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12th out of 21 books
—
7 voters
A Chance in the World: An Orphan Boy, a Mysterious Past, and How He Found a Place Called Home
A heart-rending but uplifting story of the human spirit’s ability to prevail.
From the day he is five-years-old and dropped off at his foster home of the next eleven years, Stephen is mentally and physically tortured. No one in the system can help him. No one can tell him if he has a family. No one can tell him why, with obvious African-American features, he has the last
...moreebook, 266 pages
Published
January 10th 2012
by Thomas Nelson Publishers
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A captivating memoir about a biracial child who survives the terrifying experiences of foster care in Massachusetts. His remarkable resilience, survival, faith in God and search for personal identity make this a must read for anyone working in public service.
Steve Klakowicz doesn't remember his mother or father. He does remember his first foster home with a horrible family who left him sitting on the stoop for hours when he was afraid to climb into their car. The foster situation involved a family that smiled for visiting social workers. The Robinsons of Arnold Street, however, were even worse than his first foster family, physically and verbally abusing Steve until he was in high school and finally able to break free. But it's not the incidents of...more
Memoirs I suppose, by their very nature are often tales of messy and disappointing childhoods. Growing up in middle class America with a stable mother and father would not necessarily make captivating fiction. That said, Growing up as Steve Pemberton did screamed for him to write a memoir. His earliest memory is of being placed in foster care and his first day there being abandoned when the family went off for the day. His next home was harrowing at best. It was disconcerting to see how the syst...more
A Chance in the World is a book an orphan named Steve, and what he had to go through as a child and through out his life being an orphan. As a child, Steve was put in an awful home, where he was beaten and yelled at. Life there was horrible for him. He lived there for most of his childhood and while he did, he was, whipped, burned, slapped, and almost shot on a "hunting accident". It took him until he was 17 years old until he was let out of the horrible home. Afterwards it talks about how he wa...more
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This is a very fast and affecting read.
The foster care system sucks. Please, when you read of a child being treated more horribly than you can imagine in foster care, believe it. Now that we have seen it first hand, we know it to be true. It's so very sad. How any abandoned and abused child grows up to be a stable adult is a miracle.
If you know a child you suspect to be suffering, show your caring, lend your kindness. These kids NEED to know that someone has noticed them as a human being. It cou...more
The foster care system sucks. Please, when you read of a child being treated more horribly than you can imagine in foster care, believe it. Now that we have seen it first hand, we know it to be true. It's so very sad. How any abandoned and abused child grows up to be a stable adult is a miracle.
If you know a child you suspect to be suffering, show your caring, lend your kindness. These kids NEED to know that someone has noticed them as a human being. It cou...more
This is the memoir of a terrible life, of a boy who should never have made it in the world. The product of two very dysfunctional parents, sent to a terrible foster home, denied not only a normal childhood, but food and hope, Steve Pemberton should have turned to drugs and an early incarceration or death. That he turned out a stable man with a family, and education, and good job is testement not only to his fortitude, but to the strange working of our genes. The book is a harrowing read for the...more
What can a person say when they read about child abuse and abandonment? There is not much one can say. Steve Pemberton rose above his circumstances and is to be commended. His story will make you wince, cry, grieve and scream outrage but through it all he comes out whole. I could not help but feel hopeful when he was given books by a neighbor and those books are what helped him to pull out of this hell hole he was in...and that was when he was a young boy! Thank God for that neighbor and that on...more
I cannot honestly say that this book grabbed me from page one. Actually, the first 3 or 4 chapters made me wonder if I would stick with it...but then it grabbed a hold of me and I mean a tight hold! God help anyone who interrupted my reading time once I fell in love with the story of this young abused boy! I'm quite sure that no other book has made me feel so angry before - angry with "The System" and bureaucracy in general. The events in this true story took place in the early 1970's and while...more
I recently had the opportunity to meet Steve Pemberton, as he gave the keynote speech at the National Partnership for Educational Access conference in Boston, which is also where I got the book. The book is a little hard to read at times, only because of the serious abuse Steve endures as a kid. How he made it through his childhood is unbelievable, but he does and his story is one everyone should read. I was stunned at the failures of the foster care system detailed in this book, but also reliev...more
This is the engrossing, amazing, and humbling true story of Steve Pemberton, a young boy abandoned and tossed into a foster care system which looked the other way until he was 17 years old. What he lived through is truly horrifying and yet, he appears to have emerged from his own section of Hell whole, caring, and thoughtful. Though his search for his family did not turn out the way he thought it would, the story of what he did and how he did it reads like a mystery story. His perseverance, inte...more
There are people in our neighborhoods, unknown, who are either Steve or the Robinsons. My heart aches for those little ones who are the "Steves", and who have no options. How can the system - which was initially meant to protect them - allow such treatment to continue? Particularly since, in some cases, the counselors are aware of the abuse and yet take no action.
Some people fall through the cracks and wither, some people thrive in spite of. Steve had his faith, and he had his intellect, and wi...more
Some people fall through the cracks and wither, some people thrive in spite of. Steve had his faith, and he had his intellect, and wi...more
WHAT I LIKED:
Steve Pemberton shares the story of his horrific youth in foster care and how he overcame those circumstances. Very powerful story
I recognize almost all the places and even some of the names mentioned. Pretty cool!
My favorite part is when he searches for his birth family. I won't go into spoiler details but it is certainly a roller coaster with ups and downs.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
I found the writing style difficult to deal with. I'm not a big fan of narrative, whether it's fiction or n...more
Steve Pemberton shares the story of his horrific youth in foster care and how he overcame those circumstances. Very powerful story
I recognize almost all the places and even some of the names mentioned. Pretty cool!
My favorite part is when he searches for his birth family. I won't go into spoiler details but it is certainly a roller coaster with ups and downs.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
I found the writing style difficult to deal with. I'm not a big fan of narrative, whether it's fiction or n...more
Having been a foster parent, this book really got to me. I was impressed by the author's ability to survive emotionally and physically in such a brutal environment. Unfortunately, most foster children do not find the happy outcome that Steve did. The neighbor who brought him the box of books had no idea the impact she had on his life. I have always heard that all a child needs in his/her life is one person to make a difference. In this case, it was true. Unfortunately, most foster children do no...more
The author of this book, Steve Pemberton, is the Keynote Speaker for the Annual Benefit Dinner that my nonprofit holds every year. I wanted to read it in advance of the dinner. I started it Monday night and I am more than halfway through it on Wednesday morning. The story is so compelling that I CANNOT put this book down. This is one of those books that you just want to keep reading until the very end. This man conquered so much and lived through a horrific childhood to become the successful man...more
This was a sad story that I didn't really care for all that much. The book was divided into thirds. I would give the first third 3 stars, and the last 2 thirds 1 star, so I gave it two stars. The story is about a boy who has a tough time with the social services system. He is put into a totally abusive foster home in which he is treated awfully. That part kept my attention. HOwever once he gets out, he begins searching for his birth family, and that part was kind of dull to me. This book didn't...more
A CHANCE IN THE WORLD by Steve Pemberton. This amazing true life account of a child growing into a young adult in the foster care system will make you angry, make you cry, and finally make you cheer. This story isn't just about the abusive circumstances that Steve Pemberton endures, it is his determination to survive and create a better life for himself. His struggle isn't without disappointments but ultimately he succeeds in building the life he always wanted. This is a book to share with your...more
A wonderful book---extremely uplifting. Steve Pemberton had a childhood that would have destroyed almost anyone, but through determination and intelligence, he overcame all that was thrown at home, and went on to college, marriage, parenthood and a good career. This book tells of how he came to discover his past---his parents he never knew, his extended family and why he wound up in an abusive foster home. I was truly inspired by his lack of bitterness and his faith. Beautifully written.
This book is an inspiring, heart-wrenching account of a man who survived terrible abuse both at home and in the foster care system and yet, through his own strong will, determination, and courage, graduated from college and eventually became vice president of Walgreens Corporation. I wish every high school student could read this book and recognize that they have the power to create a great life for themselves even when their circumstances and life experiences are very difficult.
I love this book and it is one of the most inspiring while being sad beyond belief. The human spirit is so strong is some souls, no matter what the circumstance. I love this man and his story. He is one of my hero's. This is a must read for all adults who can make a difference in one person's life. Suffer the little children to come unto me...
Here is a link of him at BC reading an excerpt of this fine book.
http://frontrow.bc.edu/program/pember...
Here is a link of him at BC reading an excerpt of this fine book.
http://frontrow.bc.edu/program/pember...
So much respect and admiration for Steve! This is not a depressing book about Steve's abuse, neglect, and heartache (even though that part of his life was incredibly disturbing) - as much as how his resilience, forgiveness, faith, and positive attitude (to never give up!) redeemed his life.
This book also shows how small kindnesses and investment in others can do amazing things.
If you're looking for an inspiring book to read, this is it!
This book also shows how small kindnesses and investment in others can do amazing things.
If you're looking for an inspiring book to read, this is it!
What a wonderful book, so sad but so uplifting at the same time. Steve Pemberton is remarkable; what a story he has to tell. Shame on the foster care system that almost ruined this child's life. What he went through, what he worked so hard to overcome, and the spirit that brought him through - wow! What a strong determination and character it took to get through his childhood and become such an amazing adult. A great read.
I love reading peoples' stories. This one is filled with pain, abandonment and abuse, yet he rises above the chain of family dysfunction and becomes a better man than the generations before him. I didn't connect well with the style of writing, but his story is honest and worth knowing. It did help that it takes place in Massachusetts, close to where I grew up. It helped me to picture the setting clearly.
Fascinating book with a really interesting story...and one that's true to boot! This is the story of a Walgreens executive who grew up in foster care where he didn't have a "chance in the world" to survive. With nothing but grit, determination, and a deep sense that he can overcome, he not only survives but thrives. There's definitely some unsung quiet heroes along the way looking out for him, but much of his success comes from the feeling that he's worth more than everyone says and he has a fam...more
May 05, 2012
Lori
added it
a pretty good memoir about Steven Pemberton's experience growing up for 11 years in a foster home after being taken from his mother at five. he had eleven years of child abuse and neglect in the foster home. finally getting away at fifteen or sixteen and staying with a teacher until 18. he proved his foster mother wrong by going to college. he started doing research to find his siblings and learn of his mother and father and what happened to them. won't give away too much. if you are interested...more
An amazing and well-written account of God's grace in the life of a boy seemingly disowned and discarded by the world. While his parents, "the system," and virtually every other adult utterly failed him through the span of his young life, God enabled Steve to rise above, work through and find grace in the incredible pain inflicted upon him. You will marvel at the way God is able to bring wholeness out of brokenness.
I met Steve when I was 17 years old with a desire to attend Boston College. He sacrificed leaving work on Valentine's Day to wait for me to arrive on campus and ask any final questions. I was late, but he still stayed. He understood me as an inner city kid looking for a way to better myself and turn the tide of family failures to successes. That is exactly what his book is about.
Steve's story is about the determination he showed, despite the abuse, disappointments, and setbacks. His story as a b...more
Steve's story is about the determination he showed, despite the abuse, disappointments, and setbacks. His story as a b...more
Took me only two days to read it. I couldn't put it down. Some of the stories are hard to imagine and upsetting. My heart was pounding as a I turned the pages. I felt the boy's terror.
I am amazed that the author not only lived to tell this story, but went on to great success as a father, husband and a businessman. So much can be accomplished if you just never give up.
I am amazed that the author not only lived to tell this story, but went on to great success as a father, husband and a businessman. So much can be accomplished if you just never give up.
The author was able to bring this story full circle. He told just enough of his hardships to help the reader experience the story. And even though his experiences were difficult to read, he was somehow able to always maintain hope and look to his future. I was his future (his son) that helped him heal. Great story! Moving testiment to the healing powers of hope....
Autobiography. Story of a boy growing up in dreadful foster home setting. He survived and went on to be an outstanding citizen. Throughout he searched for his birth family. I very much liked this book. I liked the author and his style of writing. As a child, he escaped into books. The books showed him that there were ways of life outside the foster care system.
I literally read this book in one day. Not only is it a quick read because it's well-written, but because his story is gripping. The first part, retelling his tortured childhood, is relatively difficult to read. You want to reach back in time and save him. But he tells his story with a voice of strength and determination; you know he emerges victorious somehow. I really appreciated the lack of swearing, even though it's alluded to that there was cursing - he never lowered the standards of his wr...more
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