Help Yourself: Celebrating the Daily Rewards of Resilience and Gratitude [Hardcover]

Dave Pelzer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2000

As a child, Dave Pelzer survived and overcame the life-threatening circumstances chronicled in his bestselling trilogy. He is now happily married, a father himself, and has been selected as one of the Outstanding Young Persons of the World. How was it possible for him to overcome such insurmountable odds? How can others who face overwhelming odds become all they wish to be? In Help Yourself, Dave Pelzer answers these questions and explains how anyone can move beyond a painful history, harmful negative thoughts, and innumerable setbacks by remembering to take control and be accountable for their lives. Filled with episodes from his own life and examples of others who have dealt with their own struggles, Help Yourself is a rousing call to readers who are tired of psychological platitudes and want real answers to real problems ...from a man who willed himself to overcome the worst life had to offer and became the best he could be.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Dave Pelzer 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 and The Lost Boy, 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 Ten 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. Instead, he offers 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

From Library Journal

Peltzer, whose triumph over a deeply abusive childhood is recounted in a trilogy that includes A Child Called "It," explains how we can move beyond our painful pasts.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 218 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult; 1ST edition (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525945571
• ISBN-13: 978-0525945574
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,556,489 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dave Pelzer is recognised as one of America's most effective and respected communicators addressing corporations, conventions and health/psychology/primary care workers. His unique accomplishments have garnered personal commendations from Ronald Reagan and George Bush. He was selected as torchbearer for the 1996 Olympic Torch relay. He has dedicated his life to helping others help themselves.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good advice from a good guy, October 2, 2000

By 

avid reader and listener "JimoftheWest" (Denver) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Help Yourself: Celebrating the Daily Rewards of Resilience and Gratitude (Hardcover)

Those who have read Dave Pelzer's previous books will be glad to see him take his wisdom to a new level. This book isn't really about the horrors he suffered in one of the worst child abuse cases in the state of California. Rather, it is about the elements of mental survival in difficult situations. He helps readers achieve clarity, direction, and satisfaction with their lives by unveiling the inner mechanisms that can be blocking them. It might sound like this info should come from a psychologist, but Pelzer's advice works admirably. It's like a one-on-one talk with your wisest and most experienced friend. I think a lot of people, especially those who have suffered traumatic or very difficult situations, or those who have met roadblock after roadblock in life, will find this book of tremendous value.

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MAKE THIS BOOK PART OF YOUR LIFE, October 29, 2000

By 

BeatleBangs1964 (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Help Yourself: Celebrating the Daily Rewards of Resilience and Gratitude (Hardcover)

Dave Pelzer is a winner, plain and simple. He not only survived a horrendous boyhood, he learned the gifts of compassion and forgiveness. This book does not revisit the abusive wasteland of his boyhood. Instead, he tackles relevant issues such as spousal and business relationships as well as the art of communication. Dave Pelzer is clearly a master communicator and he has used his experience, knowledge and plain common sense as teaching tools to enrich and reshape the lives of others.

Great job. This is a book that will inspire hope and make one feel more optimistic about life in general. I can't recommend it highly enough. The world needs more like Dave Pelzer.

28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DAVID PELZER - A TRUE HERO AND INSPIRATION, March 5, 2001

By 

Sandra D. Peters "Seagull Books" (Prince Edward Island, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Help Yourself: Celebrating the Daily Rewards of Resilience and Gratitude (Hardcover)

I have read all of David's books and there is no other way to describe David other than to say he is a true hero and inspiration to victims of child abuse. If you do not appreciate his books, his physical and emotional strength, chances are you have never walked in the shoes of one who has experienced the true terror of child abuse.

There is much wisdom spoken in this book, but the two most outstanding sections deal with cleansing the soul and getting rid of the baggage of the past. As a counsellor, I have spoken with many adult survivors of childhood abuse. If you can learn to let go of the past, learn to forgive what you could not control, and you can find peace of mind and contentment within yourself, you are already on the healing path. If every adult victim of child abuse, had a David Pelzer by his/her side, the journey to happiness and self-esteem would be less painful, and the road a lot smoother.

David Pelzer's books are not easy to read. For anyone who has not experienced child abuse, it could be difficult to comprehend how he survived. For those who have experienced the pain of abuse - physical, sexual and/or emotional, reading his books can evoke memories of the past; however, in therapy, it is the acceptance of those memories than can also set you free. Everytime I read one of David's books, I am reminded of the song, "Wind Beneath My Wings. David truly is a hero; his personal inner strength, his books and his work in the field of child abuse are an inspiration to child abuse survivors around the world.