Dave Pelzer was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother, a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games. Games that left one of her three sons nearly dead. She considered Dave a slave; no longer a boy, but an "it". His bed was an old army cot in the basement, his clothes were torn and smelly, and when he was allowed the luxury of food it was scraps from the dogs bowl. The outside world knew nothing of the nightmare played out behind closed doors. But throughout Dave kept alive dreams of ...
Read More
Dave Pelzer was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother, a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games. Games that left one of her three sons nearly dead. She considered Dave a slave; no longer a boy, but an "it". His bed was an old army cot in the basement, his clothes were torn and smelly, and when he was allowed the luxury of food it was scraps from the dogs bowl. The outside world knew nothing of the nightmare played out behind closed doors. But throughout Dave kept alive dreams of finding a family to love him. This work covers the early years of his life and the horrors of child abuse as well as acting as testament to the steadfast determination of one child to survive.
Read Less
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Dave Pelzer, who lived with his unstable, disturbed, alcoholic mother in a town in California during the early 70's, explains his story about his torturous unforgettable years as a young boy. Throughout the story, he does his best to survive from his mother and tries to stay alive from the pain of hunger, bruises and cuts he receives. The only thing that keeps him alive are his dreams, wanting a happy and safe family, and also being someone.
It's terrifying to think after reading this that, this really had happened to someone, it isn't fake. This made me say to myself, "wow, life can be so messed up, but you can survive even the most horrible things, as long as you follow your dream, and keep it with you as close as possible." I believe this is the message, Dave Pelzer is trying to reach out, not only to the people who get abused consistently, but also to those who suffer a great deal of pain from something terrible everyday. Once you have read the last word of the story, and closed the book, you will definitely know that this book has just changed your life.
Peterh
Feb 6, 2016
Great Reading
This is one book that I wasn't able to put down until I finished it. The author painted a picture of how a child was able to over come severe abuse too become a great father and hard worker for the ones who cannot fight for themselves. I only wish there was someone like Dave around when I was I child going through an abusive home life.
Katie
Jul 26, 2012
This books affirms my choice of making social work my career path. It is a very sad story, but since it is an autobiography, you know he made it out ok in the end.
kcsummer
Jan 24, 2010
A Book You'd Like to Not Believe is True
You'd most likely be like me and wish that what you were reading isn't true. For a while, in fact, it felt "over the top" and too horrible to be true but if you open your mind to the author's words you will see and know and feel that it can be true all too often and is no doubt accurate with some variations to particulars in the lives of other victims.
It is a heartbreaking book, a book that begins in such a positive frame of mind describing an idyllic childhood with happy memories. But those happy memories only seem to increase the pain of what his home life turned into, having gone so almost seamlessly from heaven to hell.
It gives good insight into the failures of "the system". In the end the system redeems him and gives him a hope for a better life but all that is discussed in the author's continuing saga of his incredible life.
A very good book to read to become aware of the the way familys fall apart, how they interact and how they can turn on one another.
I recommend highly. It is easy to read in that it can be read quickly but hard to read in its tragedy.
We need to see beyond the surface of what appears to be going on down to the level where we can see reality which isn't always pretty.
Childoftheking
Jun 11, 2009
execlant
Oce I picked this book up I couldn't put it down until I finished it. I am a very slow reader and read this book in two days. That is a record for me.
