
Finally Out
Letting Go of Living Straight, A Psychiatrist's Own Story
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Narrated by:
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Loren A. Olson
About this listen
Dr. Loren A. Olson has frequently been asked two questions: How could you not know that you were gay until the age of forty? Wasn't your marriage just a sham to protect yourself at your wife's expense? In Finally Out, Dr. Olson vigorously answers both questions by telling the inspiring story of his evolving sexuality, into which he intelligently weaves psychological concepts and gay history. This book is a powerful exploration of human sexuality, particularly the sexuality of mature men who, like Dr. Olson, lived a large part of their lives as straight men - sometimes long after becoming aware of their same-sex attractions.
©2010 Loren A. Olson, M.D. (P)2014 Audible Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
loved this book!! so grateful to Loren!! thank you
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Really good book and covers most relevant issues
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Highly recommended !
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Very Eye Opening
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I'm not much younger than Olson, so I related to his timeline, but I knew in 1984 at age 14 whereas he figured it out after wading through more cultural barriers, especially the heaviness of homosexuality being a diagnosable illness. One decade makes a huge difference in the layers of self-evident truths, and Olson entails the beliefs about himself that he inherited from both culture and his own profession. My dilemma was religion; he had to deal with it, too, and I think that the power over personal perceptions was comparable for us.
The essential value of this book, for me, was not that it would help me come out or accept myself but that it framed the experience that I had inherited, stirred, and distilled until I could stand up to strong cultural and spiritual pressures.
I listened to this audiobook in the summer while gardening and while building a wrestling ring behind my garage. For me to complete an audiobook, I have to be able to pay attention, and I have to care, but it also has to take over my thinking as I work on personal development: it has to suspend my constant in and out of memories, regrets, loves, and losses, but the book did more than get me out of my worries; it connected my past to someone else's reality.
Why 5 Stars? Because It Is Unique
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Hearing the story in the author’s voice
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Excellent!
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A Captivating Read
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Also, i came away wondering what the short chapter on bisexuality was meant to tell us. It could be interpreted as “bisexuals are men who are afraid to be gay”. I am bisexual and married to a woman. I only came out last year at 46, so i could just be sensitive.
I was expecting more advice on how to let go of being straight.
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