Out of the Rain

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A debut novel by an award-winning journalist delves into the lives of individuals in a San Francisco homeless shelter and those who assist—or exploit—them. The narrative immerses readers in the growing homeless crisis in the U.S., focusing on powerful stories that highlight extreme poverty, destitution, and self-destruction. Tom, who manages a social services agency, strives to infuse humanity into his work, while Walter, a homeless man struggling with addiction, seeks to help others despite his own challenges. Told from multiple perspectives, the novel intimately portrays social workers navigating the complexities of finding shelter beds and dealing with federal programs, alongside homeless individuals battling addiction and striving for stable employment and housing. Drawing from the author's experiences as a social services worker in the 1980s and 1990s, the narrative brings to life the thoughts and struggles of combat veterans, addicts, sex workers, and the unemployed. The author transitioned from social services to journalism to share these poignant stories and the humanity of those he encountered. “There weren’t enough shelter beds, weren’t enough detoxes, weren’t enough jobs, weren’t enough anything for the people I wanted to help.” —Tom, social worker.