I have chosen to print the blurb that appears on the book because i have found it hard to put how i have felt reading this astonding pirece of Litreture in to words.

~As a child Dave Pelzer was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother, a mother who played tortuous, upredictable games that left one of her sons nearly dead. She no longer considered him a son, but a slave; no longer a boy, but an 'it'. His bed was an army cot in the baement, 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.~

This is the first book in the series of Dave Pelzer's life. The book pulled me in from the first words. Dave Pelzer is not only an extraodinary writer but an exraordinary man with the courage to survie this horrible and unbelievable torment.

I have added this book to a bookring, if you would like to be included in this list please PM me before 4th May 2003. This also includes the other two books

For more info please see Book Wish List "Bookring - Dave Pelzer"

this book has started on it's journey. I have sent this to Jodie-jo-jo on the 05/05/03.
happy reading Jodie.

i have a hugh TBR pile at the moment but am going to read this one when i finish what i am reading at the moment then pass it on ...look forward to it

Read this one while on holidays, and wish i hadent it was very sad and brutal, but also makes you relize how very lucky we are..however im not sure i belive it all,i also read somewhere that some one looked into his claims and could find no proof at all so who knows !!!! sending to starry starry 2 moro

Released on Friday, May 23, 2003 at postal release in BOOK RING, Postal Release United Kingdom.

sent today to starry-starry in the UK

Received in the post today, thanks jesse250 & jodie-jo-jo. Will read it as soon as I can and send it on its way.

This is probably the fastest I have ever read a book. Jesse250 is right, it pulled me in from the very beginning as well and I didn't stop reading until the end.

I've read all the forum posts on this book and did a google search and the concensus seems to be that he was abused in some way but probably not to the extent that he portrays in the book. It is difficult to know what to believe. I can file the protestations of his family away under shame and a need to protect the family, but what I find difficult to understand is the lack of analysis. Like most people I want to understand why this abuse happened. Why was he the only one abused in a family with four other brothers. Why did his father do nothing to protect him. Even in the 1970s there must have been a way. And it defies belief that he could have been stabbed in the stomach and the wound could have become infected without there being some extremely serious illness such as septicemia.

Having said that I am glad that I have read it. An article I read by a care worker specialising in child abuse said that the abuse portrayed in this book is mild compared to what some children go through. But before I read this I only had a vague notion of what child abuse really was and how horrific. If it only saves one child by making people more aware it's got to be worth it, fiction or non-fiction.

Sent today to JpandJo

My nightmare, a bunch of bookray's arrived at once. I finished my class tonight and I'm diving in. I'm hopping I'll have this book along to it's next reader within the next 3-4 weeks.

As I was reading all I could think was, no this does not happen, but sadly it does. I'm not sure what to make of the book.

Mailed to KawaiiGoten today.

The first two books are not lost. They were returned to me today with a sticker saying: Moved Left No Address, Unable to Forward.

I will PM the next person on the list for an address and mail along. I suspect that the third book will make it's way back to me as well.

I am so glad the first two books have been found. thatnkyou Jp and Jo for forwarding them on. Bookfrong is looking forward to reading them, even though i think she is mainly after the third book.

Jesse250

I already have read this book and have my own copy but Jesse kindly added me so I could read the sequal. Which I have started. Walking back from the post office, one eye on crossing the road, the other on reading it. Already deeply fascinated and interested in it - amazing that something like this did go on and still goes on. I just hope I would notice it in the children I teach.
I read somewhere this was the 3rd worst case of child abuse in California (or was it the US?) I would hate to know what the worse ones are? It is shocking that some people can do this kind of thing.

Well after that long trip the first book has made it back to me, and i must say in better shape then what i thought it would be in. I hope everyone who had a chance to read it enjoyed it as much as i did. I almost feel like reading them again. Well one day perhaps