Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself from Spiritual Narcissists by Becky Garrison 

In the nearly two years I’ve been doing VoiceOver work, mostly narrating audiobooks, I’ve learned to try to be more choosy with my projects. Research the authors, make sure writing and subject matter are relatable. It’s especially enjoyable when working with authors and publishers who communicate throughout the narrating/production process to make the work truly collaborative. David from Lake Drive Books was one such collaborative partner.

This book spoke to me, particularly when it came to the snarky and satirical tone. The author writes the way I speak, and I speak fluent snark.

Pacific Northwest Wine and Spirits writer Becky Garrison draws on her real life experiences as a religious satirist to pen her latest book, Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save You from Spiritual Narcissists. It’s funny, it’s snarky, it’s oh so timely, and I truly enjoyed being the voice of this insightful book.

For the Spirit

As a wine and spirits educator and communicator, I very much appreciated, and could really relate to, the chapter on finding community, in all places, in sharing a glass of wine, a tasting room, or a festival.

After all, I remember turning to my husband in a Seattle elevator during my first Society of Wine Educators (SWE) conference I attended in 2014 and saying, “These are my people. These people who were all geeking out over a bottle of Newton unfiltered cabernet at our dinner table? My people.”

For the Soul

This book does take on a somewhat serious topic in dealing with trauma, particularly if one is leaving a high control environment. Yet, Becky also addresses how to deal with the different kind of narcissists we all encounter in our lives; she does it in a light, funny way which I found refreshing.

I also found it timely as hell – ironic, since we all know (if you’ve listened to Glass in Session®) I’ll be spending eternity in hell.

As a “recovering Catholic” who draws upon the wisdom of biblical scholars in my life to translate the christian nationalist rhetoric twisting the bible into knots of racist, sexist, and morally bankrupt propaganda, I find this topic strikingly relevant. Did I mention I’d be burning in hell?

So while I was the voice and producer of this book, throughout the read I found myself really relating to a lot of the material – even outside of the wine, whiskey and cider references. Learning about some interesting new wine and spirits community projects, such as Maysara Winery in Oregon, owned by the Momtazi family with Iranian roots, and Kristoff Farms, with which I was only mildly familiar after hearing Nicholas Kristoff on the Bulwark podcast, was a bonus! The Kristoffs have Armenian roots, and I do have an Armenian wine episode in the Glass in Session® editorial calendar, so heads up.

Here is the link to the Audible version of Becky Garrett’s book, and I do hope you will enjoy the book or pass it on to someone who could benefit from it.

If you would like a free review copy please email me at glassinsession@proton.me.