Angel Blue: a Song of Redemption

by Forrest Lang

Not all horror stories end badly. Growing up in poverty, Forrest Lang was subjected to physical abuse and was repeatedly molested. His stepfather would beat him savagely while his mother read the Bible aloud. He ran away until he was placed in a foster home, only to end up being molested by his drug dealer foster mom. Her sexual and emotional abuse led to an unsuccessful murder suicide attempt, which Forrest escaped. At the age of 16, he was a full-blown alcoholic running scared, homeless, on the mean streets of Oxnard, CA. After being beaten almost to death by skinheads, he joined the Navy to escape his past, but it followed close behind. After an honorable discharge, pursuing a career in art, and still haunted by the trauma of his past, Forrest accidentally shot and killed his best friend. Though acquitted, the guilt, pain, andhorror drove him back to the streets. Homeless and hopeless, Forrest rejoined the Navy and deployed to Iraq, hoping to die as a hospital corpsman. The beginnings of a path to redemption can be found anywhere, even in the sands of a war-torn country. Forrest learned to tattoo in Iraq, while gaining the respect of his peers and his own humanity. After returning home, he focused on success in his new career as a tattoo artist. Yet as time progressed, he found the unresolved demons of his buried childhood growing ever more present, and learned of the terrible impacts of post traumatic strss, and the tools that he found and weaponized to battle those very demons. Forrest learned that the best way to heal is becoming a living example of how good triumphs over evil. He learned how to forgive. He learned how to redirect his subconscious through meditation, sobriety, and service. He learned about strength through vulnerability. Most important, Forrest learned there was never anything wrong with him. He carried everything he needed inside the whole time.

270 pages, Unknown Binding

Published January 1, 2022

Reviews

[Rick Funk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider Forrest Lang as a little brother, since he is a part of our larger Marine Corps family. Although I have known him as a Navy Corpsman, Tattoo Artist, Recovering Alcoholic and a friend, I never knew his history or depths of his torment and pain. From the moment I received the manuscript from him, I could not put it down. I read the entire story from start to finish in one sitting. I found myself reflecting on my past and his story had a profound impact on me. The further I read, I experienced many emotions that I have not confronted in quite some time. I highly recommend Angel Blue to anyone who struggles with addiction, PTSD, or demons that still haunt them. By the way, I am the Marine from Yuma who gave Forrest the motorcycle.

[Laura Macdonald Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the type you can't put down. What Forest has gone through in his life not only made me angry but also made me cry. Knowing that he had found recovery and self discovery is amazing. Reading the obstacles he over came and changing his life that was handed to him will make anyone think "what am I doing wrong" then finding a way to change it. I believe this book can and will help anyone who needs guidance to self discovery.

[Lali Markii · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been an intense journey of looking straight in the eye to those events/traumas that break your heart, and still have the courage to find ways to love life, it's mind blowing and it transports you, it touches your spirit. And it injects you the resilience enough to know, that life offers love, bliss, and the capacity to overcome, and enjoy being alive, even though, you've been shattered in pieces. This book will take you back to yourself, to ask yourself, reflect on yourself, about our potentiallity, our strenght, our faith, and our capacity, and to hold all of this, surrender to love despite all of our shades, our scars. Many blessings to the author who guides you through the many colors of deep human experience to show how you can always come back home, to love within yourself.

[Maryann Gray]

Angel Blue is a deeply moving memoir. Although Mr. Lang experienced great trauma in his childhood and youth, he never veers into self-pity or self-aggrandizement and instead writes about how he overcame trauma to achieve a life that with love, productivity and fulfillment. The book is populated with colorful characters and offers a strong sense of place, while the author's quest for self-acceptance, redemption, and peace maintains the momentum.

You can call this a coming of age story, a redemption story, a hero's journey, or a book about personal growth -- it's a great read and I recommend it highly.

[USATattooFrank J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Just wow!
Amazing story of survival and getting back up again after being knocked down time and time again....
After being dealt hand after hand of bad luck, Mr Lang shows it’s possible to survive and prosper time and time again.
Most people would collapse and wither in self pity, after just one of the incidents Mr Lang went through.
A true story of a human that perseveres through the harshest adversities.
EVERYONE can learn something from this book, from the successful to the down and out...
Big Kudos to Mr Lang for putting it all out there.
A MUST read!
Highly Recommend!

[Bo Barlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Myself being a paraplegic I’ve read so many self help books and articles,

countless pull yourself up by your bootstraps kind of things and hearing all that Forrest Lang went through and the different methods he used to kind of mask the pain were very close to mine. Reading what has helped him come to terms with all he went through and the things he has done to recover I hope will give me new avenues to help in my recovery.

[Carolyn Floyd]

I’ve never had a friend write his life story until now. While I knew, in general, Forrest had a rough time, I was unaware of the depth of damage. I could not imagine, not because I believe evil doesn’t happen but rather, because Forrest is so full of love; he’s loyal; he’s strong. This story is the story how hard work and love can overcome all obstacles. I’m honored to know Forrest and call him a friend. Great read!!

[Nicole Sparkles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was intense. So intense you better have some kleenex. It's hard to stop reading, but at times I needed to take a break to get my emotions in order. Just when you think things can't get worse, they do. This book makes you realize no matter what trauma you may have been through there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. If Forrest can live this traumatizing life and pull himself out, any minor problems you have, you too can pull yourself out. He's an inspiration. Read this book...all the way through.

[Adrienne Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captivates a very emotionally raw journey from unimaginable trauma in early childhood and throughout his life to leading an awe-inspiring life full of transformation and healing. There are definitely dark moments that Forrest shows us through his eyes but those moments made him the person that he is today, an overcoming heart-centered visionary.

[Braiku · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brutal and enlightening. If you are going through the worst, this can reveal some hope.

[Thomas Fitzsimmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ex-combat veteran, Forrest Lang's memoir, "Angel Blue" is a compelling story of surviving childhood sexual abuse, drug addiction, suicidal depression, poverty, PTSD, and the trauma of accidentally shooting and killing his best friend. It's a story about survival, perseverance, and redemption. I highly recommend this book.

[Gj Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have known Forrest for a while now. He is a great artist all the more for where he climbed up from. Angel Blue was a revealing look at the depths from which he climbed. I fully support his goal to get the book in print so more people can be aided by its strength and direction.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a combat veteran in recovery myself, I related a great deal. I could not put it down.

[Melodie Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forest's story is a true inspiration. An excellent read, from start to finish.

[Brandon Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best inspiration and self help/healing book I’ve ever read.

[Bart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a much needed read. It was cathartic, raw, unfiltered, and an incredible experience. In reading about Mr. Lang's trauma and recovery, I found some portion of a shared common ground and realized that as rough as my own childhood had been, he had it a lot worse in many ways. This gave me hope for a brighter future - one where the traumas of the past are no longer haunting me. I hope to hear more about the healing process and the tools that helped Mr. Lang, and how to get in touch with reliable / reputable sources for obtaining help for myself, perhaps in another book?

[Tristina Wegner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angel Blue is captivating, amazing, sad, emotional and just brilliant. I could hear Forrest telling me his story, like really hear him. I was in it. The novel had my heart, my fears and my sorrow. Forrest Lang is inspiring, soulful, and just light!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the privilege of knowing Forrest. This book is raw with real emotions and true events. I’m proud of him for telling his truth! I too suffer from PTSD and Forrest has helped me by writing this book. Thank you Forrest for being true to who you are and for sharing your story to help others ❤️

[Catherine Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a true life story about how a person feeling so broken, and has been so mistreated can overcome the past and live your best life!
It is very inspiring.

[Hugo Burciaga · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a true story of how a broken person can heal. Forrest overcomes extreme trauma & abuse, stemming from early childhood all the way into adulthood, with a little hope and "Grace."

[Michele Deane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to witness Forest engage directly with other military vets struggling with PTS before I heard him narrate chapters of this book. Angel Blue is a transparent and authentic journey that turns deep dark trauma into inspiring strength and resiliency.

[Andri Goethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angel Blue is an amazing story about how a person can recover from just about everything. Angel Blue has helped me appreciate the small things in life and taught me how to work through the bad things.

[Bobbi Crann]

Angel Blue was a gritty story of hardship & pain and how a phenomenal young man rose above it. Written with honesty, the book is an inspiring read!

[Kenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The lense in which people view the world is shaped by their experiences. My interest in perspective and stepping into the shoes of others is what drew me to Forrest's story.

This book is not meant to be polished, its meant to be real. It contains typos, formatting flaws, traumatic memories, a raw stream of consciousness, and the soul fragments of a man who has been through things some people couldn't fathom. The book's flaws match that of people, and for that reason, I think its written perfectly.

I don't know Forrest, but I'm fucking proud of him. I admire his drive, his open mind, his persistence, his ability to take a step back to see himself and assess how to move forward... what a story, and I'm happy to have stumbled across it. You never know what someone may have gone through or might be going through.

I believe bringing awareness to these stories is necessary to prove just how prevalent they are. People need to do better, and understanding things like this happen to people rather than turning a blind eye, is a good start.

Life isn't black and white, yet we choose to be blind to the gray. This book is about finding balance, strength, and light in a world that can be so dark. Thank you for sharing your story Forrest. Keep going.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. I had a million things to do, and all I kept thinking was, I need to find out what happens to Forrest. If this was a Netflix Series (which I hope it becomes) I would have binged it in a day (two days, max). Heartbreaking, suspenseful, profound, and thoughtful is how I describe this book. I learned a lot about myself reading this story. I'm a better person for reading this book, and I hope you have the same experience. ,

[Bill Cuccaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I deployed with Forrest to Iraq and after getting to know him I knew he had a tough life. But after reading the book its amazing that he is such a good person. This book is a must read to show the strength of the human spirit.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first word in Angel Blue I was hooked and could not put the book down. This journey with Forrest through his life is remarkeble. A story so needed to tell and he tells it in the most vivid way. In the course of reading this book I have cried with him and felt his pain, a pain I did not know excisted. This is a side of life that is not often painted for us and Forrest does it in a very honest and open way. I do reccommend that everyone takes this journy and open their eyes to the struggle boys in the system go through and the life that follows. It is eyeopening, dramatíc, well written and also a good read. I will be reading Angel Blue again and I will be reccomending it to everyone I know.

[Simone Yemm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I started Angel Blue I did not want to put it down! It is an utterly engaging story depicting the horrific trauma of a young boy and the way society let him down again and again. A young boy who turned into an angry young man desperately searching for somewhere to belong. But mixed in with the trauma is a story of great courage and resilience and hope. Love triumphs in this confronting memoir. Highly recommended reading.

[James Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to read a copy of Forrest Lang's memoir two weeks ago. I burned through it in a few days--it was difficult to put down.

I went to law school so I write like a lawyer; sorry in advance. There are no specific spoilers below but general themes of the book are discussed in some depth.

Lang's book is, at various times, heartbreaking and inspiring; brutal and beautiful. It is certainly a compelling read, with enough personal details to paint a vivid emotional portrait of the author's journey. I found myself feeling almost reluctant to turn the page as I feared for the kid and young man telling the story and what the world might throw at him next, but unable to stop reading at the same time.

The narrative of finding peace and absolution after a lifetime of abuse is, in my experience, rarely a sanitized, linear or uniformly happy one. Lang doesn't pull any punches in recounting his experiences, whether it's the suffering inflicted on him by others (or vice versa), his own questionable decisions or the inevitable "tough breaks" that life can deal without warning. Knowing the author personally and, by extension, knowing that he has escaped many of his former demons made the narrative easier to handle; I knew going in about the light at the end of the tunnel. I would imagine that most readers would also foresee that the story would resolve for the author since he was able to write the book in the first place.

That being said, this may be a challenging read for those struggling with their own history of physical, sexual and/or substance abuse. Including some of the most intense and difficult moments of his life without being overtly graphic must have been a challenge, and Lang navigates through this issue deftly. But even with a skilled hand at the till, the story itself describes violence, sexual assault and rape, suicidal tendencies and other subject matter that some may find triggering or otherwise hard to read.

This raw and dark history, however, is the unfiltered story of Lang's life and the book would be hollow--even pointless--without it. Skipping over the darker chapters of his life to avoid making the reader uncomfortable would have meant missing huge chunks of author's experience. And without those dark but pivotal experiences, the rest of his story would seem outlandish or even fabricated. Additionally, Lang's almost spectacular triumph over those experiences are, in a literary sense, the necessary conclusion of an engaging narrative; a low arc needs to be succeeded by a high one.

Perhaps my favorite theme of the book is that change is ongoing. Lang speaks of multiple encounters with self-care methodology: 12-step programs, clinical therapy, cultural homeopathic practices and even an experience at the Burning Man festival. Nowhere in the text is it suggested that Lang has "arrived" at a permanent solution or that he expects others to do so. Unlike most western literature and the common redemption/happily-ever-after narrative, Lang's new reality requires constant self-reflection, ongoing effort and analysis, facing his problems and adapting to new challenges. There are moments of triumph and recognition of goals achieved, but Lang's biggest awakening seems to be that work remains to be done, and more specifically that there is joy and serenity in that awakening.

I was sorry to reach the end of Angel Blue. I wanted more of Lang's life today, more of him being able to enjoy the fruits of his labors. But after some reflection since completing the book, I've realized that resting on his laurels or languishing in them is hardly the point. I would--and will--recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with serious childhood trauma, substance abuse or any of the other themes it touches upon. The story itself is redeeming and fascinating, but the raised voice saying "yes, that happened to me, too" is equally powerful.

[Ray Rai · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the 1st line it grabs you like a face hugger from aliens. And it's a lot of darkness and beauty throughout. I haven't yet finished the book and will update my rating as I go.

Forrest, I admire your courage and honesty throughout this novel....I realized quickly that I knew a few of these people and damn what a small world. My wife is your friend and friends with Big Forrest. She's been crying throughout her own reading of this amazing story. I couldn't possibly have been sent a more touching book than this. I'm thankful that you wrote it. And I will be reading it a second, third,and fourth time as the opposite presents itself.