A Man Named Dave

'I don't blame others for my problems. I stand on my own. And one day, you'll see, I'm going to make something of myself.' These words were eighteen-year-old Dave Pelzer's declaration of independence to his mother, a woman who had abused him with shocking brutality. But even years after he was rescued, his life remained a continual struggle. Dave felt rootless and awkward, an outcast haunted by memories of his years as the bruised, cowering 'It' locked in his mother's basement. Dave's dramatic reunion with his dying father and the shocking confrontation with his mother led to his ultimate calling: mentor to others struggling with personal hardships. From a difficult marriage to the birth of his son, from an unfulfilling career to an enduring friendship, Dave was finally able to break the chains of his past, learning to trust, to love, and to live.

Reviews

'His story is a stirring testament to the power of the human spirit and has helped victims of abuse the world over come to terms with their own experiences' THE MAIL ON SUNDAY, 14 July 2002

About the Author

Dave Pelzer is recognised as one of America's most effective and respected communicators addressing corporations, conventions and health/psychology/primary care workers. His unique accomplishments have garnered personal commendations from Ronald Reagan and George Bush. He was selected as torchbearer for the 1996 Olympic Torch relay. He has dedicated his life to helping others help themselves.

Prizes

Dave Pelzer's memoirs have been Number One bestsellers on both sides of the Atlantic in hardback and paperback Dave Pelzer continues to attract unprecedented media coverage UK sales for A CHILD CALLED IT alone are in excess of half a million copies to date The US edition was a NEW YORK TIMES bestseller for over two years, and the UK editions are also still riding high in the bestseller lists more than a year after publication Over a million copies have been sold around the world and it has been translated into twenty languages Dave Pelzer is one of America's most effective and respected speakers; he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for A CHILD CALLED IT and was named one of the 10 Outstanding Young Persons of the World 'What has made Dave Pelzer's story a bestseller is that it is also a story of redemption. It is a story where love, kindness, patience and endurance triumph' DAILY MAIL