Return to the River

Reflections of Life Choices During a Worldwide Pandemic

Dave Pelzer

• Publisher: Health Communications Inc EB
• Year: 2023
• Print ISBN: 9780757324543
• eBook ISBN: 9780757324550
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Social Science Biographies
• Index: Social Sciences

From #1 international bestselling author, speaker, and humanitarianDavePelzer comes the next chapter in his life—how, after spending decades saving others in the military, as a fire captain, and an internationally acclaimed advocate, he needs to confront a way to save himself. On the surface, DavePelzer's life seems like an action movie—he's walked the red carpet with celebrities and stood shoulder to shoulder with soldiers in Iraq; he's flown top-secret missions for the U.S. Air Force, obtaining the rank of chief, and battledwildfiresin California as a volunteer fire captain. And now—on the eve of the 50-year anniversary of this rescue from horrific childhood of abuse and into the safety of the foster care system—he reflects on the battles he's fighting in his own heart. From a lifetime spent serving and saving others, can he learn how to serve and save himself? Banished to his basement at age five, DavePelzer had cried a river of tears before most children learned to tie their shoes. His now classic books, A Child Called "It " and The Lost Boy, chronicled how he was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who nearly killed him multiple times. But despite the odds stacked against him, he rose to become a#1 New York Times bestselling author, inspirational speaker, andinternationallyrecognized humanitarian. After fighting for years to vanquish his pain and to channel it into service for others, Pelzer sifts through the psychological rubble of a life that has seemingly crumbled around him. What he shares is deeply transformative and unflinchingly honest.In his struggle to simplysurvive, he never learned how to just be. Reeling from the loss of a love—and a broken spirit—Pelzer must reconcile his life choices and free himself of blame and shame to find peace and renewed purpose. Amidst the towering redwood trees and the serenity of his childhood utopia of the Russian River, Pelzerreflects on having thecourage to move forward in your life, the peace to accept yourself, the vulnerability to strip yourself of facades, and to find the tenacity to carry on when life doesn't turn out the way you planned. For anyone who has been hurt, victimized, or feels alone, there is hope and there is always a way to rewrite your own story. Pelzer's soulful and inspiring story will remind you to keep your faith, live with gratitude, and find the well of resilience deep within you.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Epigraph
• Dedication
• Acknowledgments
• Author’s Note
• Chapter One: The Deepest of Wells
• Chapter Two: Damaged Goods
• Chapter Three: Lucky Man
• Chapter Four: The Odyssey of Sleep
• Chapter Five: The Long Suffering
• Chapter Six: Now Begin
• Chapter Seven: Turning Points
• Chapter Eight: Time in Our World
• Chapter Nine: Push Through
• Chapter Ten: State of Grace
• Epilogue: Rescue Day
• Perspectives
• Book Club Questions
• About the Cover Artist Nan Still
• About the Author
• Copyright