In my quest for gripping, life-altering memoirs that shift our perspective on life, I’ve come to realize that great memoirs aren’t always the ones published in recent years. Sometimes, you need to travel back in time, even a decade, to unearth a story that resonates deeply. This was precisely how I stumbled upon the unforgettable memoir, “A Stolen Life.”
When “A Stolen Life” was first published, it swiftly became a New York Times Bestseller, and its narrative is one you won’t forget. The memoir recounts the harrowing tale of a young girl, kidnapped at the tender age of 11 and held captive for 18 years. In 1991, Jaycee Dugard was living in the picturesque town of Lake Tahoe. Her life took a horrifying turn one day as she walked home from school when Phillip Garrido and his wife forced the little girl into their car. For nearly two decades, they imprisoned her in a tiny room, depriving her of the outdoors and sunlight. To further torment her, they even changed her name in a perverse psychological game to erase her identity.
What sets this book apart is its perspective. Jaycee Dugard tells her story from a child’s point of view, rendering her tales of torment and abuse all the more difficult to digest. I must warn you that this book is NOT for the faint of heart because Jaycee writes in great detail about the emotional, psychological, and sexual abuse she lived through, all through the eyes of a little girl. Some parts in the book are not easy to read, but they open our eyes to the chilling reality of how an individual, known in his community, got away with such a horrendous crime due to his ability to manipulate people. This book also creates an awareness for how individuals come to hate religion and the church. In this story, Phillip often uses quotes from the Bible and even reads Bible passages to Jaycee to justify his actions, leaving a twisted imprint on little Jaycee’s mind about faith.
Reading this story, you will experience a whirlwind of emotions: shock, horror, anguish, disgust, and profound grief. However, it was the emotion of anger that gripped me the most – anger towards Jaycee’s family. At the outset of the story, I found myself deeply angered because, while Phillip is an irredeemable antagonist, Jaycee’s parents made decisions that could have possibly prevented this tragedy. It all began when Jaycee’s stepfather found it inconvenient to drive her to school, convincing her mother that she should walk to and from school alone. It was during one of these walks that she was kidnapped by Phillip.
Although this book isn’t primarily about her parents, it’s worth noting that this tragedy stemmed from a mother compromising to keep peace in her home. She was married to a moody new husband who didn’t want to be inconvenienced by driving his stepdaughter to and from school. This mother loved her child, but sometimes love must disrupt peace. Sometimes love must acknowledge that something is wrong. Sometimes, being loving means not settling for peace. Look at what transpired when a mother compromised for the sake of peace in the household – her child was abducted.
“A Stolen Life” is an extraordinary memoir that, despite being published in the past, remains an enduring testament to the strength of the human spirit. It compels us to rethink love, courage, and the indomitable will to heal, not harbor hate, and let go of the past in order to move forward in life.
3 Reasons You Will Enjoy Reading A Stolen Life:
1.) If you liked The Diary of Anne Frank – This book is written in a similar style to the Diary Of Anne Frank. It’s told from the perspective of a kind-hearted, little girl, conveyed through simple, imaginative journal entries. Just like Anne Frank, Jaycee’s journey unfolds as an adolescent girl whose biggest challenge is trying to deal with every day boredom punctuated by the unspeakable horrors happening around her.
2.) For a lesson in courage – Jaycee said she wrote this book in hopes others would find the courage to speak out when something seems wrong. This book is a profound lesson on bravery and a lesson on speaking out against something is wrong, even if it means disrupting some peace.
3.) If you struggle with resentment towards someone in your life – Within the pages of this book, Jaycee emphatically declares, “In my heart, I do not hate Phillip. I don’t believe in hate. To me, it wastes too much time.” The fact that this young girl can release her hatred towards her captors imparts a profound lesson in letting go and moving forward.
