I had seen the author on Oprah, well part of it anyway and wanted to see what the book was about. I borrowed it from my local library to fill in the missing pieces of the show I had not caught, which was most of it. I was not inspired, I was horrified at the accounts of abuse he said he went through. I was not horrified by the accounts as I have heard of actual abuse cases much worse. I know that there are horrific cases of child abuse that take place in the world. However parts of the story seemed more fictional then truthful. Several instances that were recounted seemed fabricated and exaggerated. No adult could survive an arterial would and soaking 3 tee shirts and bandages, let alone a child. No one could survive being locked in a bathroom with gaseous and all the vents blocked off like he recounted. Part of me wants it to be true because if it is fabricated, or sensationalized (as I believe) then he has used a very really crime that takes place everyday to profit from it. Now if you want to read a truly inspirational book I suggest Night, it is not about childhood abuse but about being a holocaust survivor. That book left me truly inspired and I wanted to better not only myself but the world around me after reading it.