Seeking Shelter

”[A] moving, real-life saga … the narrative unfolds with gripping immediacy… . Though Evelyn is undeniably a victim of corrupt systems, she possesses a resilience that makes her story nothing short of heroic.” –The New Yorker“Hobbs’ gripping and deeply empathetic narrative nonfiction, Seeking Shelter, follows Evelyn and [her six] children as they sink into homelessness–often sleeping packed into their aging SUV–and then gradually resurface… . Evelyn’s story explores those issues in intimate and unflinching detail.” –LA Daily News“Hobbs respectfully illustrates the desperation of America’s housing crisis through the lens of one woman trying to do her best for her family.” –Washington Post“Seeking Shelter is remarkably vivid and detailed, as well as deeply empathetic… . [Hobbs] doesn’t just recount events; he confidently probes his characters’ psyches, parsing their motivations and emotions… . Hobbs’ great gift lies in immersing readers in his narrative, keeping us rooting for his subjects despite their missteps.” –Los Angeles Times“A mom struggles to keep a roof over her family’s head in this poignant saga… . It’s an eye-opening look at how the housing crisis extends far beyond what’s visible on the streets.” –Publishers Weekly (starred review)“An account of homelessness and precarity as seen through the eyes of a woman and her family… . [A] work of advocacy journalism that points to the endless obstacles attendant in helping those in need.” –Kirkus Reviews“This modern-day horror story is a heartbreaking account of an unhoused family attempting to navigate American municipal, employment, and education systems… . [A] compelling read with richly drawn characters … this is both an indictment of overwhelmed social services and a quietly optimistic celebration of resilience.” –Booklist“This book is a remarkable and urgent call for empathy in an increasingly divided and unjust country. With deep reporting and novelistic writing, Jeff Hobbs made me both understand and feel America’s homelessness crisis like never before. I’ll be thinking about Evelyn and Orlando for a very long time.” –Eli Saslow, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Rising Out of Hatred“A gut-wrenching page turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat, praying for the survival of a singular family–and the millions of Americans like them. In Seeking Shelter, Jeff Hobbs exposes the scourge of homelessness that’s tearing apart working families. This book is a new classic that’s perfect for fans of Random Family.” –Emi Nietfeld, author of Acceptance: A Memoir

Jeff Hobbs is the New York Times bestselling author of The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, which won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, was a finalist for the Pen/Faulkner Award in Biography, was a finalist for the Carnegie Medal in nonfiction, and was made into the 2024 film Rob Peace. He is also the author of Show Them You’re Good and Children of the State. He lives in Los Angeles with his family.