Dave Pelzer

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Dave James Pelzer (born December 29, 1960)^[1] is an American author, best known for his memoir of childhood abuse, A Child Called "It". Pelzer is the son of San Francisco fireman Stephen Joseph Pelzer (1923 - 1980), who was of Austrian and Irish descent, and Catherine Roerva Christen Pelzer (1929 - 1992).

Pelzer was born in Daly City, California, to Stephen Pelzer and Catherine Roerva Pelzer (née Christen) and was the second of five boys. Pelzer wrote in his book that as a child he was continually abused, mistreated, and beaten by his mother, who thought of it as a game. The book documents how his mother starved him, forced him to drink ammonia and stabbed him in the stomach. His teachers stepped in on March 5, 1973 and 12-year-old Pelzer was placed in foster care. In 1979, he joined the Air Force and later became an author. The fourth boy, Richard B. Pelzer, has also written about his own abuse.

Contents 1 Controversy 2 Pelzer Names 3 Works 3.1 Memoir 3.2 Self-help 4 Awards and recognition 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Controversy

Questions have been raised about Pelzer's works and their authenticity.^[2] In a 2002 New York Times article, Pelzer's younger brother, Stephen Pelzer, cast doubt on some of the abuse allegations in Dave Pelzer's writings.^[3] However, according to the books Pelzer wrote, Pelzer's brother was alleged to have been complicit in many, if not all, of the acts of child abuse.^[4]

Pelzer's grandmother agrees with Stephen's version of events, saying she believed Pelzer's books ought to be published in the fiction section. She remembers Pelzer as a "disruptive kid, only interested in himself, with big ideas of grandeur."^{[citation needed]} She says he bragged that celebrities, like Chuck Yeager, would be at his and Patsy's wedding.^{[citation needed]}

Supporting Pelzer's story is schoolteacher Athena Konstan of Daly City, who wrote, "In my 31 years of teaching, David Pelzer was the most severely abused child I have ever known."^[5]

His brother, Richard also supports his story, and has written a book himself, A Brother's Journey, which chronicles his own abuse.^[6]

[edit] Pelzer Names

Child Called "It"	Real names	Brother's Journey
Ron	Robert	Ross
Dave/"The Boy"	David
Stan	Stephen	Scotty
Russell	Richard B. Pelzer	Richard
Kevin	Kenneth	Keith

[edit] Works

Pelzer has written a number of books:

[edit] Memoir

• A Child Called It (1995) ISBN 1-55874-366-9
• The Lost Boy (1997) ISBN 1-55874-515-7
• A Man Named Dave (1999) ISBN 0-452-28190-3
• My Story (2002) ISBN 0-7528-5371-6, Compilation of A Child Called It, The Lost Boy, and A Man Named Dave
• The Privilege of Youth (2004) ISBN 0-525-94769-8

[edit] Self-help

• Help Yourself (2001) ISBN 0-452-28276-4
• Help Yourself for Teens (2005) ISBN 0-452-28652-2

[edit] Awards and recognition

• JC Pen Golden Rule Award (1990)

• California Volunteer of the Year (1991)

• Ten Outstanding Young Americans (1993)

• Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World(1994)

• National Jefferson Award (2005)^[7]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Dave Pelzer's personal website

v • d • e Books by Dave Pelzer A Child Called "It" · The Lost Boy· A Man Named Dave· The Privilege of Youth· Help Yourself · Help Yourself for Teens