Hollywood Park by Mikel Jollett

Available May 26, 2020

If you are looking for a riveting and gut wrenching memoir, this book is it. Mikel Jollett recounts his childhood growing up as part of a cult, his family's escape, and the turbulent years leading to his adulthood. Told with unflinching honesty, it is both a gripping tale of survival and a heartbreaking story of abuse and neglect.

Mikel Jollett spent his early years a child of Synanon. When his mother became disenchanted at the group's dark turn, she took her two boys and hid with other escaped cult members. After a family friend was brutally assaulted in broad daylight, Mikel and his mother and brother escape again to a new location, out of reach of Synanon. But life was still incredibly difficult. Mikel grew up with an aggressive older brother and a narcissist of a mother. After his father comes back into his life, Mikel and his brother bounce back and forth between the two dramatically different homes. One, controlling and emotionally abusive, and the other, with more freedom and acceptance.

Jollett goes into detail about his family's struggles with substance abuse, emotional abuse, and the effect poverty had on shaping his life. The courage it takes to not only seek help for these struggles, but to share them with the world is extraordinary. Jollett's writing is powerful in it's simplicity. The straightforward way that he describes traumatic experiences from his childhood is almost jarring.

Incredibly powerful and emotional, Hollywood Park is a gripping tale of family, love, and acceptance. If you enjoyed Educated by Tara Westover, definitely give this one a look.

Interested in a copy of Hollywood Park for yourself, you can grab one here:

Mikel Jollett is a member of the indie band The Airborne Toxic Event. You can find their latest album here:

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Thank you to Celadon Books for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions and mistakes are my own. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.