THE PRIVILEGE OF YOUTH

Dave Pelzer, the author of the bestselling A CHILD CALLED "IT," has gone backwards in the memoir of his life in order to fill in his missing teenage years. His narrative is filled with bullies who taunted him, foster parents who were scared of "the foster kid," and tough choices like whether to stay in school or to quit and get a job. There are good memories as well, such as the feeling of finally belonging to a neighborhood, and friendships that have lasted into adulthood. J. Charles gives the narrative a nostalgic tone. He offers the memories as if he were commiserating with friends rather than reading for strangers. J.F.M. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 04/ JAN 05]