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- Title: Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology
- Author: Leah Remini
- Narrator: Leah Remini
- Length: 07:09:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 03/11/2015
- Publisher: Random House (Audio)
- Genre: Religion & Spirituality, Biography & Memoir, World Religions, Arts & Entertainment, Memoir
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
It reminds me of a time when I was weaving through the dusty streets of Oaxaca, the air thick with the scent of mole negro and the hum of a grandmother’s voice spinning tales by lantern light. That’s the kind of intimacy Leah Remini brings to her audiobook “Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology”. Narrated by the author herself, this memoir doesn’t just tell a story – it grabs you by the collar and pulls you into the gritty, unfiltered chaos of her life. As a travel writer who’s spent years chasing human connections and hidden histories, I found myself hooked from the first chapter, the Brooklyn toughness in her voice echoing like a call across the canyons I’ve roamed.
Leah Remini’s “Troublemaker” is a no-holds-barred dive into her decades with the Church of Scientology, a world that shaped her from childhood in New York to her Hollywood rise alongside icons like Tom Cruise. The story unfolds like a road trip through a surreal landscape – equal parts dazzling and disorienting. She paints her early years with vivid strokes: a kid indoctrinated into a faith that promised salvation but delivered control, a dreamer who swapped Brooklyn stoops for LA soundstages, only to find the church’s grip tightening with every step up the ladder. You can almost hear the clink of champagne glasses at Cruise’s wedding to Katie Holmes, where Remini stood as a guest – until her questions turned her into a pariah.
What strikes me most is how this audiobook experience mirrors those evenings in Oaxaca, where the grandmother’s pauses were as powerful as her words. Remini’s narration has that same magic. Her voice – raw, brash, and unapologetic – carries the weight of someone who’s lived every syllable. When she recounts the church labeling her a ‘Suppressive Person,’ forcing her family to cut ties, you can feel the ache in her throat. It’s not just a performance; it’s a confession, a reckoning. The audio quality is crisp, letting her inflections shine – whether she’s cracking a sardonic joke or choking back emotion. At just over seven hours, it’s a tight, compelling listen, never overstaying its welcome.
The themes here hit close to home for me. I’ve always been drawn to stories of transformation – people shedding old skins to step into something truer. Remini’s break from Scientology is that kind of tale: a woman clawing her way toward freedom, not just for herself but for her daughter and those she loves. It’s a memoir about questioning authority, a thread that runs through my own work as I’ve sat with shamans in Peru or fishermen in Portugal, listening to them challenge the world’s unspoken rules. Her honesty is aggressive, yes, but it’s also tender – a balance that makes “Troublemaker” linger long after the final chapter.
That said, it’s not flawless. The pacing stumbles at times, especially when she digs into the minutiae of Scientology’s inner workings – terms like ‘ethics conditions’ or ‘knowledge reports’ that might leave outsiders glazed over without more context. And while her celebrity anecdotes (Cruise’s oddities, J.Lo’s wedding cameo) are juicy, they occasionally feel like detours from the deeper story of faith and family. Still, these are minor bumps on a road worth traveling.
Remini’s narration is the heartbeat of this audiobook. Her Brooklyn accent – sharp as a switchblade – grounds every word in authenticity. You can almost taste the bitterness when she describes the church’s retaliation, or hear the laughter in her throat as she pokes fun at Hollywood’s absurdities. Compared to other memoirs I’ve devoured – like Brené Brown’s “Daring Greatly”, with its soothing introspection – this one’s a firecracker. Where Brown invites quiet reflection, Remini demands you sit up and listen. It’s less polished, sure, but that’s its strength: a listening experience that feels like a late-night diner chat with a friend who’s seen it all.
For anyone who’d love this audiobook, I’d say it’s perfect for fans of raw memoirs – think “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed, but swap the Pacific Crest Trail for Scientology’s labyrinth. It’s a must-listen if you’re into tales of rebellion, spirituality gone sideways, or just d*mn good Hollywood gossip. And if you can snag it as a free audiobook download (check platforms like Audiobooks.com for trials), it’s an even sweeter deal.
Reflecting on it now, “Troublemaker” takes me back to a drive through Chile’s Atacama Desert, when Gabriel García Márquez’s voice (via audiobook) turned the barren dunes into a mythic stage. Remini does something similar – her story transforms the sterile sheen of Hollywood and Scientology into a messy, human epic. It’s not just about surviving; it’s about owning your truth, loud and clear. For a guy who’s spent years scribbling notes on napkins in far-flung places, that’s a journey I can’t help but admire.
Until our next adventure, keep chasing the stories that move you, Marcus Rivera
