Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Simon & Schuster (2011), Edition: Reprint, 233 pages
Description
The memoir of Jaycee Dugard who was kidnapped on June 10, 1991, when she was 11 years old, and was missing for over 18 years before her reappearance in 2009.
Media reviews
Desert View
“a stolen life” by Jaycee Dugard is about a young girl who was captured at a very young age (11). Her capturer being a man twice her age who needed her help to fix his “problem.” Which at a young age Jaycee believed to be true. Truth is, he was using her for sexual pleasure. Jaycee was told
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this lie for many years, meaning attempting to escape whenever she had the chance. Until she reaches the age of 14; she finds out she is carrying a baby girl. Once she is born, she is the only thing tying Jaycee down to the horrors of the home she grew to become used to. Later on in the book she is met with more surprises and challenges throughout her 18 years of captivity. Which is why it is an incredible book and definitely recommendable to others. The author (Jaycee) is able to immediately grab readers attention, introduce something new within every chapter, and is able to help us create a relationship with her.
In the beginning of the autobiography, Jaycee captures the reader’s attention by commencing at the beginning of the day in which she will be taken. She begins engaging the reader by creating a sentimental feeling when she saids, “I made a point the night before to remind her to kiss me good-bye. As I lay in bed waiting, I hear the front door close. She has left. She has forgotten. I guess there is always tonight when she gets home from work to give her a kiss and hug.” (Dugard, 26) Reading from the book’s introduction and book summary we know she will be getting kidnapped. We know that may or may not have been her last chance to embrace her mother. So we feel sympathy for her and continue to read on, urging to find out when she will see her mother once again.
While continuously reading along with her life story we are given new drastic events that catch us off guard. The main turning point was when she was told she might be pregnant. “I told them my stomach was hurting a lot, too. They said, “We think you might be pregnant.” I was stunned and scared. What was going to happen to me? What was going to happen to the baby?” (Dugard, 167) The same questions she asked herself, were the same question we asked while reading. Where will she have the baby if she is not allowed to leave the house? Questions that drives you to keep reading into young Jaycee’s life. To summarize this situation; she has her first daughter at age fourteen. Her name is “A.” Two years later she gives birth to her second child, “G.” Adding even more weight to her shoulders. Also leading us to ask ourselves, “What will happen next?”
In general, “feeling” wise, the author is able have create multiple emotions throughout the book. An example for sympathy and sorrow is when she saids, “I am thirteen years old. I do not feel thirteen. I still feel like I’m eleven.” (Dugard, 128) Time, is a crucial thing in a child’s life. In this case Jaycee is missing her childhood, she is being held captive. It is a sad thing to miss out on the important events in a kids/teenagers life. Which is what was stolen from her; her innocence her child experiences. In another section of the book Jaycee is able to feel her pain even when she doesn’t say it directly. “He says that would be dangerous. Dangerous to whom? But I don’t argue.” (Dugard, Page 173) We feel the surrender and pain in her tone, she has given up on fighting back. We realize that she has finally come to accept it. We know that from here she will endure the most pain and receive traumatizing experiences. Which hurts us, but helps keep our focus on the book to continue reading it and create a relationship with her. With what she goes to we are able to relate to her, and put her experience with ours. Feeling the similarity, feeling the relationship forming between reader and author.
To sum it up, “a stolen life” by Jaycee Dugard is a definite read to those who are looking for a story with emotion and sensibility. A book that Dugard is able to immediately grab readers attention, introduce something new within every chapter, and is able to help us create a relationship with her. It is a positive recommendation in taking the time to read.
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There are novelists, most notably Emma Donoghue in “Room,” who have tried to imagine what a plight like this is like. There are tabloids that have capitalized on its obscenity. And there are far too many survivors of ghastly crimes who have told their stories in lurid terms laced with
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self-pity. But Ms. Dugard is different. Her book is brave, dignified and painstakingly honest, even when it comes to the banal particulars of how she stayed afloat. The best parts of “A Stolen Life” are good enough to outweigh the hand-written journal entries about Eclipse, her beloved kitten. Yes, Eclipse is the name Ms. Dugard innocently chose. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member Citizenjoyce
Jaycee Dugard was abducted at the age of 11 and held by a psychopath for 18 years, so got no more than a 5th grade education. As in the fictitious book Room, the story of her recovery is as interesting as the story of her captivity. The man who held her captive used such effective mind control on
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her that she thought she was responsible for his every mood and for saving others (he used her to "overcome" his sexual problems so he wouldn't have to hurt anyone else). Also he encouraged her and his wife to discuss anything with him because he knew all the answers and Jaycee was told (at mind numbing length) whenever she disagreed why she was wrong and he was right. She's found an excellent "reunification therapist," Rebecca Baily, who is helping her grow into a strong, confident woman. She has started a foundation to help abducted and oppressed people using animal therapy. One of the things she wished for herself when she was a captive was that she would write a best selling book, and she has. Show Less
LibraryThing member auntmarge64
I am so impressed with Dugard! We all know her story and probably have the same questions: why didn’t she run when she finally started being given some freedom after years of captivity, how could her existence in a sex offender’s backyard go undetected for 18 years, how did she get away, and
If you read this, start on the very first page, the “author’s note”. Every single page is worthwhile, even the acknowledgements at the end. Most important of all, though, is Dugard’s warning in the introduction: My goal is to inspire people to speak out when they see that something is not quite right around them. We live in a world where we rarely speak out and when someone does, often nobody is there to listen. My hope is that society changes in regards to how we treat someone who speaks out….For many, it is so much easier to live in a self-made “backyard” that it can be tough and scary to venture out and leave that comfort zone behind. It is so worth it, though. You could be saving a person or a family who is not able to save themselves.
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how are she and girls coping now? And for me, this book provided most of those answers, although not in a straightforward way. In fact, I doubt a straightforward telling would have answered the first question at all, because most of us will have no experiences we can use to compare with hers. Instead, she uses multiple small chapters to highlight the main events she recalls, as she remembers experiencing them, interspersed with reflections on her memories from today’s viewpoint. There are also journal entries which add to the overall sense of sharing how her inner life changed over the years. I picked the book up to read about how she’s doing since being freed, and ended up reading the whole book in a few hours. I simply couldn’t put it down.If you read this, start on the very first page, the “author’s note”. Every single page is worthwhile, even the acknowledgements at the end. Most important of all, though, is Dugard’s warning in the introduction: My goal is to inspire people to speak out when they see that something is not quite right around them. We live in a world where we rarely speak out and when someone does, often nobody is there to listen. My hope is that society changes in regards to how we treat someone who speaks out….For many, it is so much easier to live in a self-made “backyard” that it can be tough and scary to venture out and leave that comfort zone behind. It is so worth it, though. You could be saving a person or a family who is not able to save themselves.
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LibraryThing member akblanchard
At the age of eleven, Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped by a convicted rapist and his wife and forced to live in captivity for eighteen years. At first she was subject to horrifying sexual abuse, but as the years went by the trio morphed into a dysfunctional family, bound together by its secrets and
A Stolen Life is heartbreaking story, but, disappointingly, it is also poorly written and redundant. By the time I got to the point at which Jaycee is freed and gushing about her therapeutic horseback riding sessions, I had had quite enough of the whole thing.
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Jaycee's need to protect her two daughters. Surprisingly, Jaycee and her captors even operated a printing business together. A Stolen Life is heartbreaking story, but, disappointingly, it is also poorly written and redundant. By the time I got to the point at which Jaycee is freed and gushing about her therapeutic horseback riding sessions, I had had quite enough of the whole thing.
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LibraryThing member Marlene-NL
Not sure if I should give this a 2 or a 3. I agree with another reviewer who states that this book should have been written a few years later. Now it feels more like a therapy session for Jaycee.
I liked the beginning and of course I understand that she does not know exactly when things happened,
Now that I think about it, There must have been a lot of pressure from the press because if we are honest, we all wanted to know what happened to her. So it is understandable she wrote this book so soon. Ha, my review is also jumpy. I really feel for Jaycee Dugard and I hope she can live her life somewhere peacefully.
By the way, Am I the only one who wondered if creep Garrido did not touch her daughters? Yes I understand they were his daughters but that does not say much in this day and age.
I liked the beginning and of course I understand that she does not know exactly when things happened,
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and yes the book jumped around in a lot of places and I also get that. It is hard to recall every thing that happened in your past. Especially when every day is the same. What I don't get is that The chapters where she wrote about her being free, are also very jumpy. For instance the story about the horses and the therapy sessions.Now that I think about it, There must have been a lot of pressure from the press because if we are honest, we all wanted to know what happened to her. So it is understandable she wrote this book so soon. Ha, my review is also jumpy. I really feel for Jaycee Dugard and I hope she can live her life somewhere peacefully.
By the way, Am I the only one who wondered if creep Garrido did not touch her daughters? Yes I understand they were his daughters but that does not say much in this day and age.
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LibraryThing member TiffanyAK
Jaycee Dugard's book is going to be very hard to read for anyone that has any sense of empathy towards other people. If you know anything at all about her story, you'll know why that's the case. Everything from the writing style to the way that events are recalled will very much put you in the
You can definitely tell as you read that the book is written by Jaycee Dugard herself. Though she continued to read and attempt to educate herself after her kidnapping, it doesn't change the fact that her formal education stopped at the fifth grade. You can also tell that she had very little in those eighteen years, meaning that a very large part of her life, and among the very few things that she could gain any sense of happiness from, were her various pets and other simple things. So, you shouldn't start reading the book expecting a literary masterpiece full of excitement and adventure. You need to take it for what it is. She wrote the truth of what her life was, and it would be foolish to expect anything more.
I came away from this book, and from the TV interview, with a great respect for Jaycee's courage and determination. Despite everything, she not only survived, but is becoming ever stronger, and now serves as an inspiration for abuse victims everywhere to not be afraid to come forward and speak out. She is also an absolutely devoted and loving mother to her daughters, though they came from the most terrible of circumstances. She deserves our support and our respect, and I can only hope that those who do discover the identities of her and especially her daughters will continue to respect their privacy and treat them the same as they did before. It's the very least any of us could do in such a situation, and perhaps would let Jaycee put her fears to rest and know that her daughters will be allowed to live as normal of a life as possible. I certainly wish them all the best now and in their future. It certainly looks far more hopeful than their past.
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place of that little eleven year-old girl, who will then take you with her as she grows up in captivity, gives birth to and raises two daughters, and then finally regains her freedom after eighteen very long years. Sometimes the journey is told briefly, and sometimes in heartbreaking detail, but it is always painful to read regardless.You can definitely tell as you read that the book is written by Jaycee Dugard herself. Though she continued to read and attempt to educate herself after her kidnapping, it doesn't change the fact that her formal education stopped at the fifth grade. You can also tell that she had very little in those eighteen years, meaning that a very large part of her life, and among the very few things that she could gain any sense of happiness from, were her various pets and other simple things. So, you shouldn't start reading the book expecting a literary masterpiece full of excitement and adventure. You need to take it for what it is. She wrote the truth of what her life was, and it would be foolish to expect anything more.
I came away from this book, and from the TV interview, with a great respect for Jaycee's courage and determination. Despite everything, she not only survived, but is becoming ever stronger, and now serves as an inspiration for abuse victims everywhere to not be afraid to come forward and speak out. She is also an absolutely devoted and loving mother to her daughters, though they came from the most terrible of circumstances. She deserves our support and our respect, and I can only hope that those who do discover the identities of her and especially her daughters will continue to respect their privacy and treat them the same as they did before. It's the very least any of us could do in such a situation, and perhaps would let Jaycee put her fears to rest and know that her daughters will be allowed to live as normal of a life as possible. I certainly wish them all the best now and in their future. It certainly looks far more hopeful than their past.
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LibraryThing member LibraryCin
Jaycee Dugard was only 11-years old in 1991 when she was snatched from the street while she walked to school one morning. She was raped and imprisoned for 18 years before she got out with her two daughters, born to her at ages 14 and 17.
How horrifying! I can’t even imagine. I vaguely remember
Jaycee mixes what she remembers from when it was happening with reflections (at the end of many chapters) to describe what she thinks/feels as she looks back, and with journal entries from the time - one journal focusing on one of the many cats that she had while in captivity and one journal that goes through some of the last decade or so of her captivity. Some of the writing was simple – Jaycee only had a grade 5 education before she was kidnapped – but that didn’t detract from my interest to keep reading and find out what happened and how she got out. The end does focus on some of the recovery and reunion with her mom, sister, and aunt after she got out with her daughters.
How horrifying! I can’t even imagine. I vaguely remember
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hearing the name somewhere along the way, but don’t remember hearing what actually happened. (But then (sadly), there seem to have been a number of these, so I may also be confusing some of them). This book is not for the faint of heart, as it does go into detail on the sexual abuse – at least to describe the first time Philip did each of these horrible things to her, though later in the book, it wasn’t mentioned as much... certainly wasn’t described in detail later. And Philip’s wife, Nancy, was a party to all of this, right from helping him the day they kidnapped her!Jaycee mixes what she remembers from when it was happening with reflections (at the end of many chapters) to describe what she thinks/feels as she looks back, and with journal entries from the time - one journal focusing on one of the many cats that she had while in captivity and one journal that goes through some of the last decade or so of her captivity. Some of the writing was simple – Jaycee only had a grade 5 education before she was kidnapped – but that didn’t detract from my interest to keep reading and find out what happened and how she got out. The end does focus on some of the recovery and reunion with her mom, sister, and aunt after she got out with her daughters.
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LibraryThing member purelush
A powerful memoir that's not for the faint of heart. The beginning is the most difficult part to get through as Ms Dugard writes in present tense, almost reliving the events. If you can stomach it (and I had to put it down a few times myself), it's definitely worth reading to the end - to read
Beautifully written book by an incredibly strong woman.
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about her reconnections with family and friends and learning to live in the outside world.Beautifully written book by an incredibly strong woman.
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LibraryThing member rebeccaday1
This was an amazing book, I could not even begin to understand what she went through to it's full extent! Even though it is not up to most peoples standards of writing she truly is able to paint a picture of she went through all those years with those horrible people. I liked the fact she added in
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her journal entries as well , this helped to illustrate her feelings in the moment. I am so happy she was finally freed and reunited with her family. My God bless her and her family! Show Less
LibraryThing member IandSsmom
This is an amazing story of one very strong girl turned woman. Sometimes there is just no choice but to survive. It is amazing that she felt like these people were her "family" with all the awful things done to her and that at any time she considered his feelings about her "love" but with that much
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brainwashing I can understand how she did. And I suppose it is how you'd have to think of it to survive in this enviroment for all that time. And to raise 2 daughters in all if this at such a young age. It is just amazing. I hope her life is easy and carefree now she deserves it! Show Less
LibraryThing member CNRH
This is an amazing story. The trauma and abuse that she went through is absolutely sicken, but the way she stands tall is truly inspiring. The book is a fairly quick read, but the story is truly one to remember.
LibraryThing member Cailin
This is one of those books that I felt I had to read. I didn't enjoy it but not because the writing was bad or anything, just the story itself was so unimaginable. I can't rate it.
LibraryThing member TiffanyHickox
I read this book wanting to learn more about her captivity and the choice she made not to leave her abductors. It shed light on this horrible incident. Her story is a testament of the human spirit's ability to heal, survive and adapt, and I wish her many years of happiness with her family.
LibraryThing member TFS93
Wow!! It is amazing that Jaycee has turned out so loving, smart, and brave. I am so glad that she is home with her family where she belongs. Her story is one of triumph over great evil! She is an inspiration!
LibraryThing member Spiceca
In reading this memoir, I kept getting the surreal aspect that the abuse this woman/child endured seemed almost out of a bizarre movie. I am by no means saying that I have any doubt that what is written it what actually happened. More so- it is just so unfathomable that a person could treat a child
It was a fast read but not specifically an easy read. Jaycee is very candid about all aspects of her captivity. It is also written as from the perspective of a child which lent the abuse even more disturbing aspects.
The man and woman that took these years from her are both very despicable and pitiful individuals.
I am pleased that Jaycee has managed to come out of such tragedy to become a caring, compassionate and strong young woman. I wish her all the best.
It was a story that had to be told and I am very happy that the writing was not only Jaycee's decision but that it also ultimately gives her power back- by the might pen. I feel that I cannot justly rate this because I wish the need for this book didn't exist.
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like PG did that my brain just can't get wrapped around it. It was a fast read but not specifically an easy read. Jaycee is very candid about all aspects of her captivity. It is also written as from the perspective of a child which lent the abuse even more disturbing aspects.
The man and woman that took these years from her are both very despicable and pitiful individuals.
I am pleased that Jaycee has managed to come out of such tragedy to become a caring, compassionate and strong young woman. I wish her all the best.
It was a story that had to be told and I am very happy that the writing was not only Jaycee's decision but that it also ultimately gives her power back- by the might pen. I feel that I cannot justly rate this because I wish the need for this book didn't exist.
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LibraryThing member mcelhra
In 1991 Jaycee Dugard was a typical American eleven-year old girl. Then one day she was kidnapped by Phillip Garrido and held captive by him and his wife Nancy for the next eighteen years. She was raped multiple times and ultimately bore two daughters while in captivity. She also endured horrific
It was hard to believe while reading A Stolen Life that Jaycee Dugard only has a fifth grade education. She did a great job expressing what she felt while in captivity and how she feels now that she’s free. I liked how she wrote about her time in captivity from the perspective of the child she was at that time without filtering her experience through her adult eyes. Then from time to time, she interjects with a “reflection” which is her adult self analyzing and interpreting the events as she sees them now looking back on them.
I really appreciated the honesty and sincerity that Jaycee told her story with. She seems like a surprisingly well-adjusted person now which definitely made reading about the horrors she went through a little easier. I do wish she would have written more about how she and her daughters have adjusted to life after being freed but I understand her wish to protect her daughters’ privacy and to try and get them and herself out of the spotlight as quickly as possible.
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emotional abuse as well.It was hard to believe while reading A Stolen Life that Jaycee Dugard only has a fifth grade education. She did a great job expressing what she felt while in captivity and how she feels now that she’s free. I liked how she wrote about her time in captivity from the perspective of the child she was at that time without filtering her experience through her adult eyes. Then from time to time, she interjects with a “reflection” which is her adult self analyzing and interpreting the events as she sees them now looking back on them.
I really appreciated the honesty and sincerity that Jaycee told her story with. She seems like a surprisingly well-adjusted person now which definitely made reading about the horrors she went through a little easier. I do wish she would have written more about how she and her daughters have adjusted to life after being freed but I understand her wish to protect her daughters’ privacy and to try and get them and herself out of the spotlight as quickly as possible.
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LibraryThing member Sunflower6_Cris
The sad and true story of Jaycee Dugard, the girl who was abducted just blocks from her home and separated from her family for 18 years. All the while, she lived with her abductor and his wife and learned to live in their world of drugs, confusion, mental illness and abuse that no child should ever
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have to endure. I loved the format of this book and the way it was written. Each chapter is her story and the end of each chapter has a "Reflection" section to understand what she was thinking about as she was writing her book. It is amazing how she managed to live this life and survive. Show Less
LibraryThing member silenceiseverything
A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard is probably the most disturbing memoir I've ever read. Jaycee doesn't flinch away from describing her abuse and a lot of the time, I had to stop reading the book to take a breather before I could go back to reading it. What happened to Jaycee is just terrible and no
However, the whole story is not grim. The fact that Jaycee remained hopeful throughout her capture, the fact that she tried to be the best possible mother to her daughters even in those terrible circumstances, proves just what a wonderful, compassionate human being Jaycee Dugard really is. People like her give me hope. I wish Jaycee Dugard all the best in the world.
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one should have to go through it, especially a child. It really made me angry when I realized that Jaycee had many close calls in which she could have been rescued had probation officers, hospital personnel, and other professionals been more vigilant. Had they paid more attention, Jaycee Dugard's nightmare would have ended earlier. I have to say, that A Stolen Life is not for the faint of heart. However, the whole story is not grim. The fact that Jaycee remained hopeful throughout her capture, the fact that she tried to be the best possible mother to her daughters even in those terrible circumstances, proves just what a wonderful, compassionate human being Jaycee Dugard really is. People like her give me hope. I wish Jaycee Dugard all the best in the world.
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LibraryThing member lhossler
I really had to consciously decide if I wanted to read this book. While she definitely glosses over some of the abuse and leaves a lot unanswered, I was left with a very high impression of this woman who had her life stopped at the age of 11. How she went on to accomplish so much with so many
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restraints is remarkable. The chapters about her reintroduction into life and therapy alone would be worth reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member arielfl
This a book that kept me on the edge of my seat. At times there were tears pouring down my face as I read what Jaycee Duggard had to endure. At other times I just had to put it down a walk away because I felt such pain for her. I think part of it for me is that I have a daughter who just turned 12
On the day Jaycee was taken, she was a young girl who was still playing with Barbies. She had no concept of what sex was nor should she have. What she was subjected to by her kidnappers, Phillip and nancy Garrido was pure hell. She went from being a cherished daughter and turned into a object for Phillip Garrido to play out his twisted fantasies on. Nancy and Phillip are two of the sickest people on the planet and deserve every bit of the public hate and scorn that has been heaped upon Casey Anthony. Some things that will stay with me from this story is how the Garridos used animals against Jaycee. They knew that she loved animals so much so they would do twisted things like give her a pet only to remove it suddenly after she had become attached to the animal. I don't how Jaycee endured all that she did. The mental and physical torture was incredible. Giving birth at the age of 13 with no pain killers or hospital care is beyond my comprehension and she gave birth twice. Not only that but she seems to be an extraordinary mother. I had tears pouring down when I read how she was not able to say her name to the police officers when she finally had law enforcements attention. She had not spoken her name in 19 years so she had to write it on a piece of paper. Now she has taken her name and her life back and the Garridos cannot hurt her or anyone she loves any more. Her powerful victim impact statement is on Wikipedia and it showcases the courage that enabled her to endure all that she has. Many people let Jaycee Duggard down, her step father, law enforcement, and most of all the Garridos, yet she carries no hate in her heart. It's a powerful lesson that needs to be read by everyone who has endured suffering
If there are any flaws in this book it is in the narrative. The actual book itself is somewhat disjointed. There are times when she talks about the past and then will jump to the present or insert a reflection. It's almost as if she is talking talking to you and will suddenly remember something else she wanted to tell you. There is also a long stretch where she includes the journal of the day to day activities of one of the cats, Eclipse. She explains that her memories are disjointed like the book and that it will probably take years for her to straighten everything out in even her own mind. Whatever problems the book has in editing are overcome by the power of her story. I read that the state of California is giving her 20 million in a settlement to make reparations for the lapse of the parole board in not doing a proper of checking up on Phillip Garrido. When she recounts some of the things that man has said you wonder why he was not locked up for life long before he ever met Jaycee Duggard. Even though the money is no compensation for what she endured I hope it enables to live a long and happy life with her daughters. I am sure her story will continue to inspire other victims of tragedies as well as the countless other parents of missing children who will never give up searching for their own ending.
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and Jaycee was 11 when she was taken. I can picture my daughter in mind and makes it me so upset. I definitely hugged my daughter harder after reading Jaycee's story. I am always trying to balance protecting her from predators while giving her the freedom to develop into the person she is meant to be. This book has sparked conversations about being aware of your surroundings and trusting your inner instinct of danger to protect yourself. As someone who has been kidnapped it was interesting to read Jaycee personally approaches protecting her own daughters from the dangers of the world.On the day Jaycee was taken, she was a young girl who was still playing with Barbies. She had no concept of what sex was nor should she have. What she was subjected to by her kidnappers, Phillip and nancy Garrido was pure hell. She went from being a cherished daughter and turned into a object for Phillip Garrido to play out his twisted fantasies on. Nancy and Phillip are two of the sickest people on the planet and deserve every bit of the public hate and scorn that has been heaped upon Casey Anthony. Some things that will stay with me from this story is how the Garridos used animals against Jaycee. They knew that she loved animals so much so they would do twisted things like give her a pet only to remove it suddenly after she had become attached to the animal. I don't how Jaycee endured all that she did. The mental and physical torture was incredible. Giving birth at the age of 13 with no pain killers or hospital care is beyond my comprehension and she gave birth twice. Not only that but she seems to be an extraordinary mother. I had tears pouring down when I read how she was not able to say her name to the police officers when she finally had law enforcements attention. She had not spoken her name in 19 years so she had to write it on a piece of paper. Now she has taken her name and her life back and the Garridos cannot hurt her or anyone she loves any more. Her powerful victim impact statement is on Wikipedia and it showcases the courage that enabled her to endure all that she has. Many people let Jaycee Duggard down, her step father, law enforcement, and most of all the Garridos, yet she carries no hate in her heart. It's a powerful lesson that needs to be read by everyone who has endured suffering
If there are any flaws in this book it is in the narrative. The actual book itself is somewhat disjointed. There are times when she talks about the past and then will jump to the present or insert a reflection. It's almost as if she is talking talking to you and will suddenly remember something else she wanted to tell you. There is also a long stretch where she includes the journal of the day to day activities of one of the cats, Eclipse. She explains that her memories are disjointed like the book and that it will probably take years for her to straighten everything out in even her own mind. Whatever problems the book has in editing are overcome by the power of her story. I read that the state of California is giving her 20 million in a settlement to make reparations for the lapse of the parole board in not doing a proper of checking up on Phillip Garrido. When she recounts some of the things that man has said you wonder why he was not locked up for life long before he ever met Jaycee Duggard. Even though the money is no compensation for what she endured I hope it enables to live a long and happy life with her daughters. I am sure her story will continue to inspire other victims of tragedies as well as the countless other parents of missing children who will never give up searching for their own ending.
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LibraryThing member pacey1927
This was way more difficult to read than I thought it would be. I was prepared, I had thought, to read about what happened during Jaycee's captivity. But Ms.Duggard truly told all and the details was horrifying. I felt nauseous and shed more than a few tears as I read the book. However, I would
Duggard answers these questions. In fact it is easy to understand early on how Phillip mentally conditions her to accept him. She is left alone with no food, water, anything, tied down. He becomes her only source of food, drink. Seeing him walk in means she gets to eat, drink, use the bathroom. She is mentally conditioned to see him as a (somewhat) positive thing just because the alternative is so very miserable. I will forever believe that the authorities made mistakes. On occasion they see Jaycee and never question why she is around the known child molester. Jaycee is failed time and again by many people in many situations.
The positive things that begin to happen after Phillip is arrested bring upon the reunion with Jaycee and her mother. The good people who come into her life to aid Jaycee helps to encourage the hope that has always been in Jaycee at least to some degree. She is a true testament to the strength of the human spirit that she can end up in such a positive place and learn and grow with the therapy and support she had.
Although I could never read this book over again, I am glad that I read this one. I wish Jaycee and her daughters all the joy and happiness in the world.
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have done the same if the book were about an adult in these situation. The fact that it was an 11 year old girl made it ever so much worse. I wanted to read the book because I had following the story as it unfolded in the media and I wanted to know more about why she didn't escape when it seemed there were times she could have. I wanted to know why the parole officer's never investigated when they saw him with kids. Duggard answers these questions. In fact it is easy to understand early on how Phillip mentally conditions her to accept him. She is left alone with no food, water, anything, tied down. He becomes her only source of food, drink. Seeing him walk in means she gets to eat, drink, use the bathroom. She is mentally conditioned to see him as a (somewhat) positive thing just because the alternative is so very miserable. I will forever believe that the authorities made mistakes. On occasion they see Jaycee and never question why she is around the known child molester. Jaycee is failed time and again by many people in many situations.
The positive things that begin to happen after Phillip is arrested bring upon the reunion with Jaycee and her mother. The good people who come into her life to aid Jaycee helps to encourage the hope that has always been in Jaycee at least to some degree. She is a true testament to the strength of the human spirit that she can end up in such a positive place and learn and grow with the therapy and support she had.
Although I could never read this book over again, I am glad that I read this one. I wish Jaycee and her daughters all the joy and happiness in the world.
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LibraryThing member dddd89
This book was very interesting to me to see how your worst nightmare of you or your children getting abducted plays out. Mental illness of the abductor plays a huge role. I am so happy for Jaycee that she is trying to live a normal life after all the mental, verbal and sexual abuse she endured.
LibraryThing member bribre01
very depressing, hard to get through. I did enjoy the 2nd half of the book more than the first, when she talked about the kinds of therapy she and her family are going through and how they are coping in the "real world." I also enjoyed the journal enteries that were included in the book.
LibraryThing member KWoman
Heartwrenching to say the least, but so well-written. Truth is always good and many can learn from this book by Ms. Dugard. I cannot imagine what she went through, but as a parent, I could certainly relate to her mother's experience in losing her daughter for so many years.
LibraryThing member jrak
It's a searing, difficult story to read. But what makes [Stolen Life] interesting is how well Jaycee Dugard captures her own voice at the time of her imprisonment, and then is able to comment on who she was then and how she understands her experiences now. It becomes obvious why Dugard couldn't run
I hope very much that Dugard really can work through what happened to her, and that her daughters are okay. There are many places in the book where she is so insistent about how well her life is going that it did make me wonder how she will deal with the trauma she endured, as those memories surfaced.
I grew up seeing Dugard's face on milk cartons, in bus stations. She was the first face of child abduction. It is haunting to see that face from my childhood as an adult, telling me how she did the impossible and survived what she did.
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away: she was imprisoned and raped for a long time, and so as she says, "who would want me now"? In those circumstances it's amazing that she even survived and did not try to kill herself, not that she didn't try harder to escape. When she had more freedom, she also had children she had pledged to protect. How could she get out of there with them, without any resources or even the skills she would need in the outside world? I hope very much that Dugard really can work through what happened to her, and that her daughters are okay. There are many places in the book where she is so insistent about how well her life is going that it did make me wonder how she will deal with the trauma she endured, as those memories surfaced.
I grew up seeing Dugard's face on milk cartons, in bus stations. She was the first face of child abduction. It is haunting to see that face from my childhood as an adult, telling me how she did the impossible and survived what she did.
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LibraryThing member WetheReaders
I would only recommend this book to older and more mature teens due the the very explicit account of this tragic incident. (heart breaking)
Awards
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Top Ten — 2012)
Language
Original publication date
2011
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