{"product_id":"chosen-a-memoir-of-stolen-boyhood-paperback","title":"Chosen: A Memoir of Stolen Boyhood - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eStephen Mills\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner of the National Jewish Book Award for Memoir\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"An unparalleled achievement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e, a work of shattering, almost unbearable radiance. I did not stop crying throughout. For Mills. For my young self. For all of us who have lived and continue to live in that pitiless abyss of childhood abuse. To read this courageous book is to be transformed utterly by Mills's empathy, resilience, and grace. Mark my words: \u003ci\u003eChosen \u003c\/i\u003eis destined to be a classic because this is a book that will save lives.\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e--Junot Díaz, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAt thirteen years old, Stephen Mills is chosen for special attention by the director of his Jewish summer camp, a charismatic social worker intent on becoming his friend. Stephen, whose father died when he was four, places his trust in this authority figure, who first grooms and then molests him for two years. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eStephen tells no one, but the aftershocks rip through his adult life, as intense as his denial: self-loathing, drug abuse, petty crime, and horrific nightmares, all made worse by the discovery that his abuser is moving from camp to camp, state to state, molesting other boys. Only physical and mental collapse bring Stephen to confront the truth of his boyhood and begin the painful process of recovery--as well as a decades-long crusade to stop a serial predator, find justice, and hold to account those who failed the children in their care. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe trauma of sexual abuse is shared by one out of every six men, yet very few have broken their silence. Unflinching and compulsively readable, \u003ci\u003eChosen\u003c\/i\u003e eloquently speaks for those countless others and their families. It is a rare act of consummate courage and generosity--the indelible story of a man who faces his torment and his tormentor and, in the process, is made whole.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eStephen Mills\u003c\/b\u003e is the coauthor with Roger Fouts of \u003ci\u003eNext of Kin: My Conversations with Chimpanzees, \u003c\/i\u003ea \u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e Best Book of the Year. He has advised and written for an array of public interest organizations in the fields of human rights, civil liberties, and the environment. Since 1983, he has worked with the Natural Resources Defense Council, building campaigns that have mobilized millions of people in support of environmental protection. Stephen is honored to serve as an Ambassador for CHILD USA, the leading nonprofit think tank fighting for the civil rights of children. He lives in California with his wife, Susan.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 336\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.9 x 8.8 x 5.6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 04, 2023\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47381550891186,"sku":"9781250871152","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0770\/3891\/1666\/files\/2916a09c33e9a021cbebe8de85ec3ca9.webp?v=1777814995","url":"https:\/\/box.dadyminds.org\/products\/chosen-a-memoir-of-stolen-boyhood-paperback","provider":"DADYMINDS BOX","version":"1.0","type":"link"}