• A Brother's Journey

  • Surviving a Childhood of Abuse
  • By: Richard B. Pelzer
  • Narrated by: Scott Brick
  • Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (433 ratings)

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A Brother's Journey  By  cover art

A Brother's Journey

By: Richard B. Pelzer
Narrated by: Scott Brick
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Publisher's summary

The Pelzer family's secret life of fear and abuse was first revealed in Dave Pelzer's inspiring New York Times best seller, A Child Called "It", followed by The Lost Child and A Man Called Dave. Here, for the first time, Richard Pelzer tells the courageous and moving story of his abusive childhood. From tormenting his younger brother David to becoming himself the focus of his mother's wrath to his ultimate liberation, here is a horrifying glimpse at what existed behind closed doors in the Pelzer home. Equally important, Richard Pelzer's touching account is a testament to the strength of the human heart and its capacity to triumph over almost unimaginable trauma.
©2005 Richard Pelzer (P)2005 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Gripping....By looking back at, and then releasing, the image of the skinny, red-haired boy who wanted nothing more than his mother's love, Pelzer discovers his true spirit, which he shares courageously and selflessly here in the hope of healing himself, as well as raising awareness of and preventing child abuse." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about A Brother's Journey

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Rj
  • 05-10-15

Thank goodness it's an audio book

The narrator is fantastic, but the story is repetitive and frustrating. I listened to this audio book after "a child called it" the first time and tolerated it better. The story needs an editor who isn't afraid to cut the fat.

The second time listening to this just dragged. It almost felt like the author wanted to ensure that the reader saw that he suffered just as much and to gain the same sympathy as for Dave.

The narrator makes it worth listening too. fantastic voice, reminds me of thr power of the story of Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow, and all off the series by o. scott card.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

An Abused Boy Grows Up to be a Man

R.P. starts the book as a five-year old who observes & participates in the abuse of his oldest brother, David, at the hands of his sadistic, cruel, alcoholic mother. At that young age, he has a sense that he has to abuse or be abused, so he is his mother's "Little Nazi," informing on David for mostly fabricated transgressions. David is the "kick-dog" in the family, made to eat out of a dog bowl, called "It," and abused horrifically. After David is rescued from the household by the authorities, R.P. knows that he is next in line for his mother's abuse. He develops a clearer understanding of David after he has suffered the same abuse David did. On a certain level, this book is a gorgeous apology from R.P. to David. R.P. then provides clear recollections of both the physical & psychological torment/torture he suffered from the age of five to fifteen as a miserable, defenseless child whose major vulnerability was that he wanted his mother to love him. Where were the adults? Neighbors, doctors, nurses, teachers who had helped David & suspected R.P. was being abused did nothing for R.P. His own father did not protect his five sons - David, Ross, Scott, R.P. and Keith, from his sicko wife and he finally left her, abandoning them. After the firstborn, David is rescued, R.P.'s hero -the secondborn Ross- leaves to join the Army. His only friend in the family gone, R.P. documents how the thirdborn, Scott assumes the role of mother's "Little Nazi" in abusing R.P. (Keith was too young to make a difference.)As I cringed in fear, dread and horror, I thought --this is so hard to listen to for 7 hours --how did he manage to survive it for 15+ yrs. An epiphany at the age of 15 provides R.P. with some psychological armor. The book ends. We know that he is moving to Salt Lake City with his mother, Scott and Keith -- we hope that he will survive until he can leave at age 18. It's a dark book that enlightens. Let's all be proactive in protecting children. See something - do something.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

amazing story of courage and strength

I have not been able to stop listening to Richard's journey until it was over. Being a human service student, I have learned how there was no protection for children before the 80's. I have had to read many stories similar to Richard's from my state and I appauld his courage and would love to meet him one day.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Jaw Dropping

Another Jaw dropping book from a member of the Pelzer family. Being a Foster Parent, I can't imagine that the abuse in this family went on for so long with no one stepping in to help these children. Although this book is heart wrenching to read, we must all be reminded that we must never turn our back or not get "involved" when a child is not safe in their own home.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Sour grapes

I loved A Boy Called It and it's sequals. However, Rihard Pelzer should be ashamed for writting this book. Clearly, David Pelzer's books told us about his horrific abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother. Don't get me wrong child abuse is unconscionable but I can't help thinking that brother Richard 's book is extension of his "envy" of his brother. (Yup, the kid was envious that David gets to sleep on the army cot!) David's book is an extremely disturbing description of the mother's mental illness. At the start of Richard's book we find Richard to be a mean and spiteful kid. Clearly Richard's abuse escalates but in no way does
He should consider himself a replacement. We read that he is able to get out, actually does his laundry. As time goes on you find his attire is old and rattie.

Richard's description of his "mom's" actions support David's horror but there was no need to. Richard did not eat excrement , was not starved, did not steal food, was not forced to regurgitate his stomach and eat what was spit out and suffer being stabbed. Richard stood up to her, got to play, got to eat at the table and got away to the hill for peace.

There are sections that explain what happened after his dad died. Mom's evil behavior escalating and he does remind us that he was a little guy during this hell. He's 15 toward the end of the book. He shares authority figures let him down. You can't help but think he's older thanks to Scot Brinks narration.

It is a good listen but the story is Richard's second best.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Very selfish

Richard seems very selfish, karmas a "b", not being mean to any abuse victim but, he got what be deserved. He bullied his brother for his own pleasure, and now hes the one going through the same things. The nerve of him trying to ride the same waves as his brother Dave, is just a shame. The book was okay, & repetitive.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Reality from a Childs perspective

while the outline provided through Audible didn't reflect the reality of the amount of chapters of the book, the book was an amazing read/listen. I was glad to see another version from a different perspective then Davids but was heartbroken by the details. I've always read David P. books as a way to make me appreciate the circumstances which I grew up with. I found that while I deeply empathized with him it gave me a deeper appreciation for what I thought was a crappy upbringing and how lucky I was to have only received the treatments I endured. my foster parents had to read his books as part of their "programming" which I supported. this book was just as sad and makes me ponder social services and their validation to only take out the currently abused child. though, I am hoping for more books from Richard as I now have many unanswered questions and now I have a life goal of meeting both of these men and speaking to them on a personal level. I would recommend this book to anyone who is unclear of the definition of abuse as well as anyone who has had a crappy life and blamed their past on why they are in their present. We children who were a part of the state do not need to become a negative statistic, this author and his brother are a true testimony to that. We can use our past to justify our failures or use them to accommodate our success but the choice is ours and ours alone.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Heart wrenching, enlightening, and enspiring

I first heard the Pelzer family story about 5 years ago, when my brother bought Dave Pelzer's books. He read a bit of A Child Called "It", and I never forgot it!About 7 months ago, I came across all 3 of Dave Pelzer's books, and read every one of them! It floored me!
As I was browsing this site, I found R.P's book, and immediately decided I wanted to read it and here his side of it. It had the same effect on me as Dave's story did.
I admire, and respect both boys, now men, for having the strength it took to get through it, and be able to tell their story no matter how painful it must have been. I have so much respect for both brothers for stepping forward, and enlightening the public not only what a horrible and heartbreaking experience growing up in an abusive home was for them, but how heartbreaking, and just plain wrong, it is for the millions of children who live in abusive homes today.
Like them, I recognize that we can't go on pretending it will never happen to children we love, or simply hiding from it, or refusing to step up and at least try and do something about it. It's not easy for the one's telling, but it's that much harder for the children who live it everyday like the Pelzer brothers did.
If you read this, it is sure to have a profound effect on you, and make you not only think, but feel, and empathize with the Pelzer brothers and what they went through.

I would like to see Dave's books on Audible.com as well. They're both must-read's as far as I'm concerned.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

heartbreaking...

This book broke my heart. That a little boy could endure so much pain and suffering from the one person that should have treasured him is unfathomable. If descriptions of graphic child abuse bother you, then this book is not for you. It was hard at times to listen to but ultimately I think it brings to light what the devasting effects of mental illness and child abuse can leave on a person.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A favorite

I loved the intamacy and intensity of this book but at the same time it often made me quite uncomfortable. A good part of it resonated with me all too well. Knowing that there are others out there that went through even worse is a big help. A different perspective gave me much food for thought. A wonderful read by Scott as well.

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