sTaGeWaLkEr Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 If you think Dave Peltzer's book was emotionally disturbing, wait until you read mine. After all my years as a social work practitioner, and of most of the cases I've seen since, mine was one of the worst childhood's that I've ever seen. Multiple abuse on multiple levels committed by multiple people: sexual, physical, mental and emotional - not only at home, but in local authority care. I'm sad to see that someone thinks that this kind of thing is 'emotional porn'. That saddens me a great deal. It's just people, trying to tell their story. Why does there have to be some sort of gain? Can it not just be a therapeutic way of dealing with something that most of you couldn't even begin to conceptualize? To the cynics - I'm glad that you never had to go through what I (and others) went through - for if you had, you may just be speaking from a different viewpoint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sierra Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 The others weren't as bad, they were about him getting used to life as a normal child should and his difficulties, and about him growing up and still dealing with it in his relationship etc. The worst one for the disturbing stuff is def the first one. I usually don't read books like this. Maybe a morbid fascination because Mr. Pelzer was living across the Bay from me at the same time. I recognized many of the places he mentions in the first book. I don't deny that, but equally as there are evil adults there are also children who don't have any perspective to the results of their claims. It is incredibly difficult for those who have been abused to feel they can speak out, that allows those who want to make false claims to be able to do so more easily. Teachers/foster carers/parents/etc have lost jobs, lives and friends/family because of untrue accusations. We have to balance that up against making sure those who are suffering in silence are able to speak about it and that they will be taken seriously. It's a fine line doing that, and I don't think we do it well enough... which is yet another issue. Nowadays, you hear about kids reporting their teachers or parents to get someone into hot water. I can tell you, it was much less common thirty years ago. When my daughter was younger, she was accidentally hit in the eye when a teammate failed to catch her (purely for decoration) rifle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorguard I found out some time later, after my daughter turned up at school with a lovely shiner, that both girls had been taken aside by teachers and questioned separately. So I understand what you're saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lubylou12 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 amazing book, so sad i cried buckets reading it:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KTHFB Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I've read them all, and I couldn't put them down. If it helps him to put it down on paper then that's great for him. I think he seems (as I don't know him) to be an incredibly brave person and appears not to carry any bitterness with him. I shant get into any arguments with those who find this sort of book unworthy of being on the shelf. There's a market out there for these types of books, I for one am someone who actually finds them quite therapeutic. It makes me realise that, actually, I didn't have it so bad with my experience of being at home and in the care system. And Stagey - I'll "look forward" if you can say that, to reading yours. I hope it's helped in some way getting it down on paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddie Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I read them all and thought he had great writing skill, they were very emotional books, but the first one was obviously the worse one. Have you read Blackbird, by Jennifer Lauck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halibut Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I'm sad to see that someone thinks that this kind of thing is 'emotional porn'. That saddens me a great deal. It's just people, trying to tell their story. Trying to sell their story, in a mass marketed, cynical, 'let's profit from human tragedy' kind of way Why does there have to be some sort of gain? Can it not just be a therapeutic way of dealing with something that most of you couldn't even begin to conceptualize? Why indeed? Why couldn't Dave have told just his therapist and close friends rather than flog it to a hungry crowd, hungry for pain and depravity? To the cynics - I'm glad that you never had to go through what I (and others) went through - for if you had, you may just be speaking from a different viewpoint. That's a generous thought, thankyou. I don't deny that some people gain something from reading this book and others like it. I never read the stuff anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lubylou12 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 ive read many of the same kind and find them so sad, ppl say why read them if they upset me but i cant help it, ive read all of davids, and other ppls to, a good one is tell me why mummy, cant remember name of auther Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brunette Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I must admit that I find the huge sections in bookshops devoted to this genre a bit weird. They all have the same white covers with a sepia/faded picture of a child on the front...it's kinda odd. Do people stand in front of them and browse, deciding whose harrowing story to read next for entertainment?? I really don't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve70 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 But he didn't put it in his other books either. you can bet there will be more books then. ( how do you know what his mother did if he didnt write about it ?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lubylou12 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I must admit that I find the huge sections in bookshops devoted to this genre a bit weird. They all have the same white covers with a sepia/faded picture of a child on the front...it's kinda odd. Do people stand in front of them and browse, deciding whose harrowing story to read next for entertainment?? I really don't get it. yes i do stand and browse hun, i read a few of the back covers and decide which i want, and i wouldnt really call it entertainment, id call it more enlightenment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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