Ron Miscavige’s book has a new title and a publication date. What was originally announced as “If He Dies, He Dies” has been renamed “Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me,” and St. Martin’s Press is publishing it on May 3.
Wow, we’re really looking forward to this one. In the book, Ron describes how his son David Miscavige, who had been a happy and funny child, became the ruthless and tyrannical leader of the Church of Scientology, surrounded by sycophants and living lavishly while others in the church toil in relative poverty.
What caused that transformation? The power he assumed on becoming leader of the church, Ron concludes in a book that will describe how he ultimately made his own escape from Scientology after serving it for decades.
Ron’s co-writer is Dan Koon, a former high-ranking technical expert in Scientology who has been behind several of the books written by former church members. With Koon’s help, Ron writes about the parts of Scientology that he still considers beneficial, despite his son’s dictatorial takeover of it. We have a feeling some of the readers here at the Bunker will find that part of the book less savory. But we think there will be plenty of other delicious morsels to please the book’s audience.
The original title referred to an incident in 2013 involving two private investigators who had been hired to stalk Ron in his Wisconsin town. Ron had escaped from Scientology’s International Base in 2012, and the private investigators admitted in police interviews that they had been hired by David Miscavige to follow his father. At one point while they were surveilling him, Ron fumbled with a smartphone in his shirt pocket and clutched at his chest. From their vantage point, the two private eyes got the impression that Ron was having a heart attack. They told police that when they called their handler for instructions, David Miscavige came on the line and told them to do nothing. “If he dies, he dies,” Miscavige reportedly said.
We’re looking forward to reading Ron’s explanation for how he came to the decision to leave his son’s organization, and how he managed to escape from Int Base, which can be notoriously tough to break out of. We can’t imagine that David is going to be very happy about the revelations in this book.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on March 16, 2016 at 07:45
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Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information about the book, and our 2015 book tour, can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts
Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | Scientology’s Private Dancer | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | Scientology boasts about assistance from Google | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Our Guide to Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear,’ and our pages about its principal figures…
Jason Beghe | Tom DeVocht | Sara Goldberg | Paul Haggis | Mark “Marty” Rathbun | Mike Rinder | Spanky Taylor | Hana Whitfield
