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A Memoir of Stolen Boyhood
by Stephen Mills
At 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.
Stephen 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.
The trauma of sexual abuse is shared by one out of every six men, yet very few have broken their silence. Unflinching and compulsively readable, Chosen 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.
"Mills lays bare in this unflinching account the irrevocable impact of the sexual abuse he suffered as a teen...While it's a harrowing story, Mills's ability to persevere and eventually build his own family offers hope, and his raw vulnerability inspires. This is a searing testament to human resilience." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"[U]nforgettable...[a] powerful, closely observed account. A vitally important book for fellow survivors—and anyone seeking justice for victims." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Important testimony; recommended for all libraries." - Library Journal
"In a lean, sharp telling that is as propulsive as it is painful, Chosen relates a devastating story of childhood sexual assault and one man's Herculean reclamation of his adult life. Mills also illuminates the silent brotherhood of boys whose shame and pain remain unreached by our institutions and our conversations, even by the benevolent efforts of the #MeToo movement. There's a very good chance that this constantly surprising, urgent book will save lives." - Lacy Crawford, author of Notes on a Silencing
"A searing and singular account of how a young boy's experience of abuse reverberates through his life until he finally confronts not only his abuser but also the powerful institutions that enabled him. Chosen is a masterfully written story of love and hate that is as tender as it is traumatic. I couldn't put it down." - Geraldine Brooks, author of People of the Book
"An unparalleled achievement, 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: Chosen is destined to be a classic because this is a book that will save lives." - Junot Díaz, author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
This information about Chosen was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Stephen Mills is the coauthor with Roger Fouts of Next of Kin: My Conversations with Chimpanzees, a Los Angeles Times 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.
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