Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 08/01/2025 *Starred Review* Ogle concludes his memoir series, which started with Free Lunch (2019), with this deeply affecting and unsparing account of his experiences with homelessness as a teen after his father kicked him out of the house for being gay. Forced to choose between losing his home or complying with his father’s impossible standards of behavior, Ogle leaves Alabama for New Orleans, hoping that he might find safety with Russell, an older man he briefly met on vacation. At first, Russell seems sweet and supportive, but Ogle soon realizes that sweetness conceals something predatory, and with no other options, he’s left trying to survive living rough on the streets. Ogle never sensationalizes his experiences, acutely describing the hunger, fear, boredom, shame, and frustration he feels at every turn. Most poignant, however, is his account of the precarity faced by many teens who find themselves in unstable housing situations, especially queer teens who are forced into those situations by unaccepting family members. Ogle describes trying to get into college, find a job, and otherwise obtain assistance, but the obstacles—many of which are things we take for granted every day—are insurmountable. This candid, vulnerable memoir emphasizes how crucial it is for teens—especially queer teens—to have access to a supportive safety net to fall back on. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.