Thirty-Seven-Year Abduction: Memoir of a Gay Mississippi Author Finding Himself Again

“As a victim of childhood sexual abuse and someone who has mentored other abuse victims as they struggled to write their painful memoirs, I thought I'd heard it all. I believed that nothing else could shock me. Then I read Thirty-Seven-Year Abduction. If Sergent had written a horror novel, he couldn't have horrified and saddened me more than this, his memoir of child and adult abuse. I'm not talking about what we usually think of as rape or sexual molestation. Milan's rape was the long-term violation of a human being, his essence, and his right to be who he was born to be; a gay man. His 37 years of rape began as a result of what, for me, are the archaic religious beliefs of his parents. They continued when a desperate Milan tried to redeem himself in his and everyone else's eyes through a regular male-to-female marriage and by joining a Pentecostal church. Thirty-Seven-Year Abduction rivals the best impossible-to-put-down books I have ever read. Milan Sergent has a superb command of language and beautiful control of his pacing and characterization. How he absorbs us into his emotions and makes us feel his deep, ongoing pain is powerful .... My final thoughts on this poignant, gut-wrenching memoir are that I will never forget it. Read it!"
Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite
Country: United StatesLanguage: EnglishGenre:LGBTQ MemoirReleased: June 15, 2023Media type: Print and E-bookPages: 284
Thirty-Seven-Year Abduction: Memoir of a Gay Mississippi Author Finding Himself Again by Multi-Award-Winning Milan Sergent. Thirty-Seven-Year Abduction: Memoir of a Gay Mississippi Author Finding Himself Again is the 2023 recipient of the Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist.
After years of hellacious attempted gay conversion therapy, including his Evangelical parents snatching him out of school mere months before graduating and fleeing the Deep South to isolate him in the mountain wilderness, Author Milan Sergent finally finds strength and the path out of the soul-killing closet into which others had trapped him. Instead of living in a hole in the ground until he died, as his family felt God had led them to do, Sergent is on the climb and speaking out, hoping other marginalized people don't lose nearly four decades of their lives as he has. Come along with the author, who has recently received multiple international book awards, as he shows the world how it all happened and how easy it is for your whole life to turn upside down.

Book Reviews

  • ★★★★★
    "This heartfelt memoir explores the author's journey to face many tragedies and difficulties, particularly in escaping the horrors of gay conversion therapy.... Milan Sergent highlights critical issues in this raw, unapologetic memoir. Books like this remind us of the massive uphill climb for full LGBTQ+ rights, visibility, and fair treatment across every country. I was very impressed with the author's candor and narrative style. It pulls no punches in explaining the full range of horrors that gay conversion therapy inflicts upon young minds when they're just trying to be themselves, be happy, and be loved. The narrative felt like a dear friend pouring their heart out, and I felt for Sergent and his journey to freedom and self-love. Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend Thirty-Seven-Year Abduction to anyone who enjoys accomplished and heartfelt memoirs and anyone looking to broaden their horizons about LGBTQ+ rights and social issues surrounding the topic."
    K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
    ★★★★★
    "It was difficult to read about all the tactics parents and others used to scare their children and teens away from homosexuality. The cruelty of certain situations and experiences will move readers to tears. Thirty-Seven-Year Abduction is a good selection for LGBTQ+ teens and adults as it may help them feel more confident about revealing their true selves."
    Courtnee Turner Hoyle for Readers' Favorite
    ★★★★★
    "In an attempt to stop his son from being gay, Sergent's father drove the family from one end of the country to the other in search of a place to isolate his son from everyone and everything.... The truth about hidden love and life is heartbreaking as Sergent recounts the mental, physical, psychological, and emotional abuse he suffered at the hands of those who were supposed to love and protect him unconditionally. I applaud the author's bravery and convictions and how he searched for ways to flourish in the face of so much controversy about his sexuality."
    Amy Raines for Readers' Favorite
  • ★★★★★
    "A harrowing story; real-life ones always are, especially when you've been through everything he has. Now a critically acclaimed author, this is his story, no-holds-barred, and it makes for a tough read, understanding how one person has gone from nothing to everything through sheer determination. It is gritty and will bring tears to your eyes at some point ... I take my hat off to Sergent for sharing his life with us."
    Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite
    ★★★★★
    “As a victim of childhood sexual abuse and someone who has mentored other abuse victims as they struggled to write their painful memoirs, I thought I'd heard it all. I believed that nothing else could shock me. Then I read Thirty-Seven-Year Abduction. If Sergent had written a horror novel, he couldn't have horrified and saddened me more than this, his memoir of child and adult abuse. I'm not talking about what we usually think of as rape or sexual molestation. Milan's rape was the long-term violation of a human being, his essence, and his right to be who he was born to be; a gay man. His 37 years of rape began as a result of what, for me, are the archaic religious beliefs of his parents. They continued when a desperate Milan tried to redeem himself in his and everyone else's eyes through a regular male-to-female marriage and by joining a Pentecostal church. Thirty-Seven-Year Abduction rivals the best impossible-to-put-down books I have ever read. Milan Sergent has a superb command of language and beautiful control of his pacing and characterization. How he absorbs us into his emotions and makes us feel his deep, ongoing pain is powerful .... My final thoughts on this poignant, gut-wrenching memoir are that I will never forget it. Read it!"
    Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

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