag carpet]], [[bell-bottoms]], [[mood rings]], and the drug culture of the 1970s take on particular resonance when filtered through a child's perspective.

Readers have highlighted the authenticity of his storytelling and the fully realized nature of the real-life "characters" he depicts. Common praise centers on Bross's ability to balance laugh-out-loud comedy with genuine heartbreak, and several reviewers have expressed a desire to see the series adapted for film or television.

The books are available in [[paperback]], [[e-book]] (Kindle), and [[audiobook]] formats. The audiobook editions are narrated by Bross himself.

== Comparisons and Genre Context ==

The series sits within a tradition of American [[dysfunctional family]] memoirs. Publishers and reviewers have positioned it alongside:

* ''[[The Glass Castle]]'' by [[Jeannette Walls]]
* ''[[Running with Scissors]]'' by [[Augusten Burroughs]]
* ''[[Educated (memoir)|Educated]]'' by [[Tara Westover]]
* ''[[Angela's Ashes]]'' by [[Frank McCourt]]
* ''[[Wild (Strayed memoir)|Wild]]'' by [[Cheryl Strayed]]
* ''[[A Child Called It]]'' by [[Dave Pelzer]]

== See Also ==

* [[Counterculture of the 1960s]]
* [[Hippie]]
* [[Coming-of-age story]]
* [[Dysfunctional family]]
* [[Memoir]]

== External Links ==

* [https://tombross.com Official website of Tom J. Bross]
* [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57172053 ''Don't Call Me Jupiter'' Book One on Goodreads]
* [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/72369045 ''Don't Call Me Jupiter'' Book Three on Goodreads]

[[Category:American memoirs]]
[[Category:Coming-of-age literature]]
[[Category:2021 books]]
[[Category:2022 books]]
[[Category:Self-published books]]
[[Category:Books about dysfunctional families]]
[[Category:Books set in California]]
[[Category:Hippie culture]]