The book(s) that I thought I could not finish

It was #1 in my Christmas wish list last year. I've been wanting to buy this for yeeeears now. Finally, I bought it at the start of January this year as a new year's gift to myself.

My Story by Dave Pelzer is actually a compilation of his three books:
~A Child Called 'It', which relates his life from age 4 to 12 ;
~The Lost Boy, which relates his life from age 12 to 18; and
~A Man Named Dave, which relates his life from 18 onwards

I first saw the book A Child Called 'It' almost four years ago in a bookstore while waiting, I think, to meet he-who-must-not-be-named-exBF. Usually, when a book catches my attention, I would browse through the first few pages to know if it was interesting enough to buy. But pages and pages went by, and I still didn't stop reading. For tens of minutes I stood there, reading the book chapter after chapter, my eyes welling up with tears. I almost finished reading the book but I had to go so I decided that I would just finish the rest next time I return to the bookstore (hehe, yea, I was being a cheapskate =P). But many things-that-should-be-forgotten happened, so I never got to go back to the bookstore to finish it. But I think in between, when I did finally decide to buy it, I found it was already out of stock and only the 2nd book, 'The Lost Boy', was available. I didn't want to read the second book without finishing the first one. Then I came to Singapore and fastforward to last year, I saw in Border's bookstore that My Story, the compilation of Dave Pelzer's three books, was available in a good price compared to buying the books individually.

After buying it last January, it sat on my bookshelf, waiting for the right time to be read. Then last month, I decided to start reading it on my bus ride from work going home. However, just on the third page of Chapter 1, I already had to stop reading and close the book. I felt a lump build up in my throat and tears welled up in my eyes, I knew I would not be able to restrain myself from crying inside the bus if I continued further. Then days after, I attempted to continue reading it again, this time in a coffee shop. But oh no, just like in the bus, I knew I would cry if I continued to read on. So I have concluded I would never be able to finish reading this book in a public place, so it went back to sit in my bookshelf. Last week though, I craved to read a new book and thought that before I buy a new book, I should finish my back log books. So this weekend that passed, I spent most of the time reading it. By this (Monday) morning 1am, I have finished the trilogy.

Dave Pelzer's My Story is very, very moving, heart-wrenching, if I may say so. Reading it is not something that made me shed just a tear or two. I cried a real crying, intermittently, for minutes, uncontrollable tears fell one after another. After finishing the third part, A Man Named Dave, I felt like I grew up with Dave and was there with him to witness how he fought to survive as an innocent but very brave child, how he struggled to exist as a normal adolescent and undo the poisoned things that were inculcated in his mind, and how he live now to tell his story as a kind-hearted and kind-souled adult, receiving love that he truly deserved. It is an honour for me to be given the privilege to get to know Dave Pelzer thru his book, as indeed he is one of the miracles that God sends to remind us that life is still beautiful to be given up.