A Father's Story

Lionel Dahmer

Aug 2021 · Echo Point Books & Media, LLC

About this ebook

Raising a Serial Killer

A Father's Search for Answers

In July of 1991 the country was shocked by the unfathomable crimes of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. But no one was more shocked than his parents. In A Father's Story, the reader is witness to the incremental unraveling of a parent's image of their child, and the "thousand different reactions" that follow. In his attempt to understand the nature of his son's psychosis, Lionel Dahmer methodically scrutinizes every possible contributing factor to his son's madness. His desperation is palpable as he searches for clues in the emotional, psychological, and genetic landscape of his son's life.

Riveting and soul-wrenching, this unprecedented memoir is the confession of a father who must "confront the saddest truth a human can know-that his child has somehow crossed the line that separates the human from the monstrous."

Ratings and reviews

a story steeped in self pity and total denial of reality. I don't buy it. Yes, we should all feel sorry for you, but to continue to make excuses for something there are no excuses for, is all this book is about and quite frankly disappointing.

The ending brought me to tears. This was a very good and insightful read. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the parents of Jeffrey Dahmer.

Lionel Dahmer's reflection about his life and Jeff's life had me reflecting on my own...his story made me feel sad for him and his family.