Out of the Shadows

Reimagining Gay Men’s Lives

By: Walt Odets

Narrated by: Will Damron

Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

It goes without saying that even today, it's not easy to be gay in America. While young gay men often come out more readily, even those from the most progressive of backgrounds still struggle with the legacy of early-life stigma and a deficit of self-acceptance, which can fuel doubt, regret, and, at worst, self-loathing. And this is to say nothing of the ongoing trauma wrought by AIDS, which is all too often relegated to history. Drawing on his work as a clinical psychologist during and in the aftermath of the epidemic, Walt Odets reflects on what it means to survive and figure out a way to live in a new, uncompromising future, both for the men who endured the upheaval of those years and for the younger men who have come of age since then, at a time when HIV is still deeply affecting gay communities, especially among the most marginalized. 

Through moving stories - of friends and patients, and his own - Odets considers how experiences early in life launch men on trajectories aimed at futures that are not authentically theirs. He writes to help reconstruct how we think about gay life by considering everything from the misleading idea of "the homosexual", to the diversity and richness of gay relationships, to the historical role of stigma and shame and the significance of youth and of aging.

©2019 Walt Whitman Odets (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

An Important Book for Gay Men

This book really hit home for me. The author is a gay therapist with decades of experience working with gay men of all ages. His knowledge and insight into the issues that impact the lives of gay men will resonate with many men who struggle with understanding themselves and the lasting impact of growing up in a society that doesn't value us. Too often the result of this trauma is shame, isolation, and life-long feelings of being different. What I found most valuable about this book was the many personal stories of gay men the author has worked with throughout his career, including his own heartwarming story of love, friendship, and loss. I highly recommend this book.

Depressing

People say this book is amazing- but as a queer person it really was depressing.

Excellent book

This book is both engaging and informative. As a psychotherapist myself, I found the insights important and poignant. The stories are moving.I have developed much more understanding of the gay community. The book is extremely well written, which I also appreciate.

Heartbreakingly Insightful, Inspiring

There are moments I think that will be difficult for listeners to digest, especially gay male listeners, because they may be reminded of themselves, someone they loved, or someone they lost, in the accounts of the numerous men about which the author writes. I certainly experienced this.

But in the difficult, traumatic, and heartbreaking moments there lay reasons to truly strive for and cherish gay life and everything it means. As a young man I found it incredibly insightful and has given me new ways of seeing things. Definitely worth the read for anyone seeking to understand the past and also themselves and the men they love.