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RICHARD B. PELZER

Richard Bryan Pelzer [1] was born fourth of five boys in Daly City Californian 1965. Son to Stephen J. Pelzer and Catherine Roerva Pelzer, Richard has been a dedicated child advocate and author. As a young adult, Richard and three of his brothers were left behind in the home one of California’s most abusive parents.

In 1973 the state authorities removed one brother who later went on to write a controversial memoir entitled A Child Called IT in 1995. Richard’s first memoir A Brother’s Journey became a New York Times best seller as well as an international best seller. His second book A Teenager’s Journey continues the story through his teen years.

Richard spends his time and a good portion of his resources promoting child rights, family advocacy and child abuse prevention and awareness.

Richard will release A Man's Journey on February 2010. People have criticized Richard for not publishing A Man's Journey sooner. Hey Richard, Why the delay dude? Your strategy of holding it back is not working idiot.

PERSONAL LIFE

Richard published his first memoir A Brother’s Journey in 2005, his second memoir A Teenager’s Journey in 2006, and his final memoir A Man’s Journey has been completed, yet will remain unpublished until his family is older. Married with 4 children, Richard has since become one of the nations more appreciated Family Advocates.

PUBLICATIONS

  • A Brother’s Journey ( 2005) ISBN  0446533688
  • A Teenager’s Journey ( 2006) ISBN  044657970X

A BROTHER'S JOURNEY

In this gripping, deeply troubling memoir, reveals the unyielding suffering he experienced at the hands of his depraved mother growing up in the 1970s. Once his brother, the elder of the two, was rescued: removed from the household, the author became the target of their mother's alcohol-induced rage. As Pelzer details his outward struggle to survive - learning to fall asleep with his eyes open, for example - and his internal efforts to understand and rise above his circumstances, he assaults readers with the graphic facts, told in surprisingly matter-of-fact language, about being beaten bloody for falling asleep when he was supposed to be awake, and being forbidden to bathe. Family members (including Pelzer's father), neighbors and teachers were aware of the abuse but did nothing to help, and Pelzer credits outsiders, especially his friend Ben, with finally "allowing" him to see himself more clearly.

By looking back at - and then releasing - the image of the skinny, red-haired boy who wanted nothing more than his mother's love, Pelzer discovers his true spirit, which he shares courageously and selflessly here in the hope of healing himself, as well as raising awareness of and preventing child abuse.

Although not meant to be a horror story, the chilling descriptions of the author's childhood abuse by his mother could be mistaken for those of a Stephen King novel. The woman beat the children, stabbed them with a kitchen knife and made them eat their vomit from the floor.

In the Audio Book - Joshua Gates's mean tone for the drunken woman's tirades jumps out like a monster from the dark. However, he mollifies the disgusting acts with a soft voice that makes hearing about them tolerable. These clever inflectional changes allow listeners to both hate the mother and suffer for the children. The taciturn pitch used for the abused boy's thoughts sounds dominated and terrified. A maturation of the boy's character at the denouement scores a partial victory for good.

A TEENAGER'S JOURNEY

After the international success of his first memoir, Richard Pelzer touched thousands with his own heart-wrenching account of an abusive childhood in his New York Times bestseller A Brother's Journey. Now, in A TEENAGER'S JOURNEY, Richard reveals how the horrific treatment he endured as a boy affected him throughout his teenage years. As an adolescent, he found himself turning to drugs and contemplating suicide as he struggled to separate and live an autonomous life, away from his horrifying family situation. His salvation finally came when a surrogate family took him in, offering comfort, hope, and unconditional love--and, ultimately, the transformational power of forgiveness.

ARGUMENT

There have been many publications, news articles and published personal experience covering the controversy between Richard Pelzer and one of his brothers David J. Pelzer the author of A Child Called IT.

Although there is, no evidence to support any alleged acrimony Richard Pelzer has discredited any such arguments saying “The controversy surrounding my brother David J. Pelzer is a matter for him to resolve. Unfortunately, I have found it necessary to separate myself from him and his associates. His behavior, although questionable, is his and his alone to defend.”

EXTERNAL LINKS