This memoir is heartbreaking, and it’s a story that Ogle hadn’t been able to tell until now–in his mid 40s–though he’s written numerous other books, including memoirs about poverty and abuse. 

This book retells the story of the summer and fall after graduating from high school, when his father asked him if he was gay. Rex knew he was, but he hadn’t come out and he hadn’t been with a male and he hadn’t planned on a confrontation with his dad. He just wanted to start college in the fall. 

But his dad gave him a choice: renounce his “gayness” or leave and be disowned by his family. Rex had 24 hours to decide. 

This began his months long dive into homelessness, hunger, sexual assault, and despair. With his 1480 SAT score and straight As in honors and AP classes, his college dream disappeared the instant he told his father the truth. 

This is a sad and wrenching story of a young adult trying to make sense of a world that came crashing down. It takes place in the late 1990s–and while I’d like to think this wouldn’t happen to an 18-year-old today, I know it still does. 

As a young adult level book, this is a fast read, but not an easy one. I’m thankful that we have services today like The Trevor Project and the 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline and, here in our own small, community, The Out Center. Ogle had nothing. Not even access to the nascent Internet.