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A Father's Story Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,056 ratings
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Raising a serial killer

A Father's search for answers

In July of 1991, the country was shocked by the unfathomable crimes of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. But no one was more shocked than his parents. In A Father's Story, the listener becomes witness to the incremental unraveling of a parent's image of their child, and the thousand different reactions that follow. In his attempt to understand the nature of his son's psychosis, Lionel Dahmer methodically scrutinizes every possible contributing factor to his son's madness. His desperation is palpable as he searches for clues in the emotional, psychological, and genetic landscape of his son's life.

Riveting and soul-wrenching, this unprecedented memoir is the confession of a father who must confront the saddest truth a human can know—that his child has somehow crossed the line that separates the human from the monstrous.

Produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont.

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  1. Listening Length
    5 hours and 41 minutes
  2. Author
    Lionel Dahmer
  3. Narrator
    Scott R. Pollak
  4. Audible release date
    June 4, 2024
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Echo Point Books & Media, LLC
  7. ASIN
    B0D5ZK39B4
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 5 hours and 41 minutes
Author Lionel Dahmer
Narrator Scott R. Pollak
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date June 04, 2024
Publisher Echo Point Books & Media, LLC
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B0D5ZK39B4
Best Sellers Rank #36,324 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#77 in Serial Killers True Crime
#259 in Serial Killers True Accounts
#337 in Crime & Criminal Biographies

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
2,056 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book insightful and interesting. They describe the story as heartfelt, emotional, and tragic. Readers praise the writing style as well-written and engaging.

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Value for moneyInsightHeartfelt storyWriting style
66 customers mention "Value for money"63 positive3 negative

Customers find the book a good value for money. They find it fascinating and worth buying. The book is thorough and deep, and they appreciate the author's bravery in writing it.

"...The book overall is worth the read, in my opinion." Read more

"...I feel this book was definitely a worthwhile read. I also liked the fact that it was told from his father's perspective...." Read more

"...I found this to be worthwhile read and even helpful as a parent...." Read more

"...That was all on him. Anyway, I definitely think this book was worth the read and anyone else that is interested in learning more about Jeffrey..." Read more

40 customers mention "Insight"38 positive2 negative

Customers find the book insightful and interesting. They describe it as an in-depth exploration of the dynamics between father and son. The story provides a lot of information into the family connections, warning signs, and more. Readers consider it essential reading from many points of entry, providing insight into Lionel's point of view.

"...to know more, he has a way of putting things simply yet conveying it with depth and meaning. The book overall is worth the read, in my opinion." Read more

"...book, I can not stress enough, is hands down the most riveting, thought-provoking, and emotional first-hand account...." Read more

"...A tragic, sobering, haunting memoir of a good man who happened to be the father of one of history's most notorious murders." Read more

"...Thankfully there are very few ‘gory details’...." Read more

30 customers mention "Heartfelt story"26 positive4 negative

Customers find the story poignant and emotional. They describe it as a tragic, heartbreaking account from a father trying to understand his son's actions. The book provides an insightful perspective on a serial killer through the eyes of his father.

"...also about seeing experiences through his father's eyes and understanding the memories, questions and feelings he was processing in relation to Jeff..." Read more

"...is hands down the most riveting, thought-provoking, and emotional first-hand account...." Read more

"...A tragic, sobering, haunting memoir of a good man who happened to be the father of one of history's most notorious murders." Read more

"...I found this to be worthwhile read and even helpful as a parent...." Read more

13 customers mention "Writing style"11 positive2 negative

Customers find the writing style engaging and easy to read. They appreciate the father's perspective and find it hard to put down at times, but overall consider it a good book.

"...I also found the writing kept me engaged and wanting to know more, he has a way of putting things simply yet conveying it with depth and meaning...." Read more

"...His writing style is immaculate and you can tell that he poured all his effort into this book, which as the father of the infamous Jeffrey Dahmer,..." Read more

"...Make sure you have this for your library! It's written by his father so we get the viewpoint of somebody who knows Jeff Dahmer better than anyone..." Read more

"...It’s a very good book on his father’s account. I found out more about Jeff from this book more than the tv documentaries...." Read more

One of the best books on a family’s account of their child
5 out of 5 stars
One of the best books on a family’s account of their child
This book tells the story of Jeff’s childhood and growing up years to the time he was arrested. I was able to piece together whom he inherited his alcohol addiction from, his extreme control issues, his severe autism traits, his dark personality. It’s a very good book on his father’s account. I found out more about Jeff from this book more than the tv documentaries. I like how this book has some family pictures.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Gh0sty
    5.0 out of 5 stars Well written and deeply reflective
    Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    For me, reading this book gave me a different perspective into Jeff's background but it is also about seeing experiences through his father's eyes and understanding the memories, questions and feelings he was processing in relation to Jeff's upbringing and everything that led up to the crimes. It seems there was also a part of him that felt like he had lost his son long before Jeff's death, and it sounds like the connection was strongest toward the end. If he felt that he couldn't get close to Jeff before or that Jeff was closed off for most of his life, this might explain why Lionel could only offer information about what he saw in his son and how he responded to it. I do think it would have been interesting to hear more about their positive experiences together during Jeff's childhood, because that is equally important for seeing the whole picture, but I still got a lot from the book regardless. I also found the writing kept me engaged and wanting to know more, he has a way of putting things simply yet conveying it with depth and meaning. The book overall is worth the read, in my opinion.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Zarina
    5.0 out of 5 stars Astounding Book and a MUST-HAVE Read
    Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I never give anything a review because they seem pointless to me, however, I can’t remain silent In regards to this book. Serial Killers, especially Ted Bundy and Jeff have always sent me into deep thought of what the meaning of life really is, or if there is even a meaning to it. I usually stick to “primary” sources for these two, or first-hand accounts because I find them more fascinating and riveting. This book, I can not stress enough, is hands down the most riveting, thought-provoking, and emotional first-hand account. My respect for Lionel Dahmer is immeasurable for the pain he has dealt with regarding his son is immense. His writing style is immaculate and you can tell that he poured all his effort into this book, which as the father of the infamous Jeffrey Dahmer, could be deemed emotionally exhausting. Dahmer let’s the reader relive his experience in a vulnerable way that I have never seen before. He talks about his internal conflicts and thoughts that he had at the time and when he wrote the book, and of course, his experience with his son Jeff. If you are a true crime geek, or want to hear the story of Jeff in the perspective of his own flesh and blood, this is for you. As Lionel mentions, it just makes you wonder where and when things went cause murder.
    20 people found this helpful
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  • Magra
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Family's Distressing Saga
    Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    After watching the newest Nexflix series on Jeffrey Dahmer, I wanted to research his life and those of his victims in more depth. I watched a multitude of YouTube videos on the subject as well as reading the public's opinions and comments. This then led me to reading, A Father's Story by Lionel Dahmer.
    His book shed further light on this family's complex dynamics and interpersonal dysfunction. I feel this book was definitely a worthwhile read. I also liked the fact that it was told from his father's perspective.
    I would have rated the story 5 stars but went with 4 instead because I needed to hear more than what was contained in it. There needed to be more pieces to the puzzle but Lionel didn't make another volume because of the negative backlash.
    22 people found this helpful
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  • Kameelyun
    5.0 out of 5 stars Vey sobering and haunting.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    As is said in the book's foreword, most of us live and function within the landscape of the ordinary; we have good and bad days, successes and failures, give and receive pleasure and pain. Within that normal landscape, the worst news most human beings ever dream of receiving is that their child is dead; even more horrific if the cause of that death is murder.

    Most of us never stop to say to ourselves: "I hope I am never informed that my child is a serial killer."

    While, across the world, millions of parents have had to face the unspeakable grief of being informed their child is dead/killed, Lionel Dahmer is an extremely rare, one-in-a-billion case: he was informed that his own child, who he brought into the world, had killed other peoples' children. Not one, not two, but seventeen of them.

    I remember in the '90's watching watching A&E's Biography of Jeffrey Dahmer (known only to a few people as Jeff Dahmer until his international notoriety) with my mom. I asked her at the end: "If I committed crimes like that, would you stop loving me?" She responded: "I would, yes!" She also said would most likely commit suicide, because the reality would be too monstrous to confront.

    Yet others, were they to be in Lionel Dahmer's shoes, would go into hiding; they would change their name and move to another part of the country, or leave the country altogether. (This is in fact the road Jeffrey's younger brother David took. Understandably; he was still a young man in his 20's; why should his life be forever ruined?)

    Lionel Dahmer deserves enormous respect for having done none of these things; he kept his name. He did this largely to defend the honor and dignity of the many previous generations of good Dahmers; on Larry King Live he stressed that despite everything, he's proud of the family name. He privately and publicly confronted the monstrous reality that has become the noose around his neck for the remainder of his life, and even continued to love (if not forgive) his son despite his crimes. If one goes to YouTube, one can find the unedited video of NBC's Stone Phillips interviewing Jeff and his father, and at the beginning of this video, as father and son are temporarily reunited within the confines of the Columbia Correctional Facility, they approach each other and Lionel initiates an embrace with Jeff. How many fathers would have the courage to hug their son after knowing that son committed such grisly crimes?

    This memoir is as sobering as it is haunting. We see a father who, despite any mistakes he made (all parents make mistakes), tried to do the right thing. Nothing he did seemed to have any effect, he saw his son drift from quiet and shy boy, to an alcoholic lost soul, and finally, the unspeakable truth for which Jeff is known around the world. He reflects upon each event in Jeff's childhood which, at the time seemed innocuous, but in retrospect is viewed with a sinister cloud, particularly Jeff's fascination with the clanking noise of bones being dropped into a metal pale. Lionel reflects upon his own sexual fantasies he felt as a child, fantasies which included violence and killing. Lionel stresses, however, that with him, as with most people who fantasize about sexual acts which would be highly wrong and illegal in actuality, everything stayed completely within his mind; he never once crossed that great divide whereby he intended to make those fantasies real. He searches his mind and soul to ask how Jeff could in fact cross that divide, to go beyond the line that almost all other human beings will not allow themselves to cross.

    A tragic, sobering, haunting memoir of a good man who happened to be the father of one of history's most notorious murders.
    113 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Kelly
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in Canada on September 15, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Incredible to read Jeff Dahmer’s story from his father’s POV! I bought it as a gift to someone and just had to read it myself first. If you’re a fan of true crime, this is an interesting read!
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  • Cliente Kindle
    5.0 out of 5 stars Um ótimo livro
    Reviewed in Brazil on December 29, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Inicialmente, comprei a versão kindle, pois o preço estava muito acessível e também nessa versão tem a opção de tradução. Agora farei a aquisição do livro físico, porque dos livros que li sobre o Dahmer, eu achei esse o melhor. No livro, o pai relata memórias desde a infância até o final da vida de Dahmer e inclui fotos de família. Ele pontua algumas mudanças de comportamento que o filho apresentou e também faz algumas relações com a sua própria vida. Acho que esse livro deveria ser lido por qualquer pai e mãe, bem como por quem gosta de true crime. Vale frisar que no livro o pai não aborda muito sobre os crimes do Dahmer, ele relata mais sobre a relação familiar e as consequências das ações do filho.
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  • Jennifer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interessant
    Reviewed in Germany on October 12, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Kann ich sehr empfehlen, es ist eine überarbeitete Auflage und wer englisch mächtig ist und sich für den Fall interessiert sollte es sich holen um es aus der Sicht des Vaters zu sehen
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  • Jane
    5.0 out of 5 stars insightful, good read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 13, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A father’s story of a serial killer is a truly insightful and interesting story to tell. I always wonder how the family of killers feel and cope with their family members actions. This book gives an insight into the boy who grow up to do evil things. But reminded the reader that he is still somebody’s son, members of his family still love him. Fascinating read.
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  • محمد علي اسماعيل الحمادي
    5.0 out of 5 stars كتاب جيد
    Reviewed in the United Arab Emirates on January 21, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    يروي والد جيفري دامر حكاية تربيته لجيفري وعدم تمكنه من معرفة ما يدور في ذهنه وما هي علامات الخطر التي يجب على الوالدان الإنتباه لها لمنع وقوع المصيبة لاحقا، وكيفية التوجيه الصحيح، كتاب تربوي مفيد، و
    يوسع مدارك الآباء التربوية في هذا الزمن الذي يحتاج فيه الآباء أنفسهم للتوجيه قبل الأبناء
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