A homeless foster kid finds redemption in Iraq.
Angel Blue: A Song of Redemption is Forrest Lang’s memoir of childhood abuse, foster care, homelessness, addiction, military service, recovery, and the long process of confronting a past he spent years trying to escape.
What Angel Blue, a Song of Redemption is about
Angel Blue: A Song of Redemption is Forrest Lang's autobiographical memoir about childhood trauma, foster care, homelessness, addiction, military service, recovery, and redemption.
Forrest writes about surviving childhood sexual abuse, severe neglect, and instability before entering the Southern California foster care system. By sixteen, he was homeless and struggling with alcoholism.
The story follows him through addiction and recovery, profound loss, service in the U.S. Navy, and eventually a return to military service after September 11. He deployed to Iraq as a hospital corpsman.
Angel Blue also follows the years that came afterward, including relapse, sobriety, forgiveness, family, tattooing, and the process of confrontingexperiences he had spent much of his life trying to escape.
At its core, Angel Blue is a story about what trauma can do to a life and whatcan happen when someone refuses to let that trauma define how the story ends.
Who should read Angel Blue, a Song of Redemption
Angel Blue, a Song of Redemption may especially resonate with:
- Survivors of childhood sexual abuse and other forms of childhood trauma
- People in recovery from alcoholism or addiction, and the people who love them
- Adults who experienced foster care, abandonment, or homelessness
- Veterans and service members
- Counselors, advocates, peer support workers, first responders, and others who work with trauma
- Anyone interested in an inspiring memoir about survival, recovery, and rebuilding a life
For readers of A Child Called “It” and The Glass Castle
Readers who connected with memoirs such as A Child Called “It” and The Glass Castle may find familiar territory in Angel Blue.
Forrest writes about a childhood marked by abuse and instability, then follows the effects of those experiences into adulthood, including alcoholism, military service, loss, recovery, and the work of building a joyous and meaningful life after severe trauma.
The illustrated hardcover
Forrest is a professional tattoo and visual artist. The hardcover edition of Angel Blue includes full color illustrations created by Forrest throughout the memoir.
The drawings taccompany different parts of the story, expressing experiences that were difficult to communicate through words alone.
The illustrations are exclusive to the hardcover edition. They are not included in the paperback or ebook, and individual prints are not currently available for sale.
Illustrations from Angel Blue
All art was created by Forrest Lang and appears in the illustrated hardcover edition of Angel Blue: A Song of Redemption.
Which edition should you choose?
Paperback
$21.95
Text only
A good choice for reading, sharing, and passing along.
Every copy ordered directly through this site is signed by Forrest. Due to demand, please allow up to 15 days for signed copies to ship.
Questions readers ask
Is Angel Blue, a Song of Redemption a true story?
Yes. Angel Blue, a Song of Redemption is Forrest Lang’s memoir and tells the story of his childhood, foster care experience, military service, addiction, recovery, and the events that shaped his life.
Do the illustrations come in the paperback?
No. The full color illustrations are exclusive to the hardcover edition.
Can I buy the illustrations as prints?
No. Individual prints are not currently available for sale.
Is there an audiobook?
Yes. The unabridged audiobook runs 8 hours and 1 minute and is narrated by Jeffrey Machado.
Is Angel Blue, a Song of Redemption appropriate for teenagers?
Angel Blue, a Song of Redemption deals with serious subjects including childhood abuse, violence, addiction, loss, and recovery. Parents, guardians, social workers, counselors, and other trusted adults should use their own judgment when deciding whether it is appropriate for a teenager in their care.
Can I order copies in bulk?
Yes. Bulk orders are available for treatment centers, recovery programs, schools, veteran organizations, military units, and other groups. Contact Forrest for bulk pricing and availability.
Who published Angel Blue?
Angel Blue: A Song of Redemption was published by Primedia eLaunch LLC in 2022.
Paperback ISBN: 9798886277180
Hardcover ISBN: 9798886277241
Read it, then pass it on
Many people who finish Angel Blue buy a second copy for someone else.
Over the years, copies have been passed between friends, families, survivors, veterans, recovery communities, treatment programs, and people who knew someone who needed to read it.
That is one of the ways Angel Blue continues to travel.
Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 254 reviews on Amazon · 4.5 on Goodreads. More about the author on the About Forrest page.