-
The Unbreakable Miss Lovely
- How the Church of Scientology Tried to Destroy Paulette Cooper
- Narrated by: Tony Ortega
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release date: 09-29-16
- Language: English
- Publisher: Audible Studios
Regular price: $20.24
People who bought this also bought...
-
Blown for Good
- Behind the Iron Curtain of Scientology
- By: Marc Headley
- Narrated by: Marc Headley
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 42
Marc Headley provides an insider's view of life as a member of Scientology's "Sea Organization". Marc worked at Scientology's secret desert compound, which houses all Scientology management, for 15 years. The 500-acre property is located deep in the California desert. The local townspeople were told lectures and films were made there. But is that all that was happening? It is the location of a multi-million-dollar home for L. Ron Hubbard, built two decades after his death. It is the home of Scientology's current leader, David Miscavige.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Easily the Best Scientology Book Out There
- By Brandon M. Salazar on 08-16-18
-
The Church of Fear
- Inside the Weird World of Scientology
- By: John Sweeney
- Narrated by: John Sweeney
- Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 253
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 228
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 225
Tom Cruise and John Travolta say the Church of Scientology is a force for good. Others disagree. Award-winning journalist John Sweeney investigated the Church for more than half a decade. During that time he was intimidated, spied on, and followed, and the results were spectacular: Sweeney lost his temper with the Church's spokesman on camera, and his infamous 'exploding tomato' clip was seen by millions around the world.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Church of Intimidation, Deviousness and Evil
- By Audio Gra Gra on 05-29-16
-
Ruthless
- Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me
- By: Ronald Miscavige, Dan Koon
- Narrated by: Harvey Betancourt
- Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 642
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 578
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 576
The only book to examine the origins of Scientology's current leader, Ruthless tells the revealing story of David Miscavige's childhood and his path to the head seat of the Church of Scientology, told through the eyes of his father. Ron Miscavige's personal, heartfelt story is a riveting insider's look at life within the world of Scientology.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Ruthlessly Honest ~ An Engrossing Read!
- By susan rios on 05-05-16
-
Fair Game
- The Incredible Untold Story of Scientology in Australia
- By: Steve Cannane
- Narrated by: Steve Cannane
- Length: 14 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 50
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 48
From Rugby League players trying to improve their game, to Hollywood superstars and the depressed sons of media moguls, Scientology has recruited its share of famous Australians. Less known is that Australia was the first place to ban Scientology, or that Scientology spies helped expose the Chelmsford Deep Sleep Scandal. Numerous Australians have held senior posts in the organisation, only to fall foul of the top brass and lose their families as a result.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER BOOK ON THIS CULT OF EVIL
- By Count B on 01-05-17
-
Scientology: Abuse at the Top
- By: Amy Scobee
- Narrated by: Danielle Plaso
- Length: 5 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 91
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars 83
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 85
A former top insider reveals the nightmare world of violence and abuse at the highest levels of the Church of Scientology. One review states: "At home alone, a 14 year old girl takes a phone call from Scientology. This starts a quarter of a century journey of manipulation, betrayal and sexual, physical and mental abuse. This journey leads to the highest management echelon and one woman's courage to break free. A real page-turner." Mark P. Another writes: "Amy Scobee has written a book unlike any other expose of Scientology.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good Writing....fair narration.
- By Tony on 08-22-13
-
Perfectly Clear
- Escaping Scientology and Fighting for the Woman I Love
- By: Michelle LeClair, Robin Gaby Fisher
- Narrated by: Michelle LeClair
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
For years, Michelle LeClair, former president of Scientology's international humanitarian organization, tried to reconcile her same-sex attraction with the anti-gay ideology of the church. Michelle finally ends her horrific marriage, finds the love of her life, a woman, and ultimately leaves the Church. But the split comes at a terrible price. In this tell-all memoir, Michelle offers an insider's perspective on Scientology's pervasive influence, secret rituals, and ruthless practices for keeping members in line.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The view from the top
- By Amanda on 09-13-18
-
Blown for Good
- Behind the Iron Curtain of Scientology
- By: Marc Headley
- Narrated by: Marc Headley
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 42
Marc Headley provides an insider's view of life as a member of Scientology's "Sea Organization". Marc worked at Scientology's secret desert compound, which houses all Scientology management, for 15 years. The 500-acre property is located deep in the California desert. The local townspeople were told lectures and films were made there. But is that all that was happening? It is the location of a multi-million-dollar home for L. Ron Hubbard, built two decades after his death. It is the home of Scientology's current leader, David Miscavige.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Easily the Best Scientology Book Out There
- By Brandon M. Salazar on 08-16-18
-
The Church of Fear
- Inside the Weird World of Scientology
- By: John Sweeney
- Narrated by: John Sweeney
- Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 253
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 228
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 225
Tom Cruise and John Travolta say the Church of Scientology is a force for good. Others disagree. Award-winning journalist John Sweeney investigated the Church for more than half a decade. During that time he was intimidated, spied on, and followed, and the results were spectacular: Sweeney lost his temper with the Church's spokesman on camera, and his infamous 'exploding tomato' clip was seen by millions around the world.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Church of Intimidation, Deviousness and Evil
- By Audio Gra Gra on 05-29-16
-
Ruthless
- Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me
- By: Ronald Miscavige, Dan Koon
- Narrated by: Harvey Betancourt
- Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 642
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 578
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 576
The only book to examine the origins of Scientology's current leader, Ruthless tells the revealing story of David Miscavige's childhood and his path to the head seat of the Church of Scientology, told through the eyes of his father. Ron Miscavige's personal, heartfelt story is a riveting insider's look at life within the world of Scientology.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Ruthlessly Honest ~ An Engrossing Read!
- By susan rios on 05-05-16
-
Fair Game
- The Incredible Untold Story of Scientology in Australia
- By: Steve Cannane
- Narrated by: Steve Cannane
- Length: 14 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 50
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 48
From Rugby League players trying to improve their game, to Hollywood superstars and the depressed sons of media moguls, Scientology has recruited its share of famous Australians. Less known is that Australia was the first place to ban Scientology, or that Scientology spies helped expose the Chelmsford Deep Sleep Scandal. Numerous Australians have held senior posts in the organisation, only to fall foul of the top brass and lose their families as a result.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER BOOK ON THIS CULT OF EVIL
- By Count B on 01-05-17
-
Scientology: Abuse at the Top
- By: Amy Scobee
- Narrated by: Danielle Plaso
- Length: 5 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 91
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars 83
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 85
A former top insider reveals the nightmare world of violence and abuse at the highest levels of the Church of Scientology. One review states: "At home alone, a 14 year old girl takes a phone call from Scientology. This starts a quarter of a century journey of manipulation, betrayal and sexual, physical and mental abuse. This journey leads to the highest management echelon and one woman's courage to break free. A real page-turner." Mark P. Another writes: "Amy Scobee has written a book unlike any other expose of Scientology.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good Writing....fair narration.
- By Tony on 08-22-13
-
Perfectly Clear
- Escaping Scientology and Fighting for the Woman I Love
- By: Michelle LeClair, Robin Gaby Fisher
- Narrated by: Michelle LeClair
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
For years, Michelle LeClair, former president of Scientology's international humanitarian organization, tried to reconcile her same-sex attraction with the anti-gay ideology of the church. Michelle finally ends her horrific marriage, finds the love of her life, a woman, and ultimately leaves the Church. But the split comes at a terrible price. In this tell-all memoir, Michelle offers an insider's perspective on Scientology's pervasive influence, secret rituals, and ruthless practices for keeping members in line.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The view from the top
- By Amanda on 09-13-18
-
Going Clear
- Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief
- By: Lawrence Wright
- Narrated by: Morton Sellers
- Length: 17 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,648
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,251
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,230
A clear-sighted revelation, a deep penetration into the world of Scientology by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the The Looming Tower, the now-classic study of al-Qaeda’s 9/11 attack. Based on more than 200 personal interviews with both current and former Scientologists - both famous and less well known - and years of archival research, Lawrence Wright uses his extraordinary investigative ability to uncover for us the inner workings of the Church of Scientology.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Scared the Hell Out of Me
- By Chris Reich on 02-02-13
-
Scientology: A to Xenu: An Insider's Guide to What Scientology Is All About
- By: Chris Shelton
- Narrated by: Chris Shelton
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 133
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 124
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 121
Former insider Chris Shelton grew up in Scientology and worked for it for 25 years. This critical analysis covers the key aspects of its beliefs, practices, and structure from the bottom to the top, including not just the confidential Xenu story but details of all of the upper-level scriptures. Chris goes into detail about what goes on inside Scientology churches, why its members get involved in the first place, and what it takes to get out should someone decide to leave.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent & book with some technical problems
- By Dallas on 03-23-16
-
Beyond Belief
- My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape
- By: Jenna Miscavige Hill
- Narrated by: Sandy Rustin
- Length: 11 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,870
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,525
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,522
Jenna Miscavige Hill, niece of Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige, was raised as a Scientologist but left the controversial religion in 2005. In Beyond Belief, she shares her true story of life inside the upper ranks of the sect, details her experiences as a member Sea Org - the church's highest ministry - speaks of her "disconnection" from family outside of the organization, and tells the story of her ultimate escape.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
The Despicable Truth Behind Scientology
- By Tim on 02-07-13
-
Inside Scientology
- The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion
- By: Janet Reitman
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 15 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,945
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1,667
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,682
Scientology, created in 1954 by a prolific sci-fi writer named L. Ron Hubbard, claims to be the world's fastest-growing religion, with millions of members around the world and huge financial holdings. Its celebrity believers keep its profile high, and its teams of "volunteer ministers" offer aid at disaster sites such as Haiti and the World Trade Center. But Scientology is also a notably closed faith, harassing journalists and others through litigation and intimidation, even infiltrating the highest levels of government to further its goals.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
My cup of tea.
- By Matt on 08-09-11
-
Troublemaker
- Surviving Hollywood and Scientology
- By: Leah Remini
- Narrated by: Leah Remini
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 13,790
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 12,675
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 12,627
The outspoken actress, talk show host, and reality television star offers up a no-holds-barred memoir, including an eye-opening insider account of her tumultuous and heart-wrenching 30-year-plus association with the Church of Scientology.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
This book is fascinating and funny! Fantastic!
- By Kim on 11-04-15
-
Commodore's Messenger
- A Child Adrift in the Scientology Sea Organization, Book 1
- By: Janis Gillham-Grady
- Narrated by: Jennifer Moore
- Length: 14 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 12
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 12
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 12
Commodore's Messenger begins by taking the listener into the life of the first family of Scientology in Australia: Yvonne and Peter Gillham and their three children, Peter Jr., Terri, and Janis. Life for the Gillhams is not without its challenges in Australia, but nothing compares to what happens when the family moves to England after dealing with the banning of Scientology in Victoria. Things spiral out of control, as Hubbard leaves England and takes to the sea.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Beyond boring
- By InGa on 08-09-18
-
Tom Cruise
- An Unauthorized Biography
- By: Andrew Morton
- Narrated by: John Hinch
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 180
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 114
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 115
In 2006, Forbes magazine ranked Tom Cruise as the most powerful celebrity in the world. With three Golden Globe awards, three Academy Award nominations, and 27 films with an average box office gross of nearly $100 million, People magazine's choice for the "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1990 is unquestionably one of the biggest movie stars of our time.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
An In-depth Analysis of Tom Cruise & Scientology!
- By Crusader on 02-05-08
-
The Witness Wore Red
- The 19th Wife Who Brought Polygamous Cult Leaders to Justice
- By: Rebecca Musser, M. Bridget Cook
- Narrated by: Rebecca Musser
- Length: 14 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 827
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 760
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 758
Always seeking to be an obedient Priesthood girl, in her teens Rebecca Musser became the nineteenth wife of her people's prophet: 85-year-old Rulon Jeffs. Finally sickened by the abuse she suffered and saw around her, she pulled off a daring escape and sought to build a new life and family.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Compelling and emotional read
- By Briley on 10-08-13
-
Church of Lies
- By: Paul T. Brown, Flora Jessop
- Narrated by: Eve Bianco
- Length: 10 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 354
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 331
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 333
"My name is Flora Jessop. I've been called apostate, vigilante, and crazy bitch, and maybe I am. But some people call me a hero, and I'd like to think they're right too. If I am a hero, maybe it's because every time I can play a part in saving a child or a woman from a life of servitude and degradation, I'm saving a little piece of me, too. was one of twenty-eight children born to my dad and his three wives."
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Unique & raw story, best FLDS memoir
- By Alexandra on 08-24-16
-
Captive
- A Mother's Crusade to Save Her Daughter from a Terrifying Cult
- By: Catherine Oxenberg
- Narrated by: Catherine Oxenberg
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 66
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 57
In 2011, Catherine joined her daughter, India, at a leadership seminar for a new organization called NXIVM. Her 20-year-old daughter was on the threshold of building a new company, and they both thought this program might help her achieve her dream. But quickly, Catherine saw a sinister side to what appeared to be a self-help organization designed to help its clients become the best versions of themselves. Catherine watched in horror as her daughter fell further and further down the rabbit hole, becoming brainwashed by the organization’s charismatic leader.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Thank u
- By zach chiachiere on 09-19-18
-
Banished
- Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church
- By: Lauren Drain
- Narrated by: Lauren Drain
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 349
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 323
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 324
You've likely heard of the Westboro Baptist Church. Perhaps you've seen their pickets on the news, the members holding signs with messages that are too offensive to copy here, protesting at events such as the funerals of soldiers, the 9-year old victim of the recent Tucson shooting, and Elizabeth Edwards, all in front of their grieving families. Since no organized religion will claim affiliation with the WBC, it's perhaps more accurate to think of them as a cult. Lauren Drain was thrust into that cult at the age of 15, and then spat back out again seven years later.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Hopefully the first of many more to come!
- By Cory on 03-09-13
-
Escape
- By: Carolyn Jessop, Laura Palmer
- Narrated by: Ann Marie Lee
- Length: 15 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,128
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 753
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 752
When she was 18 years old, Carolyn Jessop was coerced into an arranged marriage with a total stranger - a man 32 years her senior. Merril Jessop already had three wives. But arranged plural marriages were an integral part of Carolyn's heritage: She was born into and raised in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), the radical offshoot of the Mormon Church.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Questions answered - candid and informative.
- By Kim on 12-17-11
Publisher's Summary
In 1971 Paulette Cooper wrote a scathing book about the Church of Scientology. Desperate to shut the book down, Scientology unleashed on her one of the most sinister personal campaigns the free world has ever known.
The onslaught, which lasted years, ruined her life and drove her to the brink of suicide. The story of Paulette's terrifying ordeal is told in full for the first time in The Unbreakable Miss Lovely. It reveals the shocking details of the darkest chapter in Scientology's checkered history, which ended with senior members in prison and the organization's reputation permanently damaged.
More from the same
Narrator
What members say
Average Customer Ratings
Overall
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars122
-
4 Stars50
-
3 Stars15
-
2 Stars5
-
1 Stars4
Performance
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars99
-
4 Stars36
-
3 Stars24
-
2 Stars8
-
1 Stars11
Story
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars125
-
4 Stars32
-
3 Stars12
-
2 Stars3
-
1 Stars2
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Count B
- 09-29-16
A "CHURCH" THAT IS DESTRUCTIVE. INSIDE SCIENTOLOGY
Any additional comments?
An incredible book, it's a page-turning thriller. It shows how paranoid, suspicious and utterly vindictive the "Church" of Scientology really is. They literally tried to make her take her own life.
What is amazing is it's true. It's the story of how the "church" of Scientology set out to destroy Paulette Cooper, you will be utterly shocked what this cult did to try & destroy this lady. One example being the ‘church’ even went as far as to get her fingerprints on a piece of paper. They then sent forged bomb threats on the paper with her fingerprints to themselves, leading her to be arrested, facing 15 years in prison. The only reason she was not sent to jail was at around the same time, the FBI raided the Church of Scientology's offices in Washington DC and Los Angeles, finding evidence of what is to this day the largest infiltration of government offices in US history. They also found evidence of the campaign to destroy Paulette Cooper.
The author, Tony Ortega, is an investigative journalist & the premier journalist in uncovering the evil cult that is Scientology. He is meticulous in his research, and delved deeply into original documents and spoke with people who were involved in this horrendous campaign to destroy Paulette. The "church's" own documents, seized by the FBI, detailed their campaign to either have her committed to an asylum, put in jail, or commit suicide!
The book is stunning and you'll be amazed and horrified by what a "church" did to one young woman who dared to write something critical about them. Once you pick up this book, you won't be able to do anything else until you finish reading. This is a masterpiece of non-fiction storytelling. If you enjoy this then you must read Leah Remini’s book Troublemaker, it will also show how twisted & basically evil Scientology is.
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
- C. L.
- 04-15-17
I'll be getting the paperback.
I only made it through two chapters due to the horribly boring and lacklustre reading by the narrator. It sounds like he is reading a grocery receipt. Ugh.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Katie
- 01-31-17
Holy Mother of Mose
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
If you want to know this story- read the hard copy.
I'm glad to read the other reviews and know it's not just me. Ortega leaves off the end of his words/sentences CONSTANTLY throughout the book- it's making me absolutely bonkers. "chu(rch)""nineteen-seventy-si(x)""li(fe)""reaso(ns)""looki(ng)"I almost quit the book after the first 30 minutes or so because I thought I wasn't going to be able to ignore it- which I haven't been- but the story is interesting so here I am, almost finished. I'm sad, though, because I enjoy listening to books a second+ time...but that's just not going to happen on this one.
What didn’t you like about Tony Ortega’s performance?
Complete drop-off of sentences and words.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anna S.
- 03-23-17
Narration is the worst!
The author should have left the narration to the professionals. The end of most sentences gets left off. He sounds like he has a cold for the entire book.
Buy the action book and read it. The story is good.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lori
- Mandeville, LA, United States
- 01-17-17
Terrible narration
I normally don't do reviews, but I couldn't pass on this one. The book itself is good with a lot of content. The narration is deplorable. Like others have said, there is no emotion, but I could deal with that. The problem I have is Tony Ortega does not finish words. I don't know if he was rushed narrating his book or if that is how he speaks, but it is very infuriating. I would say the last word of about every 3rd sentence is never finished. The word sentence, for example, sounds like "sente". This may be one of those books that is better off being read instead.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- TLF
- 12-07-16
Interesting Story
Where does The Unbreakable Miss Lovely rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
It's toward the mid range. The narration wasn't great as I typically don't like authors to read their own work but Paulette's story was intriguing.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Paulette was my favorite because she is so very human and stay so naive for so long.
What three words best describe Tony Ortega’s voice?
Mono-toned, untrained, and unemotional.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No. It was good for long commute times (as are most books).
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Maureen
- 11-05-16
Great story, scary this can happen.
Thank you, Tony Ortega, for giving us this book in audio form. Even though I've heard you tell this story in interviews, it was still captivating. Paulette Cooper is a brave lady. Unbelievable how vindictive Scientology was and still is. Glad I'm just a wog. :-)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Krysta Harty
- Boston, MA
- 10-10-16
A real life spy drama
The detailed account of the lengths a 'religion' will go to, to keep one woman quiet.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Marie
- 01-24-17
It was Ok
I was hoping for more details about the cult and less about lawyers. Also kind of weird that it seemed like every other sentence contained a word that Ortega would leave the last letter off of????
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- DC Kristi
- Washington, DC United States
- 09-20-18
Fascinating topic. Mediocre audiobook.
I went to a lecture for this book tour with Tony Ortega and Paulette Cooper in 2015. I was excited when I saw that the audiobook came out, and I finally got around to listening to it. Overall, I was disappointed. I definitely gained more from the 90 minute lecture than I did from 10 hours of this audiobook.
As others have noted, the narration by the author is mediocre at best. His cadence and tone become predictable and monotonous, and for the 2nd half of the book it was honestly hard for me to focus on content when I kept being distracted by the narration.
With regard to the content, I found it overly tedious and lacking in connecting humanity to the facts. I felt like I could've just read through a timeline of facts without all of the "then this happened, then that happened" narrative. We didn't learn much about who the people were and their motivations, just facts about their actions. And, one of the most intriguing parts of the story, about Paulett Cooper's childhood and escape from Nazis, isn't given the weight that it deserves. It's possible that I would've felt differently about the content if I hadn't been constantly distracted by the narration.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- T. Webb
- 10-30-16
No s's
The story was well composed but an issue I noticed while listening is the majority of the s's were removed. Causing abrupt ends or manipulation a to words. This very well could have been an issue with the download, I'm not sure. Though nonetheless, still enjoyable and informative.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chris
- 10-09-16
Great book told by the authority on the subject
Having followed Tony Ortega's work for a few years now, I bought this book with a sense of anticipation. Ortega doesn't disappoint as he manages to blend the story of Paulette Cooper with the history and context for scientology - highly recommended!
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Paul
- 10-08-16
frightening. well read.
Excellent. Mr Ortega narrates a tale of a battle for sanity against those who will do anything to make one believe otherwise.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Matt O'Brien
- 03-06-17
Worth a listen!
The actual story of what happened is extremely compelling and shocking in certain places and really helps give some insight into Scientology that other books just don't give!
The one thing that stopped me almost finishing this book the narrators irritating tendency to not finish words. At first I thought it was something to do with the editing but it does seem to be the narrator. Frequently when he is saying something like "Her father owned many houses" he'll just say "her father owned many house"
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Geoffrey
- 07-18-17
A fascinating listen
This is a truly fascinating book. Ortega brilliantly tells the story of Paulette Cooper's ordeal at the hands of the Church of Scientology. This story reads like a great thriller novel and sometimes you have to remind yourself that this is a true story.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful