Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography by Andrew Morton

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.

From the Publisher

Everyone knows Tom Cruise—or at least what he wants us to know. We know that the man behind the smile overcame a tough childhood to star in astonishing array of blockbusters: Top Gun, Rain Man, Born on the Fourth of July, A Few Good Men, Jerry Maguire, three Mission: Impossible movies, and more. We know he has taken artistic chances, too, earning him three Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. But beyond that, the picture becomes a bit less clear…

“Morton digs deep for the real Tom Cruise.”
—Cindy Adams, The New York Post

We know that Tom is a devoted follower of the Church of Scientology. 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 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 did not know about the charming, hardworking star. For all the headlines and the rumors, the real Tom Cruise has remained surprisingly hidden—until now.

“Scalding.”
—The New York Times

* With 16 pages of photos *

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.)

Phillip Oliver - 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.]

What People Are Saying

“I get it. He has that deliciously indescribable magic that cannot be analyzed or replicated. He is in every sense a movie star.”
—Steven Spielberg

“He was pushing limits all the time…. I never thought of him ever becoming an actor. He was more of an Al Capone character, a maverick, the kind of kid who wouldn’t back down.”
—A childhood neighbor

“Don’t let that smile and those teeth fool you. He could have a really nasty streak.”
—A high-school girlfriend

“His acting was so good it was almost bizarre. You’d look into his eyes and he’d really be there, he’d really be in love with you. You could see his heart and soul. And then the director would shout ‘Cut,’ Tom would leave the set, and you’d have to go into therapy for six months.”
—Renée Zellweger

“I’ll bet all the money I’ve ever made, plus his, that he doesn’t have a mistress, that he doesn’t have a gay lover, that he doesn’t have a gay life.”
—Nicole Kidman

“You can’t drive past an accident, because as a Scientologist you are the only one who can help.”
—Tom Cruise

Product Details

• Read an Excerpt

Read an Excerpt

“I get it. He has that deliciously indescribable magic that cannot be analyzed or replicated. He is in every sense a movie star.”
---Steven Spielberg
“He was pushing limits all the time…. I never thought of him ever becoming an actor. He was more of an Al Capone character, a maverick, the kind of kid who wouldn’t back down.”
---A childhood neighbor
“Don’t let that smile and those teeth fool you. He could have a really nasty streak.”
---A high-school girlfriend
“His acting was so good it was almost bizarre. You’d look into his eyes and he’d really be there, he’d really be in love with you. You could see his heart and soul. And then the director would shout ‘Cut,’ Tom would leave the set, and you’d have to go into therapy for six months.”
---Renée Zellweger
“I’ll bet all the money I’ve ever made, plus his, that he doesn’t have a mistress, that he doesn’t have a gay lover, that he doesn’t have a gay life.”
---Nicole Kidman
“You can’t drive past an accident, because as a Scientologist you are the only one who can help.”
---Tom Cruise