Review: The Lost Boy

The Lost Boy by Dave Pelzer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

First off, narrator Brian Keeler does an excellent job handling the many man, woman, and boy voices required to narrate this memoir. He uses an understated delivery ranging from Martin Donovan to Tommy Chong.

I plan on taking in a trio of book related to Pelzer's life this summer and after being inspired by my nephew picking up A Child Called "It". Apparently, there is some controversy around the facts of this life. I don't know. How would I? Maybe things not factually accurate are psychologically accurate. I just finished Speak, Memory and the great writer there spoke of needed to get facts and corrections from cooperative family members to get his own story right. This foster child estranged from his parents hardly had the same options.

Frequent dialog I know is a feature of typical memoirs and I find it hard to believe any memory can be that good, but other than this is a moving recollection that reads true enough me. Backmatter include testimonial from foster care and probation figures that new Pelzer as a lost child in the '70s. The over goal here is not woe-is-me but a clarion call for more, better screened foster parents and undermining prejudice toward foster children. Worth goals, indeed.

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