cover image Finally Out: Letting Go of Living Straight, a Psychiatrist's Own Story

Finally Out: Letting Go of Living Straight, a Psychiatrist's Own Story

Loren A. Olson, MD.. inGroup (Bella Distribution, dist.), $15.95 trade paper (280p) ISBN 978-1-935-72503-9

Olson, a psychiatrist and father of two who came out at 40, begins his first effort by answering a question he is often asked: "How could you not know you were gay until you were 40?" He relates years of feeling like an outsider, and not quite masculine enough, and explores the cultural and personal barriers that kept him from self-discovery. He also shares information from personal research into the lives of gay men. Less a handbook for coming out late in life than one man's story of doing so, Olson's always-compassionate voice asserts the importance of being true to oneself. The complexity of applying the label "gay" is a central thread, and the focus is on older men, though not exclusively%E2%80%94this could be of use to men of any age struggling with sexual identity. Bolstered by his expertise as a psychiatrist, Olson capably explores issues of self-image, identity, self-esteem, and depression, as well as history, culture, morality, law, and religion in relation to homosexuality. Olson's own story is compelling, but as a writer he better handles the less-personal material. But ultimately Olson's book is engaging, and helpful in illuminating the coming-out processes. (Mar.)