We hope you will find at least a book or two to read from these selections.
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Dave Pelzer. Deerfield Beach, Fla.: Health Communications.
1995. 184 pp.Book Review by Tracey
Reading Dave Pelzer's account of the very damaging childhood he endured causes the reader to experience a vast array of emotions, even if they cannot truly identify or have personal empathy for the autobiographer. Our culture has become quite shockproof, thanks to a media that brings us daily reports meant to be graphic and sensational in nature. We hardly pay attention anymore. Yet I found myself shocked. I sat down to read a few minutes worth, and got up two hours later, having read it to its finish. I caught myself shaking my head, not only at the evil machination of Mr. Pelzer's mother, but at the very real lethargy of almost everyone he knew in doing anything about his plight. I realized that I was squirming to relieve my discomfort as I read the straightforwardly descriptive accounts of specific abuses laid bare before me. Most of all, though, I rejoiced as time after time the little hero of this story overcame all reasonable odds and endured every torture of mind and body to live another day.
It is an amazing and miraculous twist of fate that this author is alive at all. The ravages of such a childhood, we are taught, more often than not create bitter, miserable manifestations of humanity who are unable to love or be loved. This author seems to have been able to transcend the horrendous trauma he grew up with by having a deeply seated sense of self, something we are told is eradicated in childhood by abuses much less invasive than that which he experienced. His story reminds me of accounts given by survivors of war camps or the horrors of the Holocaust.
I have not read Mr. Pelzer's sequels
to this series, but there are certainly many lessons to learn from the
first. They will be apparent to anyone who reads this autobiography.
My favorite lesson, though, is this: If Dave Pelzer could create
the person he is today out of the ashes of the childhood meted out so
cruelly to him, then anyone, anywhere, can accomplish anything.
Tracey.
A
Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive
Book Review by Jane
Dave Pelzer's story is one that we are not used to
hearing about. Obviously, Mr. Pelzer has dedicated his life to bringing
awareness to the problems facing children who are in similar situations.
He acknowledges, and so will the reader of this book, that it is a miracle
that he is alive. This child was a very courageous person who could
only do what he felt he could do to survive. The book leaves the
reader with many questions, possibly answered in the following books of
Mr. Pelzer's series. This book may very well change the reader's
understanding of child abuse and what actually is happening out there.
There is a section on Perspective on Child Abuse, where Dave Pelzer includes
writings from former teachers and workers who know and understand child
abuse. We are always hearing how terrible the system is when it
comes to helping children. But this book gives an example of when
the system worked, even though it sure would have been better if they
had caught on to the abuse sooner. Dave Pelzer acknowledges that the people
who intervened for him saved his life.
Dave Pelzer wrote two follow up books that I have read.
The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family
is about Dave's years in the foster care system. A
Man Named Dave: A Story of Triumph and Forgiveness
is about his adult struggles with the childhood he endured. I would
recommend reading them in order. He is quite a writer. Also, I found on
Amazon that he has been writing more books. I am ordering them and providing
a link for convenience.Jane.
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