Where did you study? Oh my goodness I have my ECE, we never ever studied content of the like. I don’t doubt you but wowza! As a foster parent we read, study and hear from survivors of extreme abuse and neglect but in ECE. ?
My cousin died from child abuse. We had to read this book when I was a freshman and I had to be excused for obvious reasons. But I told myself one day i would read it. It took me a year and emotionally it destroyed me. But I’m glad I did it. The person Dave is today is amazing.
I read it when I was in middle school and it still breaks my heart to this day think about it. It’s a great book and I love that he was strong enough to share his story.
I completely forgot about this book! I read it a long time ago around when it first came out and it was sickening and heartbreaking… I couldn’t imagine reading it now as a mom
Yesss Then I got obsessed and started watching his interviews And how people said it was fake And how his brother wrote another book about their life I was soooo mad because he was so strong
I would have said fuck my mom waaaay long ago
It never said why mom was like that tho…. did you figure that part out? And why didn’t dad do anything?
I never read the books can’t bare it but I saw in an interview that she had a mental disorder and anger issues. As a mother I can’t imagine how someone can treat their child like that!
His brother wrote a book as well his name is Richard B pelzer and when Dave left the mom started to slowly do the same to his brother not even close to the same extent but she still abused Richard
I believe it . I have no reason not to the media is going to twist everything they released and interviews they do , I think he wrote a book for money but I don’t think he lied about what happened
It says in the first book or 2nd book why his dad left , his dad tried to stop his mom but he didn’t want to put up with her backlash she would give him back for not letting her punish David , the dad also started drinking and the dad eventually moved out and never came back when his dad was around the mother wasn’t as harsh to him but in the book he left and didn’t have that little bit of protection left . I think the mom drank alot and had mental issues, if you a man named Dave I think it goes into more detail there’s 4 books pelzer wrote 1-child called it 2- the lost boy the 3rd book I can’t remember the exact name but it’s during his teenage years and then 4th is called a man named Dave I never finished the 3rd and 4th I only read part of it back when I was 15 or 16 I wasn’t into reading as much back then as I am now
His brother also wrote a book Richard B pelzer and it shows the story from a different view of what he saw his mother do to his brother , I if I remember correctly their mother also abused Richard not nearly as bad as she did to the first son but she still abused Richard when he was taken away by CPS
One of the best books to read. I read the entire series. It makes you put your life mistakes and all and shines a new light on things you thought you couldn’t deal with or you couldn’t handle. If that kid could handle all that evil woman did to him and still rise above it shows you can be stronger than you thought too. I read it as a teenager and again as an adult but when your a teen who thinks their life sucks it really puts things into perspective
My wife read it, said it was very sad, but as a survivor of what doctors call severe mental, physical and emotional abuse as a child, it’s the sort of place I don’t fancy revisiting.
I read it not long after I put myself into care for being abused, so I found it relatable. It was a tough read though still, the saddest part looking back is that it made me feel ‘lucky’ by comparison. Just awful.
Because sometimes it helps to put your life into perspective. Helps to build compassion, understanding and empathy. There are a lot of abused children in the world and their stories need to be told. For them, to release the pain and guilt and have their feelings validated and for the reader to develop a greater understanding of what happens when a child is abused and what we can do to stop it.
It was hard for me to read I thought it would help me being that I was physically and emotionally abused as a child but instead it brought up so many memories I went into a bit of a funk for days and days after that was hard to get out of
I did back in high school. My family hosted Dave when he came to our school to give a talk on the book. He is truly an amazing guy. I have since read the other two he wrote.
That’s a rough one.. but it really opens your eyes to the fact that things like that are happening in the world! Children are treated like that everyday, if not worse!! We have to stand up for those children that don’t have a voice of their own and find ways to give every child a life they deserve. It’s sad that not every child is given the same destiny, they didn’t choose to be here.. but some have it much much worse than others.
I read the series a couple of years back. It made me furious as well. So sad he went through that life. Can’t believe people can do that to children especially their own.
I have.
Did it make you mad?
@Angie yes…and sad. I can’t believe there are parents that evil, but there are.
@Robin I think about this book every so often and get mad all over again. And I know it’s happening somewhere right now
@Angie it mad me mad but it also opened up the water works…. ??
@Chrissy that horrid woman!
@Angie I know!! Pure evil ?
@Chrissy love you girl!
@Angie love ya back!!
Nearly made me sick.
Yes. It made me angry and just about broke me. It kept me up at night just trying to comprehend what I just read.
We had to read it in my early childhood education class. It’s awful and sad. But there are two other books that follow it I believe
Where did you study? Oh my goodness I have my ECE, we never ever studied content of the like. I don’t doubt you but wowza! As a foster parent we read, study and hear from survivors of extreme abuse and neglect but in ECE. ?
I am pretty sure my mom had to read it as part of her ECE or a refresher to her ECE.
My teacher wanted us to read it because a lot of us had never seen cases like that
The only book to ever make me ugly cry ?
Yes there is. “The Lost Boy” and “A Man Named Dave”
I have. I really shouldn’t read books like this
I cried but my most prominent emotion was anger. I could have gladly beat that woman to death.
Me too – with a nail studded bat. ?
My cousin died from child abuse. We had to read this book when I was a freshman and I had to be excused for obvious reasons. But I told myself one day i would read it. It took me a year and emotionally it destroyed me. But I’m glad I did it. The person Dave is today is amazing.
I read it when I was in middle school and it still breaks my heart to this day think about it. It’s a great book and I love that he was strong enough to share his story.
I haven’t been able to make myself read this.. I had it in my hands at the opshop recently and put it back
It’s a worthy read but be prepared for all of the emotional wreckage
Yes, read it… made me sad and sick. Hugged my kids a lot… ALL of them.
I did too. I can’t imagine anyone ever being able to do something like this
Me neither! My babies are my heart.
Read it a long time ago – it broke my heart – was raging and crying through it. ??
I completely forgot about this book! I read it a long time ago around when it first came out and it was sickening and heartbreaking… I couldn’t imagine reading it now as a mom
Same ?
I don’t think I could get through it now that I have kids.
It’s been at least a decade since I read that book and there are things in there I won’t ever forget.
Yes, tough one
I read it years go. Makes you wonder at humanity
Yes!!! It was good and so sad. If you read it make sure you read A Man Named Dave.
Sad
Yesss
Then I got obsessed and started watching his interviews
And how people said it was fake
And how his brother wrote another book about their life
I was soooo mad because he was so strong
I would have said fuck my mom waaaay long ago
It never said why mom was like that tho…. did you figure that part out? And why didn’t dad do anything?
What was the brothers book? I didn’t know about it.
@Angie oh I forgot
Look on Wikipedia David pezler
Then they tried to say it was for money and such
But honestly it was like mommy dearest but worst
@Marie OK. Thanks.
I never read the books can’t bare it but I saw in an interview that she had a mental disorder and anger issues. As a mother I can’t imagine how someone can treat their child like that!
@Jennifer well why did she only treat him like that she didn’t do the brother like that or the baby
@Marie I’m not sure. She was a horrible woman!
His brother wrote a book as well his name is Richard B pelzer and when Dave left the mom started to slowly do the same to his brother not even close to the same extent but she still abused Richard
@Dannielle did you believe it tho? I read that a lot of people said he did that for money and it wasn’t true
I believe it . I have no reason not to the media is going to twist everything they released and interviews they do , I think he wrote a book for money but I don’t think he lied about what happened
@Marie That is not uncommon in severe child abuse cases.
I believe mom was an alcoholic
Mess Wickware it is very common for an abusive parent to only abuse one child.
Yes it was horrible he didn’t deserve the way he was treated
I read it. It was so horrendous what the child went through.
Yes I read all 3 book I read the first 2 twice it was sad it made me angry I cried alot when I read it , his story is so horrific but he survived it
Did you ever get an understanding
Why she did it not to him and why the dad didn’t do anything
@Marie she was
Pregnant and lost the baby… she went into a rage… and saw him as a target
It says in the first book or 2nd book why his dad left , his dad tried to stop his mom but he didn’t want to put up with her backlash she would give him back for not letting her punish David , the dad also started drinking and the dad eventually moved out and never came back when his dad was around the mother wasn’t as harsh to him but in the book he left and didn’t have that little bit of protection left . I think the mom drank alot and had mental issues, if you a man named Dave I think it goes into more detail there’s 4 books pelzer wrote 1-child called it 2- the lost boy the 3rd book I can’t remember the exact name but it’s during his teenage years and then 4th is called a man named Dave I never finished the 3rd and 4th I only read part of it back when I was 15 or 16 I wasn’t into reading as much back then as I am now
I have it on my TBR list.
His brother also wrote a book Richard B pelzer and it shows the story from a different view of what he saw his mother do to his brother , I if I remember correctly their mother also abused Richard not nearly as bad as she did to the first son but she still abused Richard when he was taken away by CPS
Correct
At first, Richard was the narc. The one the mom favored…until then.
That book was soul crushing. I’ve never cried so hard.
?
What?
I have read all 3 of his books.
Love it but it’s so saf
Read everyone so so sad but loved it
It’s been recommended to me many times but I just can’t.
Read it
Cried from the 2nd page till the end.
I have, it made me so angry. I’m not brave enough to read it again now I’m a mother.
Yes.
Read the next 2 and “A Brother’s Journey”
One of the best books to read. I read the entire series. It makes you put your life mistakes and all and shines a new light on things you thought you couldn’t deal with or you couldn’t handle. If that kid could handle all that evil woman did to him and still rise above it shows you can be stronger than you thought too. I read it as a teenager and again as an adult but when your a teen who thinks their life sucks it really puts things into perspective
I read it in middle school. It still breaks my heart and makes me sick.
I lent it to parents of students who suffered abuse or were so priviledged. Worked both ways. Often, parents reread it with kids and talked about it.
Yes a long time ago such a sad book
Yep
It’s a hard read but a great book
Many years ago. At times it was hard to read but I finished all of them. Cried buckets.
Yes read most after that one as well. Such a sick person
Really sad really powerful
Yeah it’s so sad
Yes tears its 3 books
yes, it was horrendous (the things that happened, not the book itself)
I read it many years ago. It’s harrowing especially as you know this is still going on unseen around the world.
Yes hard to read.
Yes, I want the next two
I did. Heartbreaking.
Same here. Read it a while ago
Im exactly the same can’t read them.
It’s a tough book to read nobody should have to go through that unfortunately people still do
Yes.. and yes… heart breaking
Yes many years ago
Yes I’ve read them all.
Yep. You should read the rest of the books in the series. The last one is uplifting tho
I had no idea there were more books.
@Lena yea they are A Child Called It, The Lost Boy & A Man Named Dave
@Lauren I will find them and read them. Thanks. ?
Loved all the books
I read it, as a foster parent we read a lot of these stories of abuse and had many authors/survivors come to the annual foster parent retreat.
Bless you. Foster parents are the greatest. What a gift you give to those children.
It is so heartbreaking, made me cry. What a man.
Yes and I cringed!
Years ago. It was the first time I used amazon next day delivery as I couldn’t wait to read the next book. Harrowing story.
I’ve read them all. So disturbing.
Made me physically sick. Awful read
Read it a while ago but as you say it pulls on your emotions. Hate that poor young kids still go through this and purple still turn a blind eye ?
It was VERY difficult to read. I cried for days.
Yes read all three I was nearly in tears when I finisher the first
Sorry I read it…really disturbing
My wife read it, said it was very sad, but as a survivor of what doctors call severe mental, physical and emotional abuse as a child, it’s the sort of place I don’t fancy revisiting.
Yes I wanted to harm his mother after I read it. What I don’t understand is why didn’t somebody do something sooner?
I’m reading it now!!!! I have his whole series in one book, so I actually just started “A man named Dave” that talks about his adult life.
Yes I have read all three books ? so sad ?
Yes. It was so difficult that I cannot read the other books. Heart wrenching.
I read it not long after I put myself into care for being abused, so I found it relatable. It was a tough read though still, the saddest part looking back is that it made me feel ‘lucky’ by comparison. Just awful.
Read it awhile ago. It made me angry also
Yup. Appalled. Horrified. Glad he turned out so well.
Horrible what happened to that guy
Abused badly
I can’t read stuff like this. It makes me feel too bad. I get enough of that seeing stray animals on the road every day.
There’s a second book too called “The Lost Boy” if you haven’t already read that one.
I don’t understand why anyone reads these misery memoirs at all?
Because sometimes it helps to put your life into perspective. Helps to build compassion, understanding and empathy. There are a lot of abused children in the world and their stories need to be told. For them, to release the pain and guilt and have their feelings validated and for the reader to develop a greater understanding of what happens when a child is abused and what we can do to stop it.
@Heather I absolutely agree. I was telling my son the same thing this morning.
Me either!
There’s a third one too, A Man called Dave.
I’ve read the second, but not the third. It’s been so many years now, I think I would have to go back to the start.. not sure I could read them again
I used to read this genre a lot as it resonated with me. The 3rd book is how he put it behind him and became stronger for it, so a positive book.
thank you.. I’ll look out for it
It was very distressing to read, so heartbreaking what he went through. She was pure evil, the things she did to him x
Yes..good, but upsetting
I did and the next one in the series also. They were very good. Cried a lot!
I read the series many years ago. Heart wrenching…
I read it a few years ago.. heartbreaking
I couldn’t
Yes. They made me cry. All of them.
Yes and all his other books!
Can’t bring myself to do it.
It was hard for me to read I thought it would help me being that I was physically and emotionally abused as a child but instead it brought up so many memories I went into a bit of a funk for days and days after that was hard to get out of
It’s heartbreaking. Please read them all though. His journey is quite incredible. He’s an amazing man and father.
I read both of the books. It is a hard read, but it was really good.
There is a third book, haven’t read it though.
I have, and it made me sick to think of the abuse the author underwent.
yes years ago
I read it a long time ago I actually read all three of them
I did & refuse to read ANY book similar… No fekn chance..
Ditto
Yes, read it and it stirred a lot of emotions. True story.
I read the whole series years ago….it was harrowing.
Try reading books written by Cathy Glass
Is Cathy glass depressing? I can’t handle depressing books when children are involved.
@Jennifer yeah I don’t think you should read her books, search it up, the titles alone is a sadness
thanks, there’s others…big shelf
I read it in High School. It was a difficult read
Try Torey Haydon books
I refuse to read it.
I hear it’s hard to read because of the subject matter.
I did back in high school. My family hosted Dave when he came to our school to give a talk on the book. He is truly an amazing guy. I have since read the other two he wrote.
Wow!! That’s cool!
I read the whole series. He turned out well to experienced all he did! I still get angry when I think about his horrible mother!
I think I cried through that whole book 🙁
Oh my gosh..I cried and I mean big snot bubble cry. Gosh my heart hurt so bad.
I read it. It is one of those too sad to read again books.
That’s a rough one.. but it really opens your eyes to the fact that things like that are happening in the world! Children are treated like that everyday, if not worse!! We have to stand up for those children that don’t have a voice of their own and find ways to give every child a life they deserve. It’s sad that not every child is given the same destiny, they didn’t choose to be here.. but some have it much much worse than others.
I read all three in the series. It’s unbelievable both parents got away with it. The mother needed locking up & so did the father for not stepping in
Was it good?
I read it in high school. It made me cry a lot.
I read the series a couple of years back. It made me furious as well. So sad he went through that life. Can’t believe people can do that to children especially their own.
Yes
Yes but he is doing fine he has three more books out to continue his story
Loved that book you need to read the whole series. Amazing