AN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE RUNAWAY PHENOMENON IS PRESENTED DESCRIBING THE IMMIGRANT WAVE INTO AMERICA, THE DEPRESSION NOMADS IN THE EARLY 1900'S, AND THE COUNTERCULTURE WAVE DURING THE 1960'S. PERSONS WHO RUN AWAY FROM HOME ARE EXPRESSING INNER PAIN AND TURMOIL AND FEELINGS OF HOPELESSNESS AND POWERLESSNESS OVER AN UNDERSIRABLE SITUATION. THE OVERRIDING PATTERN THAT PRECEDES A RUNAWAY EPISODE IS BEHAVIORAL CHANGE, COMPLAINING, WITHDRAWAL FROM INTIMATES, AND SOME FORM OF RUNNING BEFORE DISAPPEARING, SUCH AS COMING HOME LATER THAN USUAL EVERY NIGHT. THIS BOOK EXAMINES ADOLESCENT, HUSBAND, WIFE, AND ELDERLY RUNAWAYS INDIVIDUALLY AND PRESENTS CASE HISTORIES TO ILLUSTRATE THE MOTIVATION OF RUNAWAYS FROM ALL AGE GROUPS AND BACKGROUNDS AS WELL AS THE WARNING SIGNALS OF FLIGHT, THE ACTUAL FLIGHT, STRATEGIES FOR SURVIVAL, AND VARIOUS WAYS THE RUNAWAY ANNOUNCES AN INTENTION TO RETURN HOME OR STAY AWAY PERMANENTLY. A SECTION COVERS THE REACTIONS OF THE PERSONS WHO ARE ABANDONED AND THEIR FEELINGS OF ANGER, FEAR, AND GRIEF, AND OFFERS ADVICE ON SUCH MATTERS AS HOW TO TELL THE CHILDREN THAT A PARENT HAS LEFT, HOW TO START LOOKING FOR THE RUNAWAY, WHEN TO CALL THE POLICE OR HIRE A PRIVATE DETECTIVE, AND WHETHER IT IS DESIRABLE TO ENLIST THE AID OF RELIGIOUS OR CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT OFFER HOUSING OR HAVE REFERRAL SERVICES FOR RUNAWAYS. A LIST OF SOME OF THESE AGENCIES AND THEIR TELEPHONE NUMBERS IS APPENDED. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DAG)