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Moving Forward: Taking The Lead In Your Life

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BRAND NEW, Exactly same ISBN as listed, Please double check ISBN carefully before ordering.

224 pages, Paperback

First published June 17, 2008

27 people are currently reading
1088 people want to read

About the author

Dave Pelzer

63 books3,411 followers
An author best known for his 1995 memoir of childhood abuse, A Child Called It.

At the age of 12, Dave was removed from an abusive home and placed in a series of foster homes. In 1979, he joined the Air Force and later became an author of memoirs and self-improvement books.

A CHILD CALLED "IT" IS COMING TO THE BIG SCREEN.

August 2017 - We are very excited to announce that writer/producer David Goldblum of Conscious Contact Productions has acquired the film rights to Dave Pelzer's, #1 New York Times bestselling book, A Child Called “IT” which was on the New York Times Best Sellers List for a record breaking six years. Tamlin Hall, whose film Holden On has won multiple awards around the country is attached to direct. Dave Pelzer is adapting the screenplay alongside Goldblum and Hall. The movie is in pre-production, with production set to begin in Spring 2018. A-List talent are already circling the project. Be sure and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates. https://www.facebook.com/AChildCalled....

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5 stars
173 (43%)
4 stars
91 (22%)
3 stars
79 (19%)
2 stars
35 (8%)
1 star
20 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for K.D. Absolutely.
1,820 reviews
December 20, 2010
I picked up this book in time for the forthcoming New Year. I wanted to be inspired. Probably to get a better perspective on how I live my life. Probably to help me improve on my weaknesses. Probably to help me write my New Year's Resolutions.

I did not get anything really. It was not a totally a bad read though. I only got reminded on somethings that I already knew from previous books and seminars that I attended in my previous companies. I think I am either too old for self-help books on behaviour modification or that I have read or known almost all that there is to know about self-improvement like how to live my own life, change my outlook, love myself before I can love others, prioritize what is important, all this will take time and they will not happen overnight, etc. They look familiar, right? Of course! For somebody who has attended Steven Covey's Seven Habits of Successful People or even its earlier predecessor, Dale Carnegie's How to Stop Worrying and Start Living or even read Rhonda Bryne's The Secret, all of what Dave Pelzer preaches in this book are just but repeats of those.

Partly, I also got interested on those parts where Dave Peltzer (born 1960) interjected his personal experiences. Many years ago, I read his 1995 memoir A Child Called 'It' and reading him this time, reminded me of his story. I actually did not know that the author of this self-help book and that memoir were one and the same so when he was narrating that part of his life about that abused child, I googled him and that confirmed my suspicion. No wonder, with the story of abuse like what the child David experienced, he must be giving inspirational talks left and right and writing self-help books and even sequels of that memoir. However, if you read further what is in Wikipedia, it says that one of his brothers is also now writing being abused as a child while another brother is speaking against David Pelzer saying that his description of the abuse is one-sided. So, while reading I was reminded of the McCourt brothers and the controversy that what Frank McCourt wrote in his memoir Angela's Ashes are mostly untrue or exaggerated.

Also, there is nothing worth commending when it comes to his writing. It is straight-forward and so simple that I felt I could write it myself. I just do not have the history of child abuse, whether true or just make-believe.

Oh maybe I do not need to have an inspiration to write my New Year's resolutions anyway. It is always about losing some pounds anyway. If only reading 200 books a year can help achieve that goal. .
Profile Image for Gohnar23.
1,020 reviews32 followers
December 23, 2024
Well I do consider this as a pretty good self help book but not that impactful in comparison to the big self help books. It offers great advice but most of the advices in here I think already are common, but I do love the humorous writing style that Dave Pezler did in writing this book and the ideas this has in formatting this book, this book also features personalized autobiography type text in each of the chapters by the end which I really appreciated.
Profile Image for Dayna Jackson.
26 reviews
December 12, 2024
A little slow in spots but I really liked it. The Point Refresher pages were awesome!
Profile Image for Elh R'.
138 reviews
July 7, 2019
I am not much into "help-yourself" books, let's start from that, so, when I saw this book in the street, I just pick it up only out of curiosity (and because I pick up mostly every book that I find in the streets). It was accumulating dust in my bookshelve till I decided to give it a try, and then, after I started reading it, I remembered why I am not into "help-yourself" books.

To tell you the truth : I can't remember not even one single paragraph of this book. I couldn't feel this book, and, at the end, it doesn't help me neither. It have some nice stories, some inspiring words, and some (kind of) "interensting" things that happened to the author, but, appart from that, it have mostly to none content, at least the kind of content I search in a book.

If you like reading "help-yourself" books, just give it a try,this is just like any other book of this kind; if you are not into this kind of books, better go read something else, this book have nothing interesting to offer.

2/5
Profile Image for Eve.
348 reviews9 followers
February 12, 2017
I was lucky enough to meet Dave Pelzer and have an autographed copy of this book. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Dave's story, stop right now and go read his first book, "A Child Called 'IT'" Dave suffered extreme physical, mental and emotional abuse as a very young child. This specific book, is an inspirational book meant to help the reader shake off any victim mentality and be able to take charge of their lives. It is simply written and flows smoothly.
124 reviews
May 11, 2024
What a story mum told me about this one and said it was a heartbreaking book. What his mother did was absolutely disgusting as to why the powers that be didn't know as to what was going on is beyond me. He has now moved on with his life, thankfully, with only a few memories. I have every respect for him in the way that he's come to terms with what happend.
Profile Image for Avery.
232 reviews
March 15, 2019
Save yourself the time and money and buy yourself a ten pack of fortune cookies - you'll find more profound wisdom there than in these pages. You may like this book if you're a fan of the romance genre though because it is nothing less than a story of great love that the author has, for the author.
Profile Image for John Stinebaugh.
281 reviews8 followers
June 4, 2019
This is one of the least inspiring books on leadership I have ever read. Vacillating between personal stories of vindication and armed forces glory days stories stretched to apply, I am not sure that there is anything substantial to take away from this one.
15 reviews
April 19, 2011
Reading books by Dave Pelzer really teaches me something. Every time i finish reading a book by this author i learn something new and he is unique from his writing and by his ideas. He talks more about life, setting goals, going from bad and much more. Due to his past, which was bad and abusive, he has learned to turn from something negative into something positive.This is very important because not many people knows how to do this and doesn't happen overnight. It would take probably year, decade or probably a lifetime to achieve something like that. Overall, from all of the books i have read, this would be the only book that i have learned something and will use it in my life.From reading, Moving Forward i have learned how people have different problems and some solve it differently. I have learned how to understand the reading better by looking at this page called "Your personal Perspective", this this is found after every chapter and contains a list of questions to help you understand what is being said.
I rate this book 5 stars and author is an inspiration to me.
He knows what life is about.
2,765 reviews9 followers
July 19, 2015
An inspirational book that gives the reader motivational tools to try and move forward from distressing and tough periods of their lives.
Pelzer speaks from the heart and at times though a little chastising and moralistic I guess he can speak from a standpoint that he knows where he is coming from after reading his "life story" trilogy.
Overall a thoroughly good person, Pelzer uses his tough life to inspire others to delve deep into themselves to become the best person they can be in spite of their background or experiences.
He truly wants to help others in need and feels a genuine sense that he can be the one to actually get people moving in the right direction.
From low self esteem and feelings of little self worth to just taking the first basic steps, to therapy and allowing others also to help you he advocates many techniques that cover a wide range of different thinking systems to try and tailor a course for life that works for each individual reader.
An interesting book overall and an insight into the author's coping mechanisms through times of stress.
A good read.
Profile Image for Tab.
17 reviews30 followers
July 11, 2008
I picked this book up at a store in the Philadelphia airport yesterday. It's not my normal read, far from it. However, there was nothing close to interesting and this book was the right length for me to complete within my 5 hour trip back to Seattle.

Surprisingly good! If this was my genre of choice I would have given it 5 stars, but I have some difficulty immersing myself into self help/awareness books. But many of his comments still managed to find a home within me and had me questioning some of the baggage I carry around, comments I make about myself jokingly and a few other things.

To boot this guys life story is unreal (not that I don't believe him, just I can't imagine it).

I think it's a great book for anyone looking for a little or a lot of self awareness and improvement.
Profile Image for Petra.
18 reviews2 followers
May 21, 2011
I wanted to read this book because I've already read two of Dave's books: A child called it and The lost boy, which I found shocking but inspirational. I was curious what this strong person had to say in Moving forward. I found descriptions of his real life experiences really good (I liked them) and from them anybody can learn and get a strength for their own life (if they are weak). Dave made some really good points in this book which can help people who are stuck in the past, especially those who were abused as children and had bad childhood experiences. I read this book because of curiousity and not because I actually needed help in that sense, but I still found some good advice for myself and now I think it will be easy for me to spot people who dwell on the past and cannot move forward. And I hope I can even help them..
Profile Image for Claudette.
416 reviews
November 9, 2015
(Audiobook) I thought this book was a bit disjointed. The author speaks throughout this book about turning bad into good. How can you believe anything is good in life from such an abusive childhood is beyond my understanding. Maybe this is a personality trait that is deep rooted into the author's DNA of being an optimist. Anyhow kudos to the author for what he has made of himself today.
Profile Image for Nancy.
21 reviews2 followers
March 7, 2009
I am a big fan of Dave. Have read al of his books and this is his most recent one. For those who have suffered from abuse (any type and any severity), this book is inspiring of telling us like it is and let's us know...the steps to move forward and we can.
Profile Image for Salas.
8 reviews
Want to read
April 29, 2009
I had the opportunity to hear him speak and meet him personally and he blew me away. What an amazing story and a strong spirit. He was so encouraging when I spoke to him. All about courage and moving on.
13 reviews1 follower
April 24, 2009
I really learned from his other books, and this one was good for its intended audience. I just don't think I am the intended audience. If I know someone who is really stuck, wallowing in the past, this would be a good recommendation.
Profile Image for Pamela Taeuffer.
Author 5 books70 followers
September 30, 2014
If anyone gets the chance to hear David speak, go to it. His capacity for forgiveness is unique. He really should be in politics to crash the unbelievable gridlock we have. Compassion from his torture -- amazing.
Profile Image for SouthWestZippy.
2,107 reviews9 followers
June 27, 2016
Outstanding book. Very quick read but one you will want to read again and again to let it all soak in. Has a tough love feel to it very blunt at times and eye opening. LOVE this book. If you are a fan of Dave Pelzer then is a MUST read.
Profile Image for Dave.
8 reviews
Want to read
September 19, 2008
I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Dave Pelzer speak, and I now have a signed copy of this book. Dave's is an amazing story of tragedy become triumph. What a wonderful man!
9 reviews1 follower
October 13, 2008
I just finished this! He pulls no punches and I loved the directness, real-ness, of this book.
Profile Image for Lorna.
1,460 reviews18 followers
June 18, 2009
When Dave Pelzer speaks, I tend to listen because of everything that he had to endure in his life. I would have liked it better though if he hadn't at times used such strong language.
Profile Image for Tabbi.
6 reviews
October 10, 2009
its very helpfull dave is such a wonderful writer i really enjoyed reading his books all of them.
39 reviews
November 9, 2010
It was fine. Not much new stuff. Easy read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Rebecca.
2 reviews1 follower
July 24, 2012
have not read yet but good like his other book to
9 reviews
December 19, 2014
This was just an awful book. I think I would punch Dave in the face if I ever met him in person.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews

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