The Pale-Faced Lie

A True Story

By: David Crow

Narrated by: Kaipo Schwab

Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's Summary

Growing up on the Navajo Indian Reservation, David Crow and his siblings idolized their dad. Tall, strong, smart, and brave, the self-taught Cherokee regaled his family with stories of his World War II feats. But as time passed, David discovered the other side of Thurston Crow, the ex-con with his own code of ethics that justified cruelty, violence, lies - even murder.

A shrewd con artist with a genius IQ, Thurston intimidated David with beatings to coerce him into doing his criminal bidding. David's mom, too mentally ill to care for her children, couldn't protect him. One day, Thurston packed up the house and took the kids, leaving her nothing. Soon he remarried, and David learned that his stepmother was just as vicious and abusive as his father.

Through sheer determination, and with the help of a few angels along the way, David managed to get into college and achieve professional success. When he finally found the courage to stop helping his father with his criminal activities, he unwittingly triggered a plot of revenge that would force him into a showdown with Thurston Crow. With lives at stake, including his own, David would have only 24 hours to outsmart his father - the brilliant, psychotic man who bragged that the three years he spent in the notorious San Quentin State Prison had been the easiest time of his life.

©2019 David Crow (P)2020 Tantor

Best new release I’ve read!

This isn’t the genre I normally gravitate to, but a dear friend recommended this book and I could’t say no. I first purchased the hardcover and while reading it the audiobook came out which is my preferred media for time reasons. I utilized both, for some excerpts I just had to re-read with my own two eyes. This fast paced, unbelievably true story kept my interest the whole time and the heart wrenching descriptions left me in disbelief that this is reality for some children/families. All that being said, author, David Crow never took on a hostile, bitter, or begrudging tone which you will better understand as the book progresses. I appreciated the insight into Native American reservation life and will seek out more books on this topic thanks to this one. David Crow: you overcame so many odds. Your love of reading, resilience and straight up grit resulted in an amazing book. Thank you for sharing your story! My very best to you and all your extended family affected by your rocky upbringing.

More Inspiring than Unbroken

Well written, gritty and compelling, Crow's riveting book pulls you into his dysfunctional upbringing of violence and crime. The Pale-Faced Lie credibly develops its characters from the gripping poverty of the desert southwest to brushes with the height of power in affluent Washington, D.C. It is a well presented work of inspiration. Thank you, David Crow, for having the courage to share your story.

Two sittings

I related with many aspects of this book but even without the commonality, I wouldn't have been able to put it down. Great immersion narration, as well. Top book out of 14 in 2020, so far.

I couldn't stop listening!

I want to start by saying how happy I am that David Crow decided to share his story and write The Pale-Faced Lie. As someone who also had a difficult childhood (although the craziness ended for me when I was 12 and I wasn't a little hellion) I can understand how hard it would be to put your story out in the world for people to judge. His experiences were so hard to read about, but I'm glad I had a chance to read this book and I applaud him for writing it.

The Pale-Faced Lie really opened my eyes to what life was like on a Navajo Indian Reservation in the 50s and 60s and I feel like I learned a lot of different things, not just about the author's life. I also really liked the pictures that were included in the book and I really wish there had been more of them. I love memoir's that include pictures so I can get little snapshots of what people actually looked like and put names to faces. Crow has a fascinating life story, and one that I know will stick with me a long time. His dad was an interesting, to put it nicely, man and I couldn't believe some of the things that happened in this book.

I ended up reading the beginning of The Pale-Faced Lie, but then I switched over to audio which I think is the way to go with this book. Even though the author doesn't narrate it, I really enjoyed the narrator Kaipo Schwab and think he did a fantastic job bringing David Crow's story to life. If you are going to read this book I would recommend having the physical copy for the pictures and doing the audio for actually reading it.

Song/s the book brought to mind Help! by The Beatles

Final Thought: For David Crow's story, you really do have to read it to believe it. So many crazy things happen in this book, and you definitely get the picture of what a dysfunctional family he had. I really felt for him and I wouldn't wish most of what happened on anyone no matter what. If you are looking for a fascinating memoir, you will find it in The Pale-Faced Lie!

My many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions and thoughts are my own.

David from Beacon Book Club

A painful story to listen to , yet I feel I’m better for it. I certainly identify with much and am happy David found the Spiritual healing of forgiveness. Life has it’s paradoxes.
Thank you,
David

I loved this book, and so will you!

This story filled me with the full spectrum of emotions. I never cried while reading a book before, but this story drew it out of me. It’s an inspirational story of a disadvantaged boy finding love and success despite the adversity. You won’t regret reading this book.

Gripping Story

Great story, well-written and perfect narration! I appreciate David Crow for sharing his story. The circumstances he and siblings endured were not easy to hear. In depth and vivid descriptions make this a must listen!

EXCELLENT!!!!

5 stars across the board! Engaging from start to finish and every minute in between. This memoir is phenomenal!

Ouch.

This was torturous. Crow's upbringing was beyond dysfunctional to the point of being painful to listen to. His writing is simple, but effective. The editing leaves way too much mundane crap in the book, but again, the storytelling is still good. It is the content I had trouble with--child and spouse abuse is not something I handle well, and David Crow experienced way more than any child should. Crow's attitude toward his mom is possibly misinterpreted by the narrator, making him seem more callous than he maybe should. His father is such a hateful, abusive, evil character that the lightness with which the narrator treats him gives the performance an insane and unsettling quality. This is neither a fun nor gratifying read, and the only redeeming thing I can think to state is that it is a wonder Mr. Crow was able to pull himself up and out of the muck that was his childhood and adolescence. If you enjoy listening to true stories of horrific domestic and family abuse, though, this is going to be right up your alley.

Wonderful Book!

I loved this story the whole way through. The narration was fantastic! I listened a couple times.

A gift to the reader/listener in many ways

At the story level, an engossing and amazing lesson in survival, overcoming and an argunent that angels do exist, somehow pulling special people out of hellish depths and into a life blessed with wisdom and allowing for a loving, humble and giving life.
At a much deeper level, no matter the depth of suffering so many children, young adults and old folks, like me, still healing the wounds and pain...whether David's kind of hell or the more common absorbtion of the negativity of "average" unhappy parents....the reality that we hold the key within ourselves to make our own healing begin or continue is put clearly forward by the amazing life shared by David...and i thank him and send my deepest admiration.