Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology

Leah Remini details her thirty-year history within the Church of Scientology, beginning with her childhood move to the Sea Org in Clearwater, Florida. She explains the internal justice system, where members submit to interrogations known as auditing and provide written reports on the behavior of their peers. Remini outlines the financial demands of moving up the Bridge to Total Freedom and describes her eventual friction with the organization’s leadership during high-profile events, such as the wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. She documents the administrative pressures placed on her family and her ultimate decision to leave and risk being declared a Suppressive Person.

Readers interested in the mechanics of high-control groups and the culture of celebrity in Los Angeles will find a direct account of institutional intimidation. The memoir provides a look at the specific paperwork, fees, and social punishments used to maintain order within a private organization. Readers walk away with a functional understanding of how Scientology managed its public image through famous members and the logistical difficulties involved in severing ties with a community that coordinates the social lives of its adherents.

Clear-cut; an easy read.

Best for readers like The Escapist Adventurer. Which reader are you?