David J. Pelzer

During his teens the long road to recovery began and today Pelzer, now a father of a teenage son himself, spends much of his working life talking to young adults in schools and foster care centres. Pelzer's message is simple and powerful: identify problems, face them, think about where you want to be in life and never, ever give up on yourself. Weaving memories of his own life as a teenager with experiences of celebrities like Tom Cruise and young men and women Pelzer has worked with in schools, his tone is frank and extremely engaging. It is also a very practical book, provoking thought and inspiring action. Being a teenager isn't easy in today's world, but as Pelzer says, it brings with it massive opportunities - and it's much more exciting than being an adult.

More than six million readers can attest to the heartbreak and courage of Dave Pelzer’s story of growing up in an abusive home. His inspirational books have helped countless others triumph over hardship and misfortune. Now this former lost boy who defeated insurmountable odds to emerge whole and happy at last takes us on his incredible odyssey toward healing and forgiveness. In The Privilege of Youth, Pelzer supplies the missing chapter of his life: as a boy on the threshold of adulthood. With his usual sensitivity and insight, he recounts the relentless taunting he endured from bullies; but he also describes the joys of learning and the thrill of making his first real friends—some of whom he still shares close relationships with today. He writes about the simple pleasures of exploring a neighborhood he was just beginning to get to know while trying to forget the hell he had endured as a child. From high school to a world beyond the four walls that were his prison for so many years, The Privilege of Youth charts this crucial turning point in Dave Pelzer’s life. This brave and compassionate memoir from the man who has journeyed far will inspire a whole new generation of readers and listeners.

The bottom line: Your life's outcome is solely up to you. If you can get out of bed in the morning, go to the bathroom, get dressed and nuke something in the microwave without any help, then you are capable of doing, achieving and handling just about anything that life can throw at you. You can do this. You can live up to your potential. And at your age, frankly, I expect you to.' Straight-talking, unpatronising, inspirational advice from bestselling author Dave Pelzer. Before he became a teenager, Pelzer was subjected to horrific physical and mental abuse from his mother. During his teens the long road to recovery began and today Pelzer spends much of his working life talking to young adults in schools and foster care centres. Pelzer's message is simple and powerful: identify problems, face them, think about where you want to be in life and never, ever give up on yourself. Being a teenager isn't easy in today's world, but as Pelzer says, it brings with it massive opportunities - and it's much more exciting than being an adult.

This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it." Dave's bed was an old army cot in the basement, and his clothes were torn and raunchy. When his mother allowed him the luxury of food, it was nothing more than spoiled scraps that even the dogs refused to eat. The outside world knew nothing of his living nightmare. He had nothing or no one to turn to, but his dreams kept him alive--dreams of someone taking care of him, loving him and calling him their son.

La suite d'##Un enfant appelé Chose## (1999). Dans ce deuxième livre d'une trilogie, David est maintenant libéré des griffes de sa mère alcoolique. Adolescent, il connaîtra désormais la vie instable des foyers d'accueil. Mais tout n'est pas négatif, loin de là. Avec ses derniers parents nourriciers, il connaîtra enfin le bonheur d'avoir une vraie famille. Il y puisera la force morale de ne pas tomber dans la délinquance et, enfin, de voir la lumière au bout du tunnel. [SDM].

Self-help expert Dave Pelzer teaches readers how to let go of the past and use negative experiences to make them stronger when tackling the future. "Learning from our prior experiences, we can, and should, aspire to fulfill our dreams, making life better not only for ourselves but for others around us," Dave writes in the introduction. "I am of the belief that you do not have to be a mayor of a major metropolis or CEO of a Fortune 500 company in order to take a stand for your convictions; to lead, rally, or educate others for your cause; or to maintain a vision that will pave the way for other generations to come. The everyday, hardworking folks, God bless 'em, have and always will continue to, day in and day out, truly make an impact on their families, communities, jobs, America, and the world as a whole."Dave Pelzer walks readers through the process of learning how to turn the experience gained from past hurts into the power to live a better life and help others do the same with his trademark wisdom, support, and tough love.