A Brother's Journey: Surviving a Childhood of Abuse

Richard B. Pelzer

Jan 2005 · Sold by Grand Central Publishing

About this eBook

In A Child Called "It," David Pelzer shared the harrowing story of his abusive childhood. Now, his brother Richard reveals a horrifying glimpse behind closed doors -- and shares a message of strength and resilience.
Mom has no one like David around to beat on anymore. I am more afraid of her than ever...I get in more trouble for anything I do or say. Now I find that I'm always in trouble and I don't know why. Now that David is gone, I'm afraid that she will try to kill me, like she tried to kill him. I'm afraid that she will treat me like an animal like she did him. I'm afraid that now I'm her IT.

The Pelzer family's secret life of fear and abuse was first revealed in Dave Pelzer's inspiring New York Times bestseller, A Child Called "It," followed by The Lost Child and A Man Called Dave. Here, for the first time, Richard Pelzer tells the courageous and moving story of his abusive childhood. From tormenting his brother David to becoming himself the focus of his mother's wrath to his ultimate liberation-here is a horrifying glimpse at what existed behind closed doors in the Pelzer home. Equally important, Richard Pelzer's touching account is a testament to the strength of the human heart and its capacity to triumph over almost unimaginable trauma.

Ratings and reviews

Having read his brother’s book, A Child Called It several years ago, I was afraid this was going to rehash the same old ground, but, instead of repeating the same information, it just took over where that book left off. It was as gripping as his brother’s book. In this book, the role of alcohol in the abuse, became more clear. Such is proof positive of the evils of alcohol. I noticed this, then I saw a mention in the book cover about alcohol’s influence. Richard was very introspective and made profound reflections along with a superb relay of events. Richard expressed a fundamental notion: karma, which seems to make ever so much sense especially since I have been reading a lot of books about it lately.

I think that this guy is just trying to win some of davids fame. I also think that he is making everything up in this book except for the fact that he is a snitch and the fact that he enjoyed watching his brother get tortured. I feel that the only reason he wrote this book was so that either he could get on his brothers good side, for his money, or like i said he just wants the same fame and fortune that his brother has and very much deserves! I think that the person who published this book for him is a joke and so is he, but than again the person who published this book was proboly just thinking about getting his or her money. What I have to say to Richard is you are a fake author who made his fame by watching your brother get beaten and abused, you are a sick and twisted person and I do not believe a word that u have to say and to end my statement...YOU ARE A PERVERT!!!

I want to precede this review by saying I enjoyed the book; the story was catching and immersive. Having said that, I found the book to be better entertainment than fact - though I wasn't there and can't say a person's life is false. I say it is better entertainment because the suspension of my doubt makes it easier to enjoy the story at face value. If I had not already read "A Child Called It", I wouldn't have noticed the little mannerisms copied over to this book; calling David "it", use of the word "it" to refer to himself, and a handful of other minor writing notes bothered me. They feel like name drops people throw in to conversation to appear more connected to someone else than they really are. To me, it cheapened the narrative. For the first half of the book, I kept thinking to myself, "You aren't David, even if you keep saying his name and trying to write the way he sounds.". This made it hard for me to believe this book as an account of Richard's life. Taking these words as fact is difficult when you can't shake the feeling it is a money grab riding the tailcoat of someone else. I did get mostly over those feelings; I had to stop myself and go "I wasn't there, this isn't my life. I can't tell someone that their account of their own life is wrong. I wouldn't do this to a sci-fiction book, why would I do it to someone's life record?" and made the choice to stop comparing the two books, attempting to line up accounts from Richard with statements by David and just let the book be on its own - removed from direct comparison. It was at that point "A Brother's Journey" became a truly enjoying account of a boy who suffered from the "2.0" verison of a monsterous abuser, and who grew as a human being.

About the author

Richard B. Pelzer lives in Plymouth, Massachusetts.