Dave Pelzer

Encyclopedia : D : DA : DAV : Dave Pelzer

David James Pelzer (born December 29, 1960 in California) is an author and advocate for children's rights from California. As a child he was physically and verbally abused by his mother for a period of about eight years. It started when he was about 5 and gradually became very severe by the time he was 8. He also recalls that he was told this constituted one of the three worst cases of child abuse in California history. His drunken mother variously stabbed him, held his arm over a lit stove, attempted to strangle him, starved him, beat him, and forced him to eat the dogs' feces. When he was twelve, his teachers and principal finally notified the police, he was removed from his home and sent to live in a series of foster homes, where he gradually overcame the trauma of his earlier years.

He now travels throughout the nation promoting inspiration and resilience. His unique accomplishments have garnered commendations from several presidents. In 1994 he became the only American to win the "Outstanding Young Persons of the World award".

Works

Pelzer has written a number of books, some of which outline his experiences. Five of these were included in the New York Times bestseller list.

A Child Called It (1995) ISBN 1558743669
The Lost Boy (1997) ISBN 1558745157
A Man Named Dave (1999) ISBN 0452281903, (2001) ISBN 0452282764
The Privilege of Youth (2004) ISBN 0525947698
Life's Lessons (2004) ISBN 0007146914
My Story (2002) ISBN 0752853716 - Compilation of "A Child Called It", "The Lost Boy" and "A Man Named Dave"

Controversy

Criticisms or questions about Pelzer's works have been raised in articles in the Mail on Sunday ("Is He Making 'It' All Up?"), the New York Times Magazine ("Dysfunction for Dollars"), and the online magazine Slate ("[Dave Pelzer - The Child Abuse Entrepreneur]").

External links

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