Ángel Custodio, a 44-year-old man who does not see himself as a writer, has penned and self-published a book titled Salir de la Calle. The book details his eight-month experience of living on the streets of Madrid. Custodio, who was a successful builder and former director of a large Spanish publishing house until a year ago, says he wrote the book as a form of therapy. Despite his current €600,000 debt with Spain’s tax authorities, Custodio remains optimistic and open about his situation. He currently makes a living by selling his books on the street, having sold 600 copies in a month and a half. He was recently invited to a Christmas charity fair in Marbella, where he signed copies of his book and pledged to donate 10% of his profits to the organizing charity, Cáritas.
Custodio’s decision to share his story was influenced by the curiosity of people he met on the street. He began taking notes of his experiences and the stories shared by those who offered him help. Despite his lack of formal writing training, he managed to compile these notes into a book. Prior to his own experience, Custodio admits he never paid much attention to homeless people, but his perspective has since changed.
Before becoming homeless, Custodio was a successful businessman with a construction company. However, a failed development project and the subsequent rise in material costs due to the war in Ukraine led to his financial downfall. He now lives in a storage room in Madrid and spends his days selling his book in a local square.
Custodio’s book has been well-received, with many people buying it out of empathy and a desire to help. He initially produced the book by making photocopies and creating cardboard covers himself. The book has since reached readers as far as Illinois and Brooklyn.
Despite his current situation, Custodio remains hopeful about his future. He believes that if his book continues to sell, he may be able to pay off his debts. He also dreams of setting up an association to help other homeless people, using his own experiences to guide his efforts.
