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Jefferson Hawkins
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Counterfeit Dreams Kindle Edition

by Jefferson Hawkins (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 421 ratings
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Scientology presents a glittering public façade, with smiling celebrities, polished videos, slick TV ads and impressive buildings. It is an image that Jefferson Hawkins helped to craft in his 35 years as a top marketing executive for the Church of Scientology. Yet behind that façade is a hidden world of physical and mental abuse, sleep deprivation, labor camps, family disconnection and human rights abuses. It is a nightmare world that is carefully hidden from public view. Counterfeit Dreams is a must-read for anyone who wants to know the truth about today’s most controversial cult.
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  1. Print length
    270 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    May 9, 2012
  4. File size
    5983 KB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
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  8. See all details
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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
421 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the information interesting and straightforward. They describe the story as fascinating, amazing, and harrowing. Readers also say the book provides an excellent look into one man's experience in the church. Opinions are mixed on the pacing, with some finding it nice and fast, while others say it's frustrating at times.

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Information qualityStory qualityLookPacing
14 customers mention "Information quality"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the information in the book interesting, informative, and straightforward. They say it makes them truly understand Scientology and its eventual demise. Readers also say the descriptions are great and the book explains a lot of unanswered questions.

"...learn that life out here in the real world can be truly beautiful, purposeful, and joyful." Read more

"...In fact they seem to be very idealistic and willing to sacrifice much to make the world a better place...." Read more

"...It was very detailed and well written and followed the author's journey through his personal and professional life with the Church...." Read more

"...There is a lot of great information and descriptions about how things were 'back in the day' that I have not heard from any other source besides..." Read more

9 customers mention "Story quality"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the story fascinating, amazing, and interesting. They say it's harrowing and well-written. Readers also mention the book is excellent and insightful.

"I love memoirs and this is one of the most fascinating life stories I have ever read...." Read more

"...It was very detailed and well written and followed the author's journey through his personal and professional life with the Church...." Read more

"...Still, a fascinating look into how pitiful life in a fascist and authoritarian world can be." Read more

"...Overall a very interesting story about discovering one's own talents and the obstacles encountered in trying to use them." Read more

4 customers mention "Look"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book excellent and artistic.

"...It is a very revealing look inside the secretive world of scientology from someone who lived it for over 30 years. This book was hard to put down...." Read more

"An excellent look into one man's experience in the "church" of Scientology in the 80's and 90's during their big PR campaigns...." Read more

"...reading the book you realize that Jeff Hawkins is a very talented, artistic man and it shows...." Read more

"I've not had a chance to read it yet but my perusal of the book looks great." Read more

4 customers mention "Pacing"2 positive2 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some mention it's nice and easy to read, while others say it's painful, arduous, and frustrating at times.

"...I found it very well written, nicely paced, and insightful...." Read more

"...This healing was painful, arduous, time consuming, but there is actual triumph, a happy ending, and I am very happy for Jefferson Hawkins and thank..." Read more

"...Incredible confront and he made it go right. Easy fast reading" Read more

"...This book was frustrating at times, as the circular track of the author became more tortured...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

barbara bales
5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite scientology stories to date
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2023
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Jefferson Hawkins worked tirelessly for 30 years. He devoted his faith, brilliance, and life to this cult. He entered the cult happily, young, energetic and fully prepared to be a part of the movement to clear the planet and save humankind.

The level of abuse suffered by this man over these decades is horrific. Nothing short of horrific; it would be hard to believe if there weren’t dozens of other survivors telling their stories as well. The details vary widely and are essentially the same, because scientology never changes.

He was married three times in the cult, divorced three times in the cult. This is common in the cult. Finally, in 2005, Hawkins was “offloaded” from the INT base in Gilman Hot Springs. He was forced to sign a number of “Agreements” and “Confessions” then handed $500 and cut loose.

This is where the book gets really good. Hawkins takes us through the early days of freedom, where he has all the freedom that had been denied for so long, but doesn’t know what to do with it or how to do it. Slowly over time he figures it out, gets a place to live and a job, begins to reconnect with some of his loved ones, and learns how to really live. It is beautifully told, this opening up like a flower and learning after so long how to really live a life. This healing was painful, arduous, time consuming, but there is actual triumph, a happy ending, and I am very happy for Jefferson Hawkins and thank him for writing this book. It has undoubtedly helped many others to escape the cult and learn that life out here in the real world can be truly beautiful, purposeful, and joyful.
2 people found this helpful
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Alison Hadley
4.0 out of 5 stars True Life "Odd"yssey
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2022
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As a clinical social worker of over 43 years, I have often been drawn to first-person stories of people drawn into various religious, political, or other thought-form systems, such as Hubbard's science fiction religion. Psychology is apparently considered an anethema to the Scientology world. And of course that belief would be considered true in that world created by delusion. In psychology we have a phrase for that: folie a plusieurs, delusions of many. It is fascinating how hypnotising (Mesmerising) some ideas can become, leading people in a Pied Piper fashion off into a way of life. Even in high school when I read the Illiead and Oddessey, there were stories of sailors turned into pigs for years, lulled or drawn by Siren's songs. Jeff was drawn into a way of being that many are still caught up in, apparently ruled by the same Big Lies that draw others to rob banks, or invade the Capitol. Same stuff, different day. I'm glad Jeff still has had some years for his family, his art, and himself.
4 people found this helpful
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Heather
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written, revealing and ultimately hopeful
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2013
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I love memoirs and this is one of the most fascinating life stories I have ever read. It is a very revealing look inside the secretive world of scientology from someone who lived it for over 30 years. This book was hard to put down. I learned that scientologists are not bad people. In fact they seem to be very idealistic and willing to sacrifice much to make the world a better place. In return they are deceived, manipulated, abused and pretty much bled dry. I pray every single person gets out and lives the life they were meant to live. Free, happy and loved! God bless Jefferson Hawkins. Loved this book.
8 people found this helpful
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stinaz2003
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2016
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I've read multiple books on Scientology, everything from Dianetics by the old man himself to all of the suggested reading referenced at the end of this one. I really liked this book. I find it so incredibly interesting that while Mr. Hawkins was going to car races, meetings in New York, getting bonuses and a Saturday off here and there, Jenna Hill or Marc Headley was potentially out there somewhere cleaning something with a toothbrush. Then all of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, poof, Mr. Hawkins is in the same boat as everyone else. My opinion is that writing this book must have dredged up a lot of emotions. I could still sense the undertones of codependency by the way that he was describing the passion and excitement of some of his many successes because of the benefits they brought to the church. My sense was that this wasn't entirely in the past tense and weren't just being presented to demonstrate the success but because it was still, somehow, a connection. Again, just one girl's, armchair psychological opinion. It took me a little while to get through the European tour, it moved a little slow, but after that it sailed along. (See what I did there?) That said; I adore this man. He's a good guy. He's a smart guy. He got sucked in anyway. And he gets that. He gets "it." I shed some tears, some happy some sad. But mostly happy. I'm proud of you Mr. Hawkins. I hope you're proud of you, too.
28 people found this helpful
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ClassySassyShopper
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2017
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So with everything that has been in the news lately regarding the Church of Scientology I felt this older book was a must read. I have read Leah Remini's tell all about the Church and it was great. But more in keeping with a Hollywood tell all with a Scientology bent. This book offered an even closer look at the inner workings of the upper echelons of Scientology. It was very detailed and well written and followed the author's journey through his personal and professional life with the Church. In addition to his eventual escape and refusal to return.
17 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Richard Schouten-de Jong
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in Germany on March 10, 2019
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Like any other book on this matter , it still gets me in so many ways.
People holding on to a belief that really falls apart around them.
And when they do get out of it it, the reality that sets in is enormous.
I applaud this writer en those like him for telling these stories.
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cjsa
5.0 out of 5 stars could only read it via Kindle Cloud Reader which is fine if you don't feel like reading when no wifi ...
Reviewed in Canada on February 23, 2017
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The book I give 5 stars, it was a book you couldn't put down. I have no idea how the CoS (Cult of Scientology) is still going because it's not because the command structure have any idea what they are doing. I put it up there with Going Clear.

My next buy is going to be Fair Game but it won't be from Amazon. When I purchased this book I couldn't get a copy on my Surface Pro 3, could only read it via Kindle Cloud Reader which is fine if you don't feel like reading when no wifi connection is available.

I purchased the book so I damn well should be able to download it to my Surface & add it to my library, for that I give Amazon 2 *.
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Tracesprite
5.0 out of 5 stars Beware losing your freedom to a time-wasting fool.
Reviewed in Australia on November 26, 2017
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I’m reading 3 books on mind control cults – Counterfeit Dreams by Jefferson Hawkins; Destructive and Terrorist Cults: A New Kind of Slavery by Masoud Banisadr; and Combating Cult Mind Control by Steven Hassan.
Banisadr makes the interesting point that a cult can start off being fairly benign and gradually develop into a mind control cult. This seems to involve an interesting interaction between the leader and the followers. As a cult follower, Banisadr said he changed from “a liberal, middle-class semi-intellectual into a dogmatic cultic zealot, ready to die for the leader,” (though in his case not ready to kill.)
The cult leader may not at first be a mini-dictator but, having followers who don’t question him and thus lacking the normal feedback that modifies the behavior of most of us, his or her behaviour deteriorates. Banisadr says s/he usually has “a childish, narcissistic ego and is unable to realize his gigantic ambitions in the real world. Hence he creates his toy-like miniworld…” His main characteristics are “charisma and charm, his sense of utter superiority, his totalitarian behaviour, his need for worshippers and his loneliness.”
Most people with such a personality profile live lonely lives in a fantasy world but a few find themselves with followers and can create cults which enable them to express their weird qualities. Why do people submit to such things? Many – even most – people are followers, not leaders or challengers. They cooperate with those around them. However if such people are unlucky enough to wander into a cult, they may find themselves in a living hell without the courage or initiative to escape.
Those few who do escape, write books such as the ones I’m reading. Those books are a warning about how easy it is to slide into a habit of obedience to a foolish, manic individual, to commit crimes that you have to carry on your conscience for the rest of your life and to cut yourself off from all your most important support people and end up without any money or a roof over your head. Be careful not to waste your precious years on this planet in a cult. Freedom can be a burden at time but it is vital to keep your freedom.
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Tim Burgess
5.0 out of 5 stars A compelling read written by an incredible man.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 10, 2015
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A mind blowing read of one man's life in a cult. Fantastically written and a real eye opener. Well done for speaking out Jeff. To go through everything that you did, and still retain your sanity shows an incredible strength of character. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.
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Oliver82
4.0 out of 5 stars but that is to be expected as this sounds like it was his style in his career
Reviewed in Canada on November 28, 2017
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Bit long winded and technical, but that is to be expected as this sounds like it was his style in his career. Interesting insights in to the organization if you can look past the odd writing style.
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