Author: Jaycee Dugard
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Date: July 12, 2011
Pages: 268
About The Author
Jaycee Dugard was an 11-year-old school girl when she was kidnapped by Phillip and Nancy Garrido in 1991. Ms. Dugard has spared no detail of her ordeal and chronicled the growth she has undergone during her first months of freedom in her memoir, "A Stolen Life."
18 Years
The kidnapping of Jaycee Lee Dugard occurred on June 10, 1991, in South Lake Tahoe, California. Ms. Dugard was 11 years old at the time and was abducted from a street while she was walking from home to a school bus stop. She remained missing for more than 18 years. During these years, Ms. Dugard gave birth to two daughters.
This story was written in the author's own words and documents the events that happened during the years that she was held in a backyard prison by Phillip and Nancy Garrido. Ms. Dugard also shares her "Reflections" about the abuse and torment that she suffered during her years in captivity.
The final part of the book tells about Jaycee Dugard's release and reunion with her mother and other family members.
Favorite Quotations
“I learned in therapy the word "No" is a complete sentence.”
“Ask yourself, "what would you do to survive?”
“There are moments in which all of us need to have a backbone and feel that we have the right to say no to adults if we believe they are doing the wrong thing. You must find your voice and not be afraid to speak up.”
“I don't believe in hate. To me it wastes too much time. People who hate waste so much of their life hating that they miss out on all the other stuff out here.”
My Thoughts
This book provides graphic details about Jaycee Dugard's kidnapping and captivity. It was difficult to read and I often felt sick at my stomach as I read about the sexual abuse that this little girl experienced at the hands of Phillip Garrido. It was equally upsetting to learn that the kidnapper's wife, Nancy Garrido, supported her perverted husband and failed to do anything to stop this horrific situation. It was also disturbing to know that Phillip Garrido was a registered sex offender and reported to parole officers during all the years that he held Jaycee in his back yard.
I applaud Ms. Dugard for having the courage to relive these years and share her story in writing. I hope and pray that her testimony will make people more aware of what is going on in their own neighborhoods. I also hope that people will have a better understanding of what a mentally ill sex offender is capable of.
This book is not for the faint hearted. This book presents evidence that EVIL exists in the world and we must be prepared to protect ourselves and our children.
Read this book and have an honest talk with your children. We can't afford to believe that something like this only happens to other people in other places.
My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5
FYI ~ I purchased a print copy of this book with my own funds.
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