A Place for Us

A Memoir

By: Brandon J. Wolf

Narrated by: Brandon J. Wolf

2024 Audie Award Finalist for Best Autobiography/Memoir Audiobook

2023 SOVAS Award Finalist for Audiobook Narration—Author Performance—Best Voiceover

From one of the most vital and passionate LGBTQ+ activists comes a powerful memoir about self-discovery, community, love, and resilience in the face of adversity.

You never forget your first. First kiss. First love. First heartache. They all burrow their way into your subconscious, destined to reshape how you see the world forever.

Growing up in rural Oregon, Brandon Wolf grappled with the devastating loss of his supportive mother and with the embedded racism and homophobia of a community that made him feel like an unwelcome stranger. After the lack of connection and role models led him down a spiral of risky behavior, Wolf escaped to survive. In Orlando, he found what he’d been searching for: belonging—in a community that was a safe space with people he’d come to call his chosen family. They taught Wolf how to love, and be loved, unconditionally. Then, on June 12, 2016, in an exhilarating refuge where Wolf and hundreds of others had discovered a liberating new normal, they were suddenly challenged with fighting for a way out—in order to survive. Overnight, everything was ripped away by chaos, panic, and fear. But the unimaginable tragedy also gave Wolf a new power: purpose.

In this unforgettable coming-of-age memoir, Wolf shares his transformative journey from young outsider to galvanizing activist. Marshaling the compassion and strength of a community, Wolf explores how to get through the darkest times with healing, hope, and resistance. “With our backs against the wall,” he writes, “we find a way out together.”

©2023 Brandon J. Wolf (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“LGBTQ+ activist Brandon J. Wolf narrates his heartbreaking yet hopeful memoir with graceful clarity and much tenderness. He recounts his childhood in rural Oregon, where he was the only Black person in his family, and his eventual move to Orlando, Florida, where he found a life-saving queer community. He goes into detail about the night of the Pulse club shooting, the overwhelming grief of losing his best friend, and the trauma of surviving something so horrific. His narration is emotional and raw—this is not an easy book to listen to. But what comes through most powerfully as he's describing those he lost and the work he does today is love. Though devastating, this is a love letter to queer family and queer friendships. A moving, impactful listen.”—AudioFile Magazine

“Wolf narrates his memoir with a level of raw sincerity that captivates.… An honest, profound memoir that speaks to the struggle of belonging and the power of finding community.”—Library Journal

“[A] blazing debut. In stirring prose, Wolf mounts a testament to the power of community and a howling cry for justice. This is unforgettable.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

This story is a gift of enlightenment

I thank the author Brandon for sharing his true self and experience. So much of his struggle was familiar and some not as much due to everyone’s life being a different set of experiences. but was expressed in such a way as to enlighten. This story inspires me to be more quiet so as to listen and see other people with eyes of openness and just basic love in my heart. This book is a treasure I won’t forget.

Heartbreaking and hopeful

Brandon you are so brave, I do hope, by now you continue your journey.
It has been a book full of love, sorrow, hope and bravery.

Excellent

This memoir was well written and very touching. Thank you writing this book and sharing yourself with all of us readers.

Words are not adequate

Thank you Brandon for sharing your story and your journey! I laughed and I cried I felt pain and in the end I felt hope.

Unflinchingly honest; Beautifully read.

I spent the weekend listening to the audio version of Brandon J Wolf's debut book A Place For Us.

Written with unflinching honesty and a profound sense of vulnerability, this book is a timely and hope-filled testament to resilience and the healing power of forging a community that embraces your authentic self.

It is an incredibly moving memoir that traces Brandon's life as a journey through the intersections of racism, anti-LGBTQ hatred, and the steadily increasing presence of gun violence.

I’ve read the book too but hearing the stories told in Brandon's own voice strikes an even deeper chord.

This is the book I would have wanted in my high school library. This is the book I would have read to know I wasn’t alone or “lost in the crease” of identities at war with each other.
It is the kind of book the fools in charge in Florida would rush to ban. That may be the best endorsement of all.

So good!

I could not put this down. It was so inspiring to hear the story and the resilience of the author!

From Struggling to Super Hero...a story of courage

A young man's struggle at the intersections of identity, escaping from Oregon to Orlando in search of a safe space to live authentically. Brandon Joseph bravely battles the bigotry of white supremacists in high school when no adult would. Somehow he summons the strength to rise above the loss of his mother, rape, and the Windermere Police. Finally finding friendship but then losing those loved ones at the largest LGBTQIA mass shooting in history. Brandon tackles his trauma with action. Confronting his fears of inadequacy, he finds his voice as an introvert. I couldn't stop listening to his courageous story, a Super Hero, outliving fatal hate, finding power in purpose. Brandon invites us to lean in to the best of us, finding safe harbor in community.

A must read!

I started this book and couldn’t put it down. Brandon’s story is both devastating and uplifting. I am proud to say I know this author and honored to be given the opportunity to share his life in this way. Thank you Brandon for sharing your life in such and intimate and beautifully written way!

Reflection

Great story about love, forgiveness of oneself, and acceptance of oneself. Well written and thanks for making me think.

Gut wrenching and inspiring

The author’s descriptions of events and his emotions affected me at the visceral level. His ability to express his experiences and feelings were gut wrenching,. His movement forward after unspeakable tragedy was inspiring