Search - Help Yourself: Finding Hope, Courage, and Happiness

Help Yourself: Finding Hope, Courage, and Happiness
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Help Yourself: Finding Hope, Courage, and Happiness
Author: David J. Pelzer, Dave Pelzer

Book Information
Publisher: Plume Books
Book Type: Paperback
Rating:

ISBN-13: 9780452282766 - ISBN-10: 0452282764
Publication Date: 9/1/2001
Pages: 218


Other Versions of this Book: Hardcover

Book Description:
"A living example that all of us have the capability to better ourselves no matter what the odds . . .Dave Pelzer inspires us all." (Jack Canfield, coauthor of Chicken Soup for the Soul)

As nearly four million readers have learned from his three previous books, Dave Pelzer doesn't believe in feeling sorry for himself. Abused mercilessly by his mother as a child, Dave has taken everything that happened to him and turned it into something positive so that he can help others. Now happily married and with a child of his own, he celebrates the twin pillars of strength that saw him through his darkest hours: resilience and gratitude. And he shows how anyone can tap into these virtues to live a better and more fulfilling life.

In Help Yourself, Dave Pelzer explains how to move beyond a painful history, harmful negative thoughts, and innumerable setbacks by urging readers to take control and be accountable for their lives. Filled with his own history, as well as the personal struggles of others who have learned how to turn adversity into triumph, Help Yourself is a rousing call to readers who want real answers to real problems. Never before in paperback, it will undoubtedly join Pelzer's previous paperbacks on bestseller lists for years to come.

Members who requested this book also requested:

Similar books to this author and title:
A Man Named Dave: A Story of Triumph and ForgivenessThe Privilege of YouthA Child Called The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family


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Top Member Book Reviews

Alecia B. (aleciagail) wrote on 1/8/2006...

2 member(s) found this review helpful.

This has always been my favorite book. If you ever feel like your life is bad or you start to feel down about yourself, take a peak inside the life of Dave.

Heather B. (HeatherLovesSpike) wrote on 11/15/2005...

2 member(s) found this review helpful.

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 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

Morvie B. (soaringspirit) wrote on 9/23/2006...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Awesome, Awesome book. Help yourself and read the book. I read all of Dave's books and you will be amazed how he overcame a childhood full of extreme abuse at the hands of a mentally ill mother.


Please Rate these Book Reviews

Robert G. (burosky) wrote on 12/12/2006...


Started reading but lost interest half way through. Not the same as the other books by the same author. This is basically a self-help type book.

Nanci O. (valleygirl) - Ogden, UT wrote on 11/25/2006...


Very positive self-help book

Paula B. (1teacher) wrote on 7/5/2006...


This book is the 4th book in a series. If you've read "A Child called It" and the other 2 books after it, you'll have to have this.

Diane W. (williswood) wrote on 6/11/2006...


A powerful book from the author of "A Boy Called "It". He was abused mercilessly by his mother as a child, Dave turns his past into a positive by helping those who have gone through the same things that he endured.

Ralph R. (rwx) wrote on 5/28/2006...


An easy read that can truely make your life happy. Filled with recaps of his 1st 3 books, Dave Pelzer gives down to earth advice on how to handle situations in your life! A classic book!!!

Denise K. (ReadingJunkie) wrote on 9/5/2005...


In Help Yourself, Dave explains how we can move beyond a painful history, harmful negative thought, and innumerable setbacks by taking control and being accountable for our lives. Filled with his own history as well as the personal struggles of those who have followed his three-step plan for turning adversity into triumph, Help Yourself is a rousing call to people who want real answers to real problems.


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