children of alcoholics

The unforgettable account of one of the most sever chil abuse cases in Califorina hisoty. David Pelzer was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother who played torturous games that left him nearly dead.

Having suffered abuse and misfortune for much of her life, a young child searches for a better life and finally gets a break in the home of a loving woman with several foster children.

As a child, Dave Pelzer was brutally beaten and starved by his mother. The world knew nothing of his living nightmare and he had nothing and no one to turn to. But his dreams kept him alive -- dreams of someone taking care of him, loving him and calling him their son.

Richard B. Pelzer, author of the childhood memoir "A Brother's Journey," continues his personal story, chronicling his teenage years and young adulthood during which he suffered his mother's emotional abuse and struggled to come to terms with her physical abuse of him and of his brother David when they were small.

Explores the causes and effects of codependency, the coping mechanisms that codependents adopt, and ways to break free from a codependent mentality.

Readers who have a parent or parents that are alcohol/drug abusers learn how to survive in a chemically dependent household, and find out where to get help for their parent(s) and themselves.