Dave Pelzer Books In Order

Publication Order of's Memoirs Books

Publication Order of Self-Help Books

Author Dave Pelzer was born December 29, 1960 in San Francisco, California, and is the second of five boys. He was raised in Daly City, California. At the age of twelve, he was placed in foster care, due to the beatings he received from his mom. His instructors stepped in on March 5, 1973. At the age of eighteen, he joined US Air Force in the year 1979 and served in the Gulf War. During the 1996 Summer Olympics torch relay, he was a torch carrier.

In a lot of his work, he talks about his childhood, and how his alcoholic mom abused him from the ages of four to twelve.

During the eighties, he got married to Patsy (which is a pseudonym), his first wife, and had a son with her. They would eventually divorce, and he would marry his editor, Marsha.

Dave has won the National Jefferson Award, and was given the JC Penney Golden Rule Award (which made him the volunteer of the year in California). He writes self help books and autobiographies. He works as a volunteer and gives lectures.

He was given personal commendations from such presidents as Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Clinton, and Bush. He was honored as being one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans in the year 1993, and joined the company of John F. Kennedy, Christopher Reeve, and Anne Bancroft.

“A Child Called ‘It’” is the first novel in the “Dave Pelzer” series, which was released in the year 1995. Dave Pelzer was starved and beaten brutally by his alcoholic and emotionally unstable mom, she played unpredictable games that tortured him and almost killed him. In order to stay alive, he had to figure out how to play these games, because he had become an it and a slave to her. He was a son and a human no longer.

His bed was just an ancient army cot that was put in the basement, and all of his clothes were ripped and raunchy. When he was finally allowed to eat, it was the nastiest and spoiled scraps that the dogs would not touch. Nobody else knew absolutely nothing about this awful nightmare. He did not have anyone that he could turn to, except for his dreams, which kept him living. He would dream that someone would take care of him, love him, and call him son.

Fans of the novel found this to be a book that, although not a feel good story, will change your life. It will make you want to be a better person. The book is very emotional the whole way through, you even feel pretty sorry for the author. The book was tough to read, yet still hard to put down for very long. There are different reasons that people will continue to read the book. Some enjoyed reading the book so much, that they were interested in picking up the other books in the series. Dave is a person that you really feel for during all of the traumatic experiences he goes through in this, not to mention that he has no one to turn to for help with his mother.

“The Lost Boy” is the second novel in the “Dave Pelzer” series, which was released in the year 1997. With this book, Dave tells his story of how he struggled in foster care. His internal conflict with himself is feeling worthless and sad after all the early years being abused. While the external conflict involves Dave and his mom. During all of her visits, at all of his different foster homes, she makes like he is no better than simple white trash and pretty much worthless still.

This is a book that made some fall in love with the story, and the entire story is an enjoyable experience. Fans of the novel found this to be well written. Some had their eyes opened to what happens in the foster care system. Readers find these books to be truly inspirational, as Dave teaches people about resilience and forgiveness. This is just a superb book, and some cannot wait to read more from this series.

“A Man Named Dave” is the third novel in the “Dave Pelzer” series, which was released in the year 1999. Pelzer still has a memory that comes from his childhood, and which he goes back to during moments of distress. It comes from early in his childhood, during a tender talk he and his dad during an outing with the family to the Russian River.

It is incredibly precious for Dave, who still loves his dad, even after he did nothing or was not around for his mother to abuse him. This treasured moment is a driving force for Pelzer during his adult life, and dreams of living on the Russian River with his dad after building a house there.

This does not happen, though. Pelzer joins up with the Air Force, and intends to become a firefighter, which his father was for a time. While here, he pens many letters to his dad, who only sends one reply. It is illegible and has no return address. He fears that his dad is lost to being a vagrant and alcoholism. He is told that his dad is about to die, he rushes to his side.

During his final days, his dad passes the cherished fire department badge to his son. Dave is able to confront his childhood head on, and forms a productive and positive link to the past.

Fans of the novel find their outlook has changed, just by reading this book about Dave’s life story. It makes some want to get more accomplished, as they feel if this guy can get all he has accomplished, why can’t the average human do that? This does a great job of showing Dave becoming an adult, while he was laying his demons to rest. Some find themselves getting teary eyed when thinking back to this book due to the fact that he was able to make it through the abuse.

One Response to “Dave Pelzer”

1. Allison: 2 years ago

   thumbs up

   Reply