MovieChat Forums > Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath (2016) Discussion > Marc Headley's book (and others)

Marc Headley's book (and others)

posted 7 years ago by nyctc7
6 replies | jump to latest

If this show has piqued your interest in the stories of ex-scientologists, I recommend (yes I've read them):

*Blown For Good by Marc Headley
*Counterfeit Dreams by Jeff Hawkins
*The Complex by John Duignan
*Memoirs of a Scientology Warrior by Marty Rathbun

Not recommended:

*Scientology - Abuse at the Top Abuse at the Top by Amy Scobee. Certainly a likeable personality and interesting to listen to on video, the book is one of those large type double-spaced works to make it seem longer. Overall comes across as rushed to print and a bit amateurish.

*My Billion Year Contract: Memoir of a Former Scientologist by Nancy Many. Not a great read, and Many is one of the few ex-scientologist writers who just rubs me the wrong way.

I know there have been a few others (such as Remini's, Ron and Jenna Miscavige's, but I haven't read them).

Recommended books by non-scientologists:

*Inside Scientology: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion by Janet Reitman
*Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright

[–] yamahamama 7 years ago

Thanks for the recommendations/reviews.

I've read Jenna Miscavige-Hill's & Ron Miscavige's books. Probably similar to the ones you mentioned. Jenna writes of oppressive dorm living, having zero free time, constant manual labor, even as a little girl.

And I've read Going Clear (long before the HBO movie). Very compelling.

Here are some things I find fascinating.

1. Even relatives of David M. can't stand to be around him & renounce Scientology.

2. Forced disconnection is heartbreaking. To be forced to cut off all interaction with a family member, including a grandchild--I can't imagine.

3. The fact that LRH said specifically that the best way to become rich is to start a religion. A science fiction writer invents a religion to make money. And people buy it--literally.

[–] nyctc7 7 years ago

There's also lots of stuff on YouTube.

So Interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/user/ScilonTV The best ones are Jeff Hawkins and Marc Headley.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScVBJPGeEio&list=PLB82BB3F7CEC55037 Long, but a most fascinating insight into one man's journey in Scientology, from beginning to end. He also wrote one of the books I listed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0FnQbrvhII A young woman's story, joined the Sea Org at a young age.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wGwsbwqNb8 A woman who observed Hubbard up close in the Sea Org.

Of course there's many more, but those are four of the best IMO.

[–] schmitztracy 7 years ago

"bare-faced messiah" by russell miller

"a piece of blue sky" by jon atack...

"fair game" by aussie journalist steve cannane

"the unbreakable miss lovely" by tony ortega

and the website www.tonyortega.org (visit it daily, YES daily!)...

[–] mysterious-j 7 years ago

Atack's book is especially noteworthy as the most serious biography of Hubbard ever published.

[–] sgetti4me 7 years ago

I just started Jenna Miscaviges book and it's pretty interesting. Her parents and the Rinders shared an apartment when she was young until they got sent to the ranch. Now that right there, not exactly sure how this ranch is legal. The kids Re the ones who did the renovations to get the buildings up to code. And it also seems they had her sign the contract to join sea org at 7.

Damn the man! Save the Empire! Rave On, Rave On

[–] crayola14 7 years ago

also the BBC the episode by that journalist who was pestered (he is in the Leah show). It really shows a level-headed journalist falling into paranoia and mental illness. You go on the journey with him and see how easy it is to be mentally broken down. It is really good. I saw it on youtube a while ago.