Come Here: A Man Overcomes the Tragic Aftermath of Childhood Sexual Abuse

by Richard Berendzen

Book Overview

Publicly disgraced for making anonymous telephone calls, a former president of American University recounts his shattering experiences as a child victim of sexual abuse and incest, offering... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 067941777X
• ISBN13: 9780679417774
• Release Date: August 1993
• Publisher: Villard Books
• Length: 301 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Reflections and a helping hand

I have read some books about (sexual) misuse. Some of them are well written ("I don`t want to talk about it" from Terrence Real) , but this book touches my heart like no one did. I know, I`m not the only one with this experiences. If you know someone who had survive, or if you are a survivor, read this book! The right time to reflect the own childhood will never come. But Mr. Berendzen shows how to manage it, if you have to face the facts: Reflect, take care of your hidden soul, speak about it, stand up and let friends be there for you. YOU CAN FIND A HELPING HAND !!I want to thank Mr. Berenzden for his enormous courage to face his monsters of his past and I'm thankful that he was able to write and speak about it. This is something very special. I also want to thank his wife and his children, they are the living furnish proof of the helping hand.It wasn`t easy for me to concentrate on normal life. But this book helps me calming down and carry on.Thank`s

Wondeful book and author

I am 27 years old now and I first read this book when I was 18 years old.At which time I lived in a girls home.We had a banquet in honor of this author; and yes he attended.He is very respectful and very strong for sharing his story and I admire him for that.I plan to find this book again and reread it.But this book is something I will never forget.Even though I am a girl; I found it to be very interesting.It was read by alot of the staff at the girls home also.I would recommend this book to anyone who has been a victim theirself.

Hope and Light for Male Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

Why haven't more books like this been written in the last decade?(If they have and I missed them, would somebody please let me know?) That was my first thought almost from the moment I started reading this book. If I didn't know better, I'd think the author knew my story and was writing about me. The more I read, the more I learned or remembered about my own very similar experiences. Actually, in a sense, he knows my story very well. Reading about the horrible sexual and emotional incest, along with the other abuses that Richard Berendzen went through at the hands of his own mother, is still helping me find & place pieces of the puzzle that is my life. Thanks, Doc!I hope soon to contact Dr. Berendzen. Having already gotten to know him so well by reading his story, it would be my pleasure and privilege to hear from him, and especially to meet him face to face. If you even think you might be a male victim of child sexual abuse, especially incest by your mother, PLEASE read this book. There are stll very few volumes and fewer true stories written about these tragic topics, especially by someone as prominent as Dr. Bernedzen. You will get to know Richard Berendzen; most importantly, you will no doubt get to know yourself better. Actually, this book is a great source of courage & encouragement for anyone who has suffered any kind of abuse and the resulting trauma, as well as those close to them who suffer with them. Ultimately, however, the story of Dr. Richard Berendzen is a story of self-discovery & growth, of struggle & victory, of love & life. It gives me hope that I can overcome the abuse I like Dr. Berendzen am just beginning to remember in my middle age. It is a light helping to show me the way through the darkness of this abuse that has for years overshadowed everything that I do and that I am. Richard Berendzen inspires me to follow in his footsteps to go beyond my abuse and even to help the many other victims, many unknown, out there in my world.Truly this book contains "hope and light for male survivors of child sexual abuse."

Inspiring

I am currently enrolled in Professor Berendzen's astronomy class at AU. Even before the beginning of the semester, I knew his reputation as the best teacher AU has to offer. I have respected him as a wonderful teacher ever since his class begun. Only upon reading "Come Here" did I realize how much I respect him as a person. I read "Come Here" in one afternoon. It was well written, lucid, and informative. The horrors of Professor Berendzen's childhood should never have to be faced by children, or anyone else for that matter. The fact that he has gone on to be a major intellect in astronomy and in education, as well as the most successful president in the history of my university, is a testament to his drive and his ability to overcome the awful adversity of his early life. Professor Berendzen's coming to terms with the abuse he faced was one of the most painful experiences I can ever imagine. I don't know how he survived it, much less wrote about it to try to help others. His dedication to assisting other people to recover from childhood sexual abuse, and his continued excellence in teaching make me admire him a great deal. If you need hope for recovering from abuse, read this book. If you want to look inside a brilliant mind from a troubled background, read this book. It is an inspiring recovery story from a truly great man.

Lucid, Captivating, Well Written

Dr. Berendzen offers hope and a fully engaging chronicle of evil, recovery and redemption. My therapist recommeded it as a source of encouragement that there was hope for recovery from abuse. Dr. Berendzen's book did that and more. The book is well organized so it flows clearly from point to point. Dr. Berendzen's writing style reflects a refind communication style while remaining accessable to the average reader. In fact you might not know he is a professor if he didn't tell you.It would be my privlege to congratulate him in person. I admire his courage, and fine example. It seems that teaching astronomy is his sideline; helping others through recover is clearly his calling.