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Overview
1992: Andrew Morton showed a Princess in a light we had never seen before--Diana: Her True Story became a #1 New York Times bestseller.1999: Andrew Morton revealed the young woman behind the blue dress--Monica’s Story was a #1 New York Times bestseller.
January 15, 2008: Andrew Morton uncovers the true story of the biggest celebrity of our age.
Everyone knows Tom Cruise---or at least certain things about him. We know that he overcame a difficult childhood to star in astonishing array of blockbusters: Top Gun, Rain Man, Born on the Fourth of July, A Few Good Men, Interview with the Vampire, Jerry Maguire, three Mission: Impossible movies, War of the Worlds, and more. We know he has taken artistic chances, too, and as a result has earned three Academy Award nominations and three Golden Globes, along with the respect of acting legends like Paul Newman and Dustin Hoffman.
After that, the picture becomes a little less clear. We know that Tom is a Scientologist, but not necessarily what that means in his life. We know that, despite persistent rumors about his sexuality, he has been married to Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman, and Katie Holmes. But it was not until the spring of 2005, when he jumped on Oprah’s couch to proclaim his love for Katie and denounced Brooke Shields for turning to the “Nazi science” of psychiatry, that we began to realize how much we didn’t know about the charming, hardworking star.
For two years,award-winning biographer Andrew Morton has been tirelessly seeking out everyone from former teachers and girlfriends to Scientology insiders to friends who have watched a once-bullied, “nothing special” outsider transform himself into an icon Forbes has called the most powerful celebrity in the world Here, with never-seen photos and never-heard revelations, is a riveting, sometimes shocking portrait of the real Tom Cruise---his work, his love life, his marriages, his religion---from a master at uncovering the true story behind the public face of celebrity.
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
We all know the smile of Tom Cruise, but what lies beneath that Cheshire grin? In this truly revelatory, completely unauthorized biography, celebrity watcher Andrew Morton takes us behind the public image of the hardworking, charismatic actor to explore the real man. The famed biographer of Princess Diana penetrates the equally formidable "royal" wall that surrounds the world's most famous Scientologist. With an intensity that has drawn comparison to Bob Woodward, Morton documents Cruise's troubled childhood (abandoned by his father; shunted from school to school; seldom remaining two years in the same place) and his mercurial rise to fame but not personal security. Certain to be one of the most discussed biographies of recent years.Publishers Weekly
Morton's massively hyped, overly contentious and sometimes far-fetched account of Cruise's Scientology-driven life owes a lot to John Hinch's unwavering reading the material. Hinch offers a sincere, unbiased take on the material, but also manages to create a believable listening experience through his innate performance ability when assuming the roles of various characters, most notably, Cruise himself. Though there is little in the way of dialect changes and impersonation, listeners will be astounded at how close Hinch comes to capturing the Cruise persona. While the material is debatable and lacks anything profound or fresh, Hinch presents it in a way that keeps the audience thoroughly engaged throughout. Simultaneous release with the St. Martin's hardcover (reviewed online). (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Library Journal
Biographer Morton doesn't shy away from controversial subjects and in the past has written books on Princess Diana, Monica Lewinsky, and Madonna. His latest subject is no exception; hot on the heels of Cruise's media flurry of a marriage to Katie Holmes and his polarizing statements toward Scientology, the religious group founded by sf writer L. Ron Hubbard, this biography appears on the shelves at an optimal time. Thomas Cruise Mapother was born in Syracuse, NY, and grew up in several states before his mother left his father and settled the family in Glen Ridge, NJ. His initial Hollywood fame is depicted as part luck that later morphed into superstardom owing to Cruise's sheer determination, smart choices, and acute business sense. Narrated by John Hinch, the work focuses mainly on Cruise's involvement with Scientology and on the group's controversial recruitment methods. Considerable detail is given to David Miscavige, the leader of the organization, and Morton contends that Cruise is second-in-command, although Morton's proof of this is scant at best. Publicity will be high, and demand for this book should warrant it as a popular addition to public library collections. [Also available as downloadable audio.-Ed.]
—Phillip Oliver