Review by Howard Dickman

Even though I was heavily involved with Scientology in southern California during the 70’s, I had little idea of what was going on at the top of the Church. Thanks to Janis Gillham Grady’s new book – “Commodores Messenger, A Child Adrift in the Scientology Sea Organization”, I am now somewhat privy to those activities. But, more importantly, this is more of a personal story, written through the eyes of a pre-teenager growing up totally immersed, 24/7, in the world of Scientology. At times the stories are heartbreaking, such as the one of her being a 4’ 11”, 95 pounds, 12-year-old white girl trekking off alone from the Scientology ship Apollo into a fascist country to send telex’s to other Scientology churches or being ported in foreign countries where the dentists preferred to yank out her teeth rather than fix them. At other times, the stories are adventurous such as the one when Janis, age 14, and others ran with the bulls in Terceira, Portugal. I never met L. Ron Hubbard but Janis, who was around him each and every day, has given me more of idea of who the man was. I can’t wait for her next book where her Scientology story continues.