Lisa Pulitzer – författare

In September 2007, a packed courtroom in St. George, Utah, sat hushed as Elissa Wall, the star witness against polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs, gave captivating testimony of how Jeffs forced her to marry her first cousin at age fourteen. This harrowing and vivid account proved to be the most compelling evidence against Jeffs, showing the harsh realities of this closed community and the lengths to which Jeffs went in order to control the sect's women. Now, in this courageous memoir, Elissa Wall tells the incredible and inspirational story of how she emerged from the confines of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and helped bring one of America's most notorious criminals to justice. Offering a child's perspective on life in the FLDS, Wall discusses her tumultuous youth, and detailing how Warren Jeffs's influence over the church twisted its already rigid beliefs in dangerous new directions. But even in those bleak times, Wall retained a sliver of hope that one day she would find a way out, and one snowy night that came in the form of a rugged stranger named Lamont Barlow.Their chance encounter set in motion a friendship and eventual romance that gave her the strength she needed to break free from her past and sever the chains of the church. In "Stolen Innocence", Wall delves into the difficult months on the outside that led her to come forward against him, working with prosecutors on one of the biggest criminal cases in Utah's history, so that other girls still inside the church might be spared her cruel fate. More than a tale of survival and freedom, "Stolen Innocence" is the story of one heroic woman who stood up for what was right and reclaimed her life.

Jenna Miscavige Hill was born into the Church of Scientology. The niece of its current director, David Miscavige, she grew up at the center of this highly controversial organization, strictly adhering to its beliefs and practices. But at twenty-two, Jenna made a daring break. Now, for the first time, this insider with unprecedented first-hand knowledge pierces the veil of secrecy that has shrouded this religion that has been the subject of fierce debate and speculation worldwide, speaking out about her life, the organization, and her harrowing escape. In this fast-paced memoir that reads like suspense, Jenna reveals the strange and disturbing details of her childhood, including her disconnection from her parents, and unmasks the inner workings of Scientology's celebrity culture, drawing on her own experiences and those of her husband, a former employee of the famous Scientology Celebrity Centre. From its creation by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 to its roster of celebrity acolytes, disturbing questions have swirled around the religion and the organization behind it.Jenna sheds light on some of the most troubling issues surrounding the organization: its infamous disconnection policy and the dissolution of families, alleged forced and child labor practices and reports of exploitative fundraising. With her unparalleled insight into the inner world of Scientology's highest order, Hill addresses all this and shares true stories that are beyond the wildest imagination.