Hollywood Park

Archival Summary & Scope

Mikel Jollett’s *Hollywood Park*, an instant New York Times Bestseller, is a raw and powerful memoir charting a childhood unlike any other. Born into the Church of Synanon, one of America's most infamous cults, Jollett and his brother were separated from their parents at six months old and raised in an institutional "School." After escaping the cult with his mother, life outside proved equally challenging, marked by poverty, trauma, emotional abuse, and the constant lure of delinquency. Despite a turbulent upbringing, Jollett meticulously builds a life, eventually finding his voice as a writer and musician and attending Stanford University. This gripping and profoundly moving story is an unforgettable testament to fierce love, family loyalty, and the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit.