Help Yourself

This inspiring conclusion to Dave Pelzer's multi-million copy bestselling titles takes Dave's story up to the present and for the first time offers the invaluable life lessons he learned along the way. A Child Called It has been on the bestseller lists in the US since publication three years ago and has been in the top 10 hardback non-fiction bestsellers since its UK publication in February. The autobiographical book chronicles Pelzer's harrowing experience of child abuse. The follow up books were The Lost Boy, which has also enjoyed three years on the US bestseller lists, and A Man Named Dave. The Lost Boy was published in the UK in July 2000. It zoomed straight to the top of the bestseller list on publication and has stayed there. A Man Named Dave was published in the UK in January 2001. Dave Pelzer willed himself to overcome the worst life had to offer (his case of child abuse was one of the worst recorded cases in US history) and became the best he could be. Help Yourself weaves in stories from Pelzer's own experiences with the principles he has discovered on how to survive difficulty and embrace challenges as an opportunity for growth. Amazon Review Having shared his story of redemption through his previous bestselling autobiograhy, Dave Pelzer now draws lessons from that experience with Help Yourself--a highly personal self-help book. Dave survived one of the worst child abuse cases ever recorded in the state of California. His mother, a mentally disturbed alcoholic, tortured and abused him throughout his childhood--smashing his face into a mirror, forcing him to swallow ammonia and making him sit on a burning stove, among other heinous cruelties. In his bestselling memoirs, A Child Called It, The Lost Boy and A Man Called Dave, Pelzer recounts his horrific childhood, demonstrating how inner resilience helped him survive and even become a highly caring and accomplished adult. (He was eventually selected as one of 10 Outstanding Young Americans.) Although Pelzer has a graduate degree in the school of hard knocks, he never got a chip on his shoulder. In this self-help book, Pelzer sticks with his warm and plainspoken narrative style (think Chicken Soup for the Soul) to offer advice on how to help yourself overcome adversity and let go of the past. Wisely, Pelzer often deflects attention away from his overpowering story, offering anecdotes that pertain to more common, everyday scenarios: you feel taken advantage of at work but are afraid to quit; you have unresolved issues with your spouse. His guidance is familiar, such as never go to bed upset and tackle problems as they arise--don't let them fester. It may sound simplistic, but sometimes that's just what we need--a trustworthy ally who can dole out "been there" advice in a straightforward style. --Gail Hudson Review 'What has made Dave Pelzer's story a bestseller is that it is a story of redemption. It is a story where love, kindness, patience and endurance triumph.' Daily Mail 'Pelzer's unyielding determination inspires us all. He is a living example that all of us have the capability to better ourselves no matter what the odds' Jack Canfield, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul