Customer Reviews

I Know My First Name Is Steven

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I saw this movie as a teenager and it haunts me to this day. Steven's pain, suffering and 7 yr ordeal is never far from my thoughts when the mention of a child molestation or child abduction is on the news. To live through this must have taken more than just self preservation techniques, but then we are all stronger than we think when we live through something horrible.

I bought this book because I had seen the movie and wanted to get a better idea of what Steven had to endure at the hands of a complete waste of space - Kenneth Parnell. Well I got a good idea just 2 chapters into this book. It certainly gives us readers a view of life from Steven's point of view, which is good because most books dont give the victims point of view, espiecally a child's.

However, Im at the end of the book and the writer sees fit to put the section on Cary Stayner being the yosemite killer, but didnt see fit to put how Mr Parnell has recently been in the news for trying to buy a little boy in Berkley Ca as late as 2003, but was referred to as "harmless" because he was in a wheel chair! Mr Parnell had previous convictions of child rape and kidnapping. To this day he is a free man, whether in a wheel chair or not he and others like him are a threat to society.

Child Predators are a threat to all of our children because people are too worried about being Politically Correct, instead of doing what is right; ie., voting, questioning people who are around children, confronting someone when we are suspicious of their actions, making sure our children are in a safe environment with safe adults, etc.

This book may not have been done properly and maybe the writer didnt do it perfectly, but at least he was and is an advocate for children and at least he was willing to put his name on something and put it out there for people to read. Which is more than I can say for alot of people, they lack backbone when it comes to doing what is right.

So read the book if you want to get a more defined idea about what Steven Stayner had to live through, as well as his family, etc. It's like the movie, but more defined and detailed

This is a really heartwrenching book. Although I could do without some of the details used to explain the sexual abuse, but I suppose to get a full understanding of what little Stevie went through it was neccessary in some parts.

The books chronicles right before the kidnapping, when the family was still living in the ranch, until Steven tragically died in 1989. You'll feel Steven's pain as Steve, Parnell himself and other people tell of the seven years in which Parnell treated Steven like a sex slave.

Even when Steven is returned to his parents, his pain doesn't stop. The book doesn't chronicle much of this-just outlines a few things and doesn't give any specifics. That is the only thing the book was lacking-it tells that Steven had a rough time getting back in a family fold,but otherwise just skims upon the subject. The movie helps you get a view of this, though.

All in all, a very good book. Steven, collectively, only got to spend roughly 16 years with his family..He left behind a killer brother, 3 sisters, a wife and 2 children (Steven and Ashley).

In this dramatic story, we hear of the horrors endured by Steven Stayner. As some may also know, Parnell served only five years of his eight year sentence. What many don't know is that Parnell was convincted in 1950 for the molestation and kidnapping of an 8 yr. old. As if this wasn't enough- and his sentence obviously did nothing for him- he was caught in Jan 2003 attempting to buy a 4 yr. old. Beyond that, was Steven destined to be a victim of child abuse? Some may know that Cary Stayner, Steven's brother, was recently given the death penalty for the Yosemite murders. Cary was said to have been physically abused by his father and blamed for the disappearance of Steven, and to have been sexually abused by his uncle. (In 1990, the uncle was found shot to death- some still believe Cary was responsible although at the time, he had an alibi.) Although Steven was very heroic in finally overcoming his captor and saving the life of Timmy White, what would have become of him if he had stayed home? I recommend this book to all as a reminder of what people are actually capable of. It is also an example of why parole and leniency should not be shown to child offenders.

I can feel the sense of lost and love that Steven Stayner felt cause I too was molested at the age of 5 to 15 by my stepfather and he took away that childhood innocence that i had and i will never trust no one else. It was harder for steven cause he was taken away from his family and his father couldnt deal with the fact that this man got off after taking seven years of his sons life i really feel sorry for his family and kids and him especially for not knowing the love of his parents and his brother and sister god bless all of them this book and movie was excellent on informing parents that they should watch their children closer as stangers dont care who they take

I recently started reading the book "I Know My First Name Is Steven" and I found it to be very interesting. I also saw the movie by the same title and thought that was good too. After reading the book that John Walsh wrote about his son's kidnapping and murder, I realized that I wanted to know more about Steven Stayner who was kidnapped and raped for seven long years by Ken Parnell. Steven risked his own life to escape his captor and save not only his life but the life of young Timmy White who was also kidnapped by Ken Parnell. It's a shame that Steven's life ended so tragically because he did a lot of good by telling others about what he went through after he was kidnapped. Steven helped a lot of people with his story and his legacy and memory will live on forever.

Falling into the category of true crime, this is the story of young Steven Stayner, who was kidnapped at the age of seven in 1972, while walking home from school. His abductor, a pedophile named Kenneth Parnell, told him, "I've gone to court and gotten custody of you. I've changed your name to Dennis Parnell, and you're to call me 'Dad'." Steven was only a child and naive. He accepted Parnell's story and lived with him for seven years, going to school and acting like a normal child...except his "father" raped him every night.

It's a really sad story, to make a massive understatement. When Steven reached his teens and became too old to satisfy his "father", Parnell kidnapped a five-year-old. Steven had had enough by them. He took the child and went to the police station and told the officers that he had been missing since 1972. But when he returned home, things were not the same. Steven never got any counseling for his traumatic experiences. His kidnapper served all of three years in prison for his crimes. Steven flunked out of high school, drank and used drugs, and was promiscuous. Just when he finally seemed to settle down, he got killed in a motorcycle accident.

A few years ago this book was brought back into print with an afterword about Steven's serial killer older brother Cary Stayner. Now it's out of print again, but try to locate a copy if you like this sort of thing. While not of Ann Rule quality, I Know My First Name is Steven is a fine book.

After reading the book, I was outraged that this pervert Parnell gets out in 5 years. Steven is kidnapped, and raped for seven years. Parnell has a previous history of abusing a boy, and has kidnapped two boys, and practically ruined one boys life. Heck, Steven spent more time with Parnell then Parnell served. Is that fair? Well, you won't find a happy ending in this book. But, fortunately, Parnell was recently convicted of trying to buy a young boy, and now, finally, has been sentenced to Life in prison. That should have happened when he went on trial for the abduction and rape of Steven, and abduction of Timmy White.

I was a personal friend of Stevens before, during and after his ordeal. My life has been forever altered. I shared so many wonderful times with Steven, and upon his death, well my life has not been the same. This book is full of graphic details. I was aware of what happened to a man whom I considered my best friend, but reading it in black ink made it so hard. I

Undeniably a story that will stay with you forever.
A remarkable and at the same time hard to believe story that will tug at your heart strings for a long time to come.
It is almost unfathomable to understand the pain and anguish that the parents of this young man went through, then and in the future. Hard to put down read.

It was a miracle that Steven came home. Today, this tragedy is more common than we ever thought. If this was to happen today, it wouldn't have made headlines. Children are abducted daily. The fact that Steven was missing for 7 years and returned home was a miracle, but his life ended tragically, and left 2 small children.

Today, Parnell is a free man. Having kidnapped Steven for 7 years and molested several others before and then only spending 4 years behind bars is the biggest tragedy.

Where is the justice. Parnell, Stevens kidnapper spends less time in prison than he had custody of Steven.

It is important to keep books like this on the shelf, and to be aware that this happens daily.