The Pale-Faced Lie by David Crow : A Review

Book Details:

Book Title: The Pale-Faced Lie: A True Story by David Crow
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 344 pages
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Sandra Jonas Publishing House
Release date: May 7, 2019
Tour dates: May 6 to 17, 2019
Content Rating: PG-13 + Mature subject matter of abusive parenting. No explicit pornographic sex or excessive profanity.

Book Description:

Growing up on the Navajo Indian Reservation, David Crow and his three siblings idolized their dad. Tall, strong, smart, and brave, the self-taught Cherokee regaled his family with stories of his World War II feats. But as time passed, David discovered the other side of Thurston Crow, the ex-con with his own code of ethics that justified cruelty, violence, lies—even murder.

A shrewd con artist with a genius IQ, Thurston intimidated David with beatings to coerce him into doing his criminal bidding. David’s mom, too mentally ill to care for her children, couldn’t protect him. One day, Thurston packed up the house and took the kids, leaving her with nothing. Soon he remarried, and David learned that his stepmother was just as vicious and abusive as his father.

Through sheer determination, and with the help of a few angels along the way, David managed to get into college and achieve professional success. When he finally found the courage to stop helping his father with his criminal activities, he unwittingly triggered a plot of revenge that would force him into a showdown with Thurston Crow. With lives at stake, including his own, David would have only twenty-four hours to outsmart his father—the brilliant, psychotic man who bragged that the three years he spent in the notorious San Quentin State Prison had been the easiest time of his life.

The Pale-Faced Lie is a searing, raw, palpable memoir that reminds us what an important role our parents play in our lives. Most of all, it’s an inspirational story about the power of forgiveness and the ability of the human spirit to rise above adversity, no matter the cost.

Review

It had been a long time since I had last read a memoir, as I am generally averse of reading non-fiction unless absolutely necessary. But when this came my way, something about the summary drew me in and I wanted to try another memoir. 

The book won over, in all senses of the word. 

'Pale-faced Lies' is not the average story that glorifies the writer/subject on whom it is written. The memoir deals with a lot of subtle things and is about a man's journey from an abusive childhood towards considerable success. All through this journey, the narrator(writer) David Crow talks in visceral detail about how his father was a shrewd, abusive and cunning parent who did not follow any laws, making David's life hell.

What does an abusive childhood do to a kid? What are the consequences of wrong parenting? The book details all this (mixed with ample doses of emotion and good writing) and also shows how abusive upbringing can affect the whole psyche of a child, even their whole adult lives.

From a child's point of view, when David details his love for his parents, and the realisations that shape his decisions later on in life, the book's writing is powerful enough to elicit support from the readers. The words seem to be both heartfelt and chosen carefully. Even if the narration does seem long and repetitive in some cases, the parts only go on to reiterate the power of the characters.

I have always believed that an ordinary story can become extraordinary with good writing and this book just combines both a riveting narration with true events that never let you forget, even for a moment, that some children had to go through whatever David has written about. The feeling of raw realness is the book's unique point and I believe it makes the reader unwilling to put the book down despite how graphic some descriptions might be.

Child-rearing (specifically not mentioning parenting) is one of the hardest things ever. Every parent needs to have some amount of responsibility for the children they have brought into this world, instead of using them as tools to further their own agendas. David's father exhibits his crude attitude best when he argues with the school counselors after being called in to discuss an essay that David had handed over. This point forth, the book veers into dangerous territory.

Some moments did make me take a long pause and wonder about how blessed some children's lives are compared to those who suffer for no fault of theirs. But the book is lengthy beyond comprehension, and if you are not drawn in already by the narration, chances are that you may feel that the descriptions get repetitive with time.

David Crow's power is in making the writing so relatable that he brought the Crow family (and other characters) alive in my mind as I read along. My only complaints are the length of the book, and the obvious lack of edits that would have removed some parts for a variety of reasons but I am just nitpicking.

Overall, the book mingled a lot of things for me: humour and horror, comedy and tragedy, hurt and courage. The list is endless and this is where the book succeeded in holding me riveted in parts as I could visualise the scene as if I were there. 

But the book is lengthy and definitely not your type if you do not like to read of shocking truths. The descriptions are vivid, the content very disturbing in places, and the subject matter too strong for delicate readers. This is no light read. It is a memoir that details a life that shows the messages of hope and positivity while narrating the ill-effects of bad parenting - if it could be called that.

The characters are memorable, the writing even more so. It is successful because it elicits a strong reaction from the average reader, and does not slacken in any place like memoirs usually tend to do. This, I believe, is the benchmark of any book, much less one that details real events in the life of a person.

Praise for The Pale-Faced Lie:

“[Crow] has considerable wisdom to impart, and an unexpected ending that will linger in memory. I promise that you've never read a book quite like this one."

—Jeff Guinn, New York Times bestselling author


“…A memoir of an extraordinary life that is lifted by extraordinary storytelling….It is emotionally engaging, consistently entertaining, and nearly impossible to put down.”
—James Anderson, author of The Never-Open Desert Diner and Lullaby Road

“Heartbreaking and gut-wrenchingly honest. Anyone with a troubled childhood should read The Pale-Faced Lie. David Crow’s book is proof that hope rises from the ashes.”
—Chris Enss, New York Times best-selling author

To read reviews, please visit David Crow's page on iRead Book Tours.

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Meet the Author:  

David Crow spent his early years on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona and New Mexico. Through grit, resilience, and a thirst for learning, he managed to escape his abusive childhood, graduate from college, and build a successful lobbyist business in Washington. Today, David is a sought-after speaker, giving talks to various businesses and trade organizations around the world.

Throughout the years, he has mentored over 200 college interns, performed pro bono service for the charitable organization Save the Children, and participated in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. An advocate for women, he will donate 10 percent of his book royalties to Barrett House, a homeless shelter for women in Albuquerque. David and his wife, Patty, live in the suburbs of DC.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ LinkedIn

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