A Place Called Home

A Memoir

By: David Ambroz

Narrated by: David Ambroz

This memoir that "will take your breath away" chronicles a harrowing journey through homelessness and poverty in New York City, followed by a turbulent experience in foster care (Jeanette Walls, New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle).

This powerful memoir exposes the harsh realities faced by countless children living in poverty and highlights Ambroz's extraordinary resilience and transformation. As young children, David and his siblings should have been focused on school, but instead they wandered the streets searching for shelter, food, and warmth while their mother struggled with mental illness. When David is placed into foster care, he initially sees it as a beacon of hope, only to find that it brings its own set of dangers. Shuffled between abusive homes and enduring the cruelty of those who rejected him for his emerging sexuality, David's experience paints a stark picture of systemic failure. Amid the turmoil, David found refuge and hope in libraries, schools, and the kindness of a few compassionate adults. His unyielding determination and resilience earned him a scholarship to Vassar College, marking the beginning of his escape from poverty. He later graduated from UCLA Law with a mission to reform laws impacting children in poverty.

A Place Called Home is a poignant journey from despair to hope. It is both a gripping personal story and a compelling call to action, urging readers to move beyond sympathy and advocate for meaningful change.

Critic reviews

"Riveting. . . A haunting, inspiring chronicle of fortitude and perseverance."

—Kirkus, Starred Review

“[A] captivating debut…Galvanizing and compassionate, this personal account of survival should be required reading.”—Publishers Weekly

“A Place Called Home will take your breath away. It’s a must read for anyone who’s looked at a raggedy street family and asked, ‘Who are those people?’ It’s also for everyone who cares about “Those People.” You will fall in love with David Ambroz, his beautifully-told, gut-wrenching story, and his great big heart.”—Jeannette Walls, New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle

“A Place Called Home asks us to reflect-on the family we come from and the family we find, the extraordinary courage of a child and the responsibility we all have to make the world safer for those who enter our world unprotected. In a society far too often consumed by division and dissonance, Ambroz writes to us at just the right time, lighting the way for a better world by asking us to give every child a chance.”—Steve Pemberton, author of A Chance in the World

“I love a true story where the downtrodden triumph over hardship—and A Place Called Home delivers. David Ambroz, through grit, courage, and integrity, overcomes obstacles beyond my imagination. I found myself cheering for him and the siblings he steadfastly protects, wondering how they were going to survive. David does more than that—he thrives—and then he pays it forward. A Place Called Home is an awe-inspiring story that will lift your spirits and soften even the hardest heart. It’s a beautifully told, captivating memoir.”—David Crow, author of The Pale-Faced Lie

"A story destined to end in tragedy that magically rewards an indomitable determination to succeed. Beautifully written."
—Ted Koppel, veteran ABC anchor and New York Times bestselling author of Lights Out

"A heartbreaking, gritty, and inspiring personal testament to the burden that is placed on a child in poverty. David’s elegantly written memoir is an ode to the millions of families who are struggling to survive and provides the immense hope that is needed to.”
—Keith Ferrazzi, New York Times bestselling author of Competing in the New World of Work

“In A Place Called Home, Ambroz shares his personal journey out of a childhood marked by poverty, homelessness, and years in foster care – a story of courage, tenacity, and the power of education to transform lives.”
—Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy

important, imersive, incredible

Thank you for sharing your story. You motivate me to try harder for my patients and community. I feel so deeply for the little Hugh. I pray for peace in your soul. I am so proud of what you've become. Thank you for sharing your hope.

To Thrive Despite Adversity

One of the most powerful books I have ever read, this memoir offers an emotional insight into poverty so powerfully that you may have to pause reading it (or listening to it) to fully grasp the depth of feelings and physical pain experienced by the author. Ambroz's desire to get out of poverty gives him a will and a determination very rarely seen, especially when one realizes he could have used anything in his life to justify giving up at an early age. It brings me joy to know he is working to make the foster system a better one so that foster kids can have the brilliant future all of us deserve.

Excellent read

Liked character development, how well it was written and told. Really opened my eyes to issues of foster homes told by someone who experienced it.

This book leaves a lasting impression

It’s impossible to not be impacted by this heart wrenching story. I’m inspired by David and I’ll find ways to support foster services and LGTBQ+ youth impacted by homelessness. Thank you David for helping to open my eyes to this issue.

As a prospective foster parent

This book was recommended to me as a part of our journey towards becoming foster parents. They wanted to help us understand what some of the kids we might have in our homes are going through. I cried often, but I'm glad to have read it.