Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology

It's 7:20 AM as I write this, and I haven't slept since I started reading this book, moments after downloading it. I'm about 80% done at this point, but had to stop and post this early review (I'll update this a bit when I'm 100% done). I've never been much of a fan of sitcoms, so I'm not exactly part of the audience who has had much experience with Leah's acting work - although I knew who she was, certainly. I'd seen enough however to know I found her appealing and incredibly attractive long before I learned she'd be writing this just from what I'd seen in an episode of two of King of Queens. When I heard advance word of the release, having read just about every book there is on the subject of Scientology (from Inside Scientology, to Bare Faced Messiah, to Beyond Belief to The Unbreakable Miss Lovely), from personal accounts to journalistic exposes, I eagerly anticipated Troublemaker. The biggest surprise for me, first off, is how supremely readable "Troublemaker" is - how entertaining, honest, unpretentious, shocking and just plain funny it is. Leah has a big mouth, and she knows it, but her writing speaks directly to the reader in an open and unfiltered way that books written by celebrities rarely do. She isn't a bulls***ter, and she's not going to sugarcoat anything, including her herself. She even starts with something of a confession of past perceived sins, as she is all to aware that Scientology will strike at her as they are known to do, by using information gleaned from auditing to embarrass, intimidate and discredit. She knows she is now "fair game." Even with the little that I knew about her, her account of her early years with her family and struggles as an actress are highly entertaining, and make an honest impression that makes you feel more like a confidant than a reader. For this type of book, it is, surprisingly, very well written - free of fanciful prose, but deeply engaging, concise and highly personal. The early biographical chapters are vital, as it turns out, as it sets a very clear stage for why she was bound to one day become a monumental thorn in the side of Scientology. A theme that pops up a few times is how Leah was sometimes perceived as "lacking in class" (code sometimes used to discredit or embarrass truth tellers, female ones in particular) in comparison to the norm of perceived celebrities and society's elite. This book shows, clearly, that she has more class than the majority of Hollywood's elite put together. I can't wait to read the remaining 20%, and regardless of my ignorance of her acting career, with this book she's become one of my favorite people. If only more people in the world had the guts that Leah clearly has. More so than even the recent Going Clear documentary, this book, in my opinion, has the potential to expose Scientology for the abusive, draining, exploitative, paranoid and disingenuous organization that it has become, the Church of Cruise and Miscavige. And if you're looking for a real window into the bizarre, rarefied world of celebrity scientologists (Leah attending Tom Cruise's wedding to Katie Holmes, for example, and the subsequent fallout after she is brazenly manipulated to get J Lo and Marc Anthony to attend as well, is jaw dropping) you need look no further. Highly, highly recommended.

Never was a big fan of Remini and I marginally was aware of her "stardom". I caught her show, King of Queens, on occasion and thought she was cute and funny. I also watched her performance on Dancing with the Stars when she had just exited the cult of Scientology. It was a big deal and I was not that surprised by it.I have always had an interest in Scientology since I was born into a cult-like religion myself in which my family left when I was older. Remini's brashness just seemed at odds with the type of submissive, and unquestioning, personality one needs to be able to acquiesce many of the teachings and the actions of its leaders. I was very interested in reading her side of the story because I knew Scientology Incorporated wasn't going to issue a "no comment" in response to her spilling some of their secretive doctrines, questionable teachings, and scurrilous acts. In fact, some of their very nasty responses only demonstrate for us non-Scientologists is that they can be one heck-of-a vicious group when it comes to protecting the entity. Actually, much more nasty and vindictive than I even imagined. Just reading about the Nazi-like "Knowledge Reports" that members are required to write up when they see behavior "unbecoming" to a Scientologist. One would think a reasonably intelligent person would decry such a practice. Yet, Scientology has got that base covered by teaching their adherents that if they DON'T write up the behavior they are endangering their own spiritual existence. This is a very entertaining read and Remini discusses her "rise to fame" with aplomb and self-deprecation. If you are interested in a scholarly analysis of Scientology, you won't get it in this book. It's a personal narrative of her life and the interweaving of Scientology's teachings and their impact on her and her family. Remini is honest and doesn't attempt to shield herself, or minimize her, at times, questionable behavior. She is, at heart, a rebel and often paid dearly (literally hundreds of thousands of dollars in one shot!) for it. It's a relatively quick read. Of course, Tom Cruise plays a prominent role in the book and he comes off creepier than ever. Hide and seek anyone? Scientology's catering to his whims, and those of other leaders, while ignoring their transgressions against its teachings, is what ultimately broke the spell. The disappearance of her friend Shelly Miscavige; her attempts to communicate with her. Remini's encounter with Cruise's children with Nicole Kidman is heartbreaking after Cruise's marriage to Katie Holmes. Also, being used as a lure to bring Jennifer Lopez into the cult and, thankfully, failing greatly at it. There's lots of profanity, so be prepared if you object to such language. She does discuss her career and life outside Scientology. Her role on The Talk and being let go from it after the first year. My favorite part is her response to vociferous Sharon Osbourne after she took Remini to task about an email she sent to the cast. Loved it! Yes, Remini was extremely fortunate that her family left Scientology with her. It's this that keeps many people in cults that want to leave, their family. However, she did lose many of those she thought were her friends once she was declared a SP (Suppressive Person or an apostate, an enemy of the church). What she was smart in doing was keeping her mouth shut when it came to the friends she did have outside Scientology. This allowed her to have a support system when she did make her exit. Though, she didn't realize it at the time. Too many people that are in cults only associate with other members, this means leaving comes at great emotional, and often financial, cost. This is still true for Remini because when everything you have believed about the world nearly your entire life is suddenly put into question, it is devastating. Scientology makes enormous demands on the resources and time of their members, rich and less than. Even to the point of going deeply into debt. When it's gone, there is a huge hole left intellectually and emotionally. Yet, it also extremely freeing to be able to now dictate one's own life and to actually have the time to do so! Thanks for writing this book, Leah Remini. I wish you, and your family, well on your journey to discovering and creating your life outside Scientology.

Thanks to Leah Remini coming forward this year (2017) with her 9 episodes exposing the inner workings of Scientology, I've become fascinated to learn more about this cult which in the USA is classified as a bonafide religion. Yeah, a religion of egregious evil! I've also watched a good number of "tell-all" Scientology encounters on YouTube.com. Frightening stuff. But, even with this background, I was unprepared to comprehend the enormity of mind-control exercised over people, the absolute disregard of properly taking care of small babies, but simply letting them exist on floors in dirty, smelly, wet diapers, or young children left to fend for themselves in roach- and rat-infested cramped "bedrooms," barely surviving on spoiled food, the methods of incarceration, or the techniques used to manipulate, control, brainwash, and terrorize all peoples with the fracturing of families candidly told by Leah Remini in this "tell all" book detailing what she experienced and finally getting free from. It was "shock and awe" to read the front page of all her indiscretions and character flaws and to be so forthright. I echo what others have asked her, except I never use the word f***. So, I'll simply say, "HowEVER did you get involved?" Yet, part of it was a sign of the times. I was never into Scientology, but I was working on moving objects, bending spoons, walking through walls, visualizing what another person was thinking: that was the 1960s and crazy things were being touted and explored! What I appreciated learning is that even though she didn't come from a loving family, she really loves her mother, has had a long-term marriage, loves her child, her sister, and people in general. Her writing shows an indomitable spirit which resists getting swallowed up by evil happenings around her. The dictionary describes people who have an indomitable spirit don't need pep talks or protein shakes; their strength comes from within. Leah shows in her book that she has such a spirit which simply cannot be subdued or overcome. Scientologists called her a troublemaker. Her book shows she is a fighter, and doesn't give up. I'm glad I read the book. Some of her comments especially touched me: "For me, friendships are tested not in the best of times, but in the worst of times" (pg. 170). "Rather than kiss everyone's ass, I brazenly (and oftentimes obnoxiously) spoke my mind, and as a result lost my job. But I stood by what I thought was right and I was a friend to those who I felt deserved my friendship" (pg. 171). "The result is you get to feel like a better person without ever needing to dirty yourself with the outside world. You are under the impression that you and Scientology are doing amazing things for the outside world and for humanity when all you're actually doing is forwarding the church's agenda" (pg. 211) "You were either all in or all out. It is an extremist religion. There is no middle ground. And there within its structure lies the danger" (pg. 226). Most telling? "In the end, change is never easy. Living with a core set of beliefs that completely unravel is unsettling, to say the least. We all have to decide, do we want to live in regret, suffer pain, and demonize ourselves for believing in and carrying out the tenets of the church, or do we want to look at what we gained? (227) What else did I learn? I don't believe I will ever again, see another Tom Cruise movie. I also believe that the "stage presences" we see with actors and actresses, is them playing a part, and really isn't the person at all. What I'm saying, through reading her book, I came to a better understanding of actors and actresses in Hollywood, and by and large, they have all lost my respect.

No wonder Leah Remini's book is a blockbuster. It is extremely well written. More than that, she provides in detail a chilling account of the steps deployed to ensnare good and trusting people--and families--how they can be seduced into a dark cult of exploitation and isolation from the world. Leah Remini provides an heartfelt and honest task of describing how, in a needy moment, her mother believed that this spiritual path of Scientology was a positive and enlightening step for her daughters. Once inside, there is little chance to walk away. There is no part of an individual's life that is not excavated, plundered, and used against that person. In addition, as Remini describes in detail, there is no way that Scientology does not suck dry every possilble cent and asset from its victims. Start small with the cost of "teaching supplies" being about $35, and then get each person in financial quicksand and debt up to their ears for life in quicksand. Make them go in debt. Make them sell their 401Ks and cash out pensions. Make them sell their homes. All assets to the Church where the largesse of the fortune quietly disappears under the auspices of the Chairman of the Board, David Miscavige, a brutal sociopath at best. Through unbearable pressure and threats, Scientology extracts as much as a quarter-million dollars from many of its ordinary members (from credit card debt, retirement plans, homes, cars, educational funds, and from all tangible assets) that desperate members might be driven to liquidate. From celebrity members, frequent donations of a million or more are expected. Where it goes is into the pocket of Miscavige, his tiny cabal, and the impenetrable and inescapable compounds he builds throughout the world. Those who come in alone are more empowered to walk away unscathed. Those who come in with family are sitting ducks for abuse and exploitation. Miscavige and his crew use the deadly ploy of triangulation to keep members hostage. Knowing that you can never, never, never have contact with a spouse, your children, or parents, or any other relatives--the fear and terror of that--means most of the victims choose to stay and see it through. If they can get to your family and friends inside the church (very possibly the only support system you've ever known), they can keep you from leaving. Even if a member decides to leave at all costs and leave many family members behind, the price is so high as to be at a criminal level. "Troubemakers" like Leah who dare to question the chain of authority and purpose of the Church find themselves slapped with loathsome jobs punished cruelly, assigned menial laboring tasks, forced to stand in a garbage can for hours while others pour water over them. Many have attested how Miscavige beat them mercilessly, choking them, giving them black eyes. A tiny man of slightly over 5-feet tall, Miscavige has overcompensated his inferiority by seizing power of an international scheme, conducting his entire life on God-like terms, and even requiring his own father to refer to him at all times by, "Sir." Children and parents are separated and rarely interact. Instead of a formal education, the children caught in the claws of Scientology are given books and lessons about Scientology, not about the real world. A member who has been in the Church for 25 years, like Remini and others, have no education, no skills, no money, no means of support, even if they were able to hatch a plan for escape. The more attention drawn to Scientology, the more easily appalled members can escape. Operating under secrecy makes Scientology powerful, but having to account for its actions breaks it open. Those who do effect an escape are often subjected to years of harassment and intimidation in the outside world. False documents are prepared to get them fired. Pretext phone calls full of slander are sent to their families and friends. Lies about them being prostitutes with venereal diseases are copied onto papers and passed out to their neighbors. Their personal property is destroyed. The Mafia couldn't do a better job of terrifying and intimidating a marked person. The message is: Leave us at your peril. We will get you. We will destroy you. The value of Leah's remarkable book is that it is deeply personal, told with an inner voice of great intelligence, compassion, and strength for the family she treasures. One cannot but admire the ferocity of her commitment to her husband and child, and her other family members. It is this burning determination of Leah's that transcends all the psycho/spiritual babble of the Church. Waking up from a nightmare is a frightening experience, but Leah uses every shred of her courage and intelligence to get her and her family out of the Church. She's one tough woman from the Brooklyn who doesn't tolerate BS. She speaks up. She challenges authority. She curses. She gives as good as she gets. She asks vital and key questions. She demands to know why she has devoted her life to this religious organization that devalues her. Her courage is overwhelming to witness. Even throughout her struggle, Remini has tried for years to meet the specific burdens and demands forced upon her by the Church, in the hope that, fulfilling these, might bring her solace, family connection, and peace. At every turn in attempting to uncover the real goal of the church, she is stymied, and this endless thwarting only serves to increase her suspicions that the Church is a fraud, a front for money and power. A fraud, and that is what Leah finally discovers. To this reader, I was appalled by the lengths Scientologists would go to intimidate and keep members from escaping. Newer members, or those who have expressed doubts about the Church, are assigned "minders" to ensure that they cannot escape, even if it's for a visit to the dentist. One can see the draconian measures the upper echelon has taken to assure that no one will leave, and it reminds one of the most heinous prisons worldwide. Simply google the secret HQ in Hemet, CA (Gold Base) to see the razor wire and long, sharp metal knives on the fence perimeter, pointing INWARD as well as outward to guarantee that no member can leave. It is a dark hole into which the "troublemakers" are thrown for years on end. And they are thrown there without any hope of contacting relatives and friends in the outside world by phone or letter. It is a prison overtly sparkling with exquisite buildings, lush accommodations for the wealthy, swimming pools and tennis courts for the elite even as the defiant are forced into hard labor all day, every day in dark holes of Gold Base--unable to leave. At its most basic level, Scientology appears to the naive to be a spiritual haven for those who are searching for meaning in this word. That is a lofty goal. However, that is the trickster veneer. In fact, Scientoilogy's ultimate goal is a twisted, sharp-toothed, ravenous, voracious maw that sucks up fortunes, assets, families, and human labor to elevate its Lilliputian chairman and his ruthless henchmen to the height of power. The Office of the Attorney General should expend its resources to expose this malignant organization once and for all. Miscavige's wife Shelly has not been seen by any reliable source in more than 10 years. Most suspect that she is dead, though the Church refuses to admit it. Only in exposing the real purpose of Scientology will it crumble. Leah Remini, at great personal cost to herself and family, has begun that journey of exposure, and I am so deeply grateful for her courage in writing this book. Thank you, Leah. Thank you for showing the world the deadly jagged glass hidden inside the sugar-coated pill of Scientology. God-willing, potential victims will read your book and stay far, far away from this fascist organization.

I absolutely loved this story! It gave an intimate look into Scientology and their beliefs as well as how one is treated inside the Scientology circle and outside the circle. Leah Remini was a part of Scientology since she was a young child. The experiences she had was very eye opening but what I felt was the most eye opening part of this book is the fact that her mother, whom brought her and her sister into Scientology, allowed the church to abuse her newborn baby. There is a part in this book that speaks to the child, as well as other children, being in a "daycare" on site and the kids being covered in feces, urine and flies while not really being cared for. In Scientology children are seen as adults so they had a child in charge of the babies which is completely inappropriate, especially if that child wasn't doing a great job. The mother allowed it because she was more interested in moving up the ranks of the church than she was with her child. The baby was in daycare the better of sixteen hours at a time because when you are a part of the Scientology church ALL of your time is devoted and dedicated to their cause and end-goal. Do I think her mom is a bad person? Of course not but it was an interesting snap shot into how being indoctrinated can make you forget all of your morals and good sense. As Leah got older and started getting into show business she was treated different...better due to her being able to donate more money and use her celebrity status to draw in other celebrities. As time went on she met Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes and the picture she painted of Tom was very interesting to say the least. He comes across as petulant, childish, rude and heavily indoctrinated. Katie, for the time that she was married to Tom, sounded like she was indoctrinated as well. Allegedly Leah somehow ruined their wedding by asking a question that she didn't have "clearance" to ask and everyone made a huge deal about it. It seems that things that are normal to those who aren't indoctrinated in this religion is very much against the rules of Scientology. As I read I had to keep asking myself "how on earth did she live? If you so much as breathe someone is trying to write up reports in your folder and turn you in, thinking it's the right thing when it's really just knit picking and beating the humanity out of you." Towards the end of the book Leah had finally broken free of the religion and, in the process, lost all of her friends that was in the religion because once someone decides to leave they are deemed a "suppressive person" and to have any contact with a person with that label is to label yourself the same thing and chance getting kicked out of the church. It was a harrowing tale of what happens when you dive into a religion, even religion in general, without asking many questions and just believing while doing everything they tell you to do. The first red flag should have been the horrible conditions her little sister was in within the daycare but the next red flag should have been not being allowed to ask questions. To learn anything one should be encouraged to ask questions and be able to get appropriate answers, not be punished and attacked for wanting knowledge. I love that she broke free in the end but while she may have physically broke free her mind is still shackled and bound to that religion. Indoctrination and cult-like behavior, especially stemming back from when she was a child, is very hard to break. I think Leah is a very strong-willed, outspoken and overall strong person and she did what others are afraid to do: she spoke her story without any care of backlash and attack from the church (they are known for attacking those who speak out against them). This is a definite page turner. I got through the book in three days and I can't wait to read it again. Worth every penny to get the inside scoop of Scientology and what they are truly about.

Excellent memoir! I did not know much about her but after reading it, I feel I know her and understand her. What she went through in Scientology is sickening! And that cult is still operating. I commend her for shining a light on the abuse and ongoing lawlessness in that cult. I'm so thankful she got away! I watched her A&E series about it after reading this, and have read other memoirs of folks trapped in the diabolical Scientology cult. If not for her, many of us would still be ignorant of the truth of Scientology. ☠️ I am solidly a Leah Remini fan now. Yes, I watch King of Queens ♡ every day. Thank God Kevin James was so devoted a Catholic that Leah knew converting him was useless. I like to think his devotion to God helped her. Stay strong Leah! You're beautiful!

I received this book the day before yesterday @6pm and i finished yesterday night at 7.30pm. its such a page turner, i just couldn't put it down! So so insightful not only in scientology but also what goes on behind the scenes in Hollywood. it kinda dissipated the myth of Hollywood to be honest as i felt sad that there is a kind of a class system in that world based on your money status and your movie success, which, if you think about it, is very much like the real world. I came out of this book really feeling sorry for Leah, what a hard life. To me I felt Leah was constantly trying to "fit in" everywhere she went. It didn't help that her father and especially her mother was making stupid (sorry, i can't call them bad. that’s putting it nicely) decisions of letting men and poverty dictate her and her children's life which led to her to "putting up" with situations. That in my opining is what ultimately lead to Leah to always feeling subpar (her words) to others, lashing out at people around her and most importantly her having such a weak personality although she calls it tough. For me the following issues stuck out: - I couldn’t believe the mother left her children in that sea org hell hole even after her kids complained of the terrible living conditions (especially her baby!). Also allowing her daughters to “drop out of school” in the 8th grade (?!) - If Leah is claiming that she was always questioning the church from way back then why in gods name did she jump on the band-wagon on issues such as the Brook shields thing? Any person who has “always questioned” the status quo would of at least just kept quite. - I truly believe that if Leah would have had better education, structured family life and proper guidance then she would never have joined the church of scientology. Any sane person with youtube can see documentaries and material on LRH and see what a crook he was. - I though that apologising to an agent who called her the “most classless person he ever met”, sending gifts to people who complained about her behaviour in Tom’s wedding, saying I’m sorry to others while stating that “it wont make a difference” was so so sad. I think all this only ended up making her seem so weak and thus warranted disrespect from others. Very much like a drunk who lashes out at people and then apologises when sober. - I’m sorry but I don’t agree with her attitude in the wedding. Holding up seats, complaining about everything and most importantly writing reports on people who are flirting THEN she asks for an apology when theses people get married later on? What business is it of yours? Also stating that certain members of the church are their to “serve not to drink” or something. Seriously what planet are we on? I’m sorry I totally don’t agree with this attitude. - She asks for an apology when Katie left Tom? I dont get why she needed an apology when this happened? Through out the book I got the feeling that Leah was somewhat envious of Tom. - I can't excuse her bad behaviour of threating to punch people in the face, ratting on others, going after people just because the church says so (Brook Shields). just because your admitting it now doesn't give you an excuse. - One of the most disappointed features I saw was dragging Jennifer lopes into this. Even during interviews Leah would say “Jennifer said this to me..”. I’m sorry but did you get the ok from Jennifer before using her in this? i've always hated friends who use others to validate their statements (especially when they are not ok with it. when asked by a reporter Leah said "i didn't tell Jen about it, i just gave her the book). This review is not meant to be negative. I really liked the book and i highly recommend it. I just came out of it really irritated by Leah. She is very much like an ex gang member who complains about his ex mates and expects sympathy. Unfortunately not from me.

This is a review of Leah Remini's book, not the Church of Scientology. I do have opinions about the latter which inevitably seep through this commentary. I read Remini's book over about three days. It was a quick read-- seemingly informative, and probably mostly credible--insofar as many of the details were consistent with other anti-scientology information I've been exposed to over the years. While I had some basic knowledge of the "church" from other sources, I was completely unfamiliar with Ms. Remini or any of her work as an actress. My overall impression of her as a person, gleaned solely from her book, is that she can be rather rude, pushy, and obnoxious, particularly when events don't go her way. She has a rarefied sense of humor that is often misunderstood by others. Without diagnosing Remini as having any particular personality disorder, I am not surprised that an individual this headstrong and opinionated would eventually butt heads with an institution well known to have a highly systematized set of beliefs, principles, and methods designed to keep its members under tight control. It seemed inevitable, at least from my perspective, that Ms. Remini and the "church" would eventually part ways. I am amazed that more than 30 years passed before the fatal clash and inevitable break occurred. Onto the book itself: I am somewhat surprised by the lack of effort on the parts of her "ghost writer" and editor to improve the organization and fundamental readability of and language used in the book. As she admits, Remini has had no more than an 8th grade education and it shows. The amount of repetition, needed to perhaps "pad" the length of the book, becomes tiresome and Scientology acronyms are frequently used without being defined on first appearance and/or when they are abruptly introduced again after reading several intervening chapters. (Hint: if the book is ever reprinted, listing all the Scientology acronyms with definitions in an appendix would be very helpful.) The grammar throughout is atrocious. I did get the sense that most of the book is in Ms. Remini's own words, but some final polishing would contribute to the book's overall readability and therefore its credibility. Perhaps there was some urgency in rushing the book to press and to market of which I'm unaware. Nonetheless, as mentioned, I admire Ms. Remini's decision to leave the "church" and to come forward with an account of her experiences as a Scientologist. It is clear that this decision was made with difficulty (the "church" had been a key part of her life since childhood) and that she is still dealing with the consequences of her departure, having donated millions of dollars she cannot recoup and having lost many, many Scientologist friends who now shun her as a Suppressive Person. Remini's book is filled with anecdotes from her Scientology career. For example, Remini's account of the Cruise/Holmes wedding and her horrified reactions to what she perceived as misbehaviors by high "church" officials is especially revealing of the duality of roles and hypocrisies that distinguish members of various ranks. As in the way she describes other events, this story reveals her behavior to be annoying, way over the top, and sometimes inappropriate. But more importantly, it demonstrates how thoroughly indoctrinated in Scientology principles Remini had become since she insists these misbehaviors were all inconsistent with "LRH policy." Over the course of several days at this highly publicized wedding celebration, apparently one could find a cadre of celebrities ripe for recruiting (Remini herself was trying to protect her friend, Jennifer Lopez, from such pressure; however, as a Scientologist, her protective behavior was probably curious to her cohorts), celebrity Scientologists, and high-ranking "church" officials (including COB David Miscavige and heir apparent Cruise) tattling on each other's behaviors (in Knowledge Reports) as if they were sixth graders--except there were real emotional and financial consequences for whomever was most ganged up on--in this case, Remini. As she became more disaffected by her treatment at the hands of the "church," Remini's actions became more desperate and her inquisitions more insistent--to the point that when she finally decided to break away, she filed a "missing persons" report on the "church" leader's wife, Shelly Miscavige, from whom she had not seen or heard for years. Anecdotes such as these reveal a side of Scientology that only the wealthiest and most famous members are privy to and, for this information, Remini's book is most useful and telling. This said, I actually wished for more: having been a "church" member for over 30 years, Remini seemed to leave untold a great many more details and incidents (she notes that Tom Cruise and John Travolta, two of the "church's" most famous members, are barely on speaking terms but doesn't explore that interesting tidbit any further). And some events seem almost scripted or drawn from third hand sources, such as the account of the "church's" attempt to pair up Tom Cruise and Nazanin Boniadi (and the punishments inflicted upon Ms. Boniadi after Mr. Cruise's Scientology handlers were given the task of "discarding" her). It did not appear that Ms. Remini had first hand knowledge of the facts of this relationship. Perhaps this passage was drawn from Lawrence Wright's book "Going Clear" or the HBO documentary made from Wright's book. The marked change in writing style and voice suggests such a conclusion. A list of relevant references would have been helpful in separating Remini's personal experiences from events based on other information sources. In all, Remini's book is another eye-opening "expose" of Scientology. It adds to my existing skepticism, disbelief, and suspicion about the tenets and practices of this "religion," and my concern for individuals who participate willingly and consequently pay a steep price emotionally and financially. Or individuals, as in the case of Ms. Remini, who are brought into the organization as unknowing children. Or persons who join out of naivete seeking spiritual realization and earthly and afterlife connections lacking in their present existence. Or those who are coerced in various ways to join against their own desires. A cult like Scientology tends to attract wounded individuals searching for meaning and acceptance, and then acts to retain its members by whatever means necessary. This cult does its job extremely well, as demonstrated by how long it took Remini and others to begin to question policies, to reject the "church's" belief system and practices, and to deal with the consequences of breaking ties with a clearly Machiavellian institution. Rather than ask, "why did it take Remini so long to leave?" a more revealing question may be "why are so many others unable to follow?" An interesting, gossipy, and sometimes astonishing read, but not a great book. Dive into it over a free weekend or on vacation; you can easily get through it in a day or so, or an uninterrupted afternoon (if, as you're reading, you don't have to fight with the compulsion to mentally correct all the grammatical and other language usage errors as I did!). Then get Lawrence Wright's book or view the HBO doc, "Going Clear," for a more hard-hitting, fact-laden perspective.

First of all Scientology is so dumb, it's unbelievable. As an outsider I always found Tom Cruise creepy, like a Rat that has a lions mask, but literally everyone around me as a kid n teen would just gush about him! I have never followed his work, but next big memory of Tom Cruise was his infamous jumping on Oprah's couch incident. Now reading this book, I actually feel a Sense of Pity and understanding of what this cult n set up can do to a person's mental setup. Attention like alcohol will affect anyone's head after a certain point. The sheer quantity of attention poured on a Tom Cruise..can make a ton of elephants drunk for eternity! Coming back to this book and its author, I knew Leah Remini from watching a bit of King of Queens. She is real. Period. She is funny, articulate and passionate. That comes across. Also, she is full of beans but she is also candid and uncalculating as evidenced that she gets herself the short end of the stick most often. I would believe her anyday over a ridiculously stupid, n dangerously creepy church . Most of us will believe Leah because it is the experience of all of humanity that all institutions become rotten by virtue of people who take positions of power and place themselves above question or reproach. I hope Scientology is fully exposed. The story that has left me truly shocked is that of Shelly Miscavige. How come the govt. And FBI are ok with a person vanishing from face of earth! This is their concern for citizens?! They bombed life out of Iraq but wont lift a finger to find a US Citizen who has vanished suspiciously, and ignore every concern raised about it! Makes no bloody sense at all! Finally, Leah Remini..you are a force! May God protect you!

Excelente! Esperaba éste libro con muchas expectativas y no sólo me encantó, sino que me confirmó qué la cienciología es una secta , peligrosa y clasista. Trabajé en Clearwater hace años y los veía caminando cómo autómatas clonados( visten similar a mormones) oí historias terroríficas de ellos, pero aquí hablan desde esferas más altas. Absolutamente recomendable.

Arrived quickly in new condition.

L'auteur n'est pas un écrivain, mais le contenu est hautement intéressant.

Great Read! Huge eye opener to Scientology...the cult. Thank you Leah for the eye opening to this cult. So happy you found your way out. Thanks for the laughs in King of Queens!!