The Mind Is Burning Audiobook By Jonathan Hirsch cover art

The Mind Is Burning

Losing my Father to a Cult and Dementia

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The Mind Is Burning

By: Jonathan Hirsch
Narrated by: Jonathan Hirsch
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From the creator of the #1 hit podcast Dear Franklin Jones, this moving audio memoir follows Jonathan Hirsch’s experience caring for his father battling dementia, his childhood in a cult in Northern California, and the complicated journey of losing a loved one who mistreated you.

On April 9th, 2019, Jonathan got the dreaded call: his father Thomas had been rushed to the ER. He’d known for a while that Thomas’s health was in decline, but at this pivotal moment, he had no choice but to step into the role of caretaker—a role Thomas himself was never able to grasp.

In The Mind is Burning, Jonathan recounts the stranger-than-fiction true story of the Hirsch family. Thomas was a Hungarian refugee turned spiritual seeker, and Jonathan was along for the ride as his parents chased the high of enlightenment, vacillating between following their doctrine to earn affection and finding his own voice. Thomas’s quest eventually led them to Franklin Jones: known as either a charismatic, eccentric guru or a cult leader and sexual predator, depending on whether you were inside or outside his orbit.

Jonathan left home the day he turned eighteen, but almost twenty years later, he was pulled back into the chaotic fold when, just as he approached the biggest milestone of his career, Thomas was diagnosed with dementia. He became one of millions of Americans in the “sandwich generation”: middle-aged adults simultaneously responsible for young children and aging parents. For Jonathan especially, that duty of care was fraught with emotional landmines, every impossible hardship of the present dredging up painful memories from the past—memories that were slipping away from Thomas day by day.

This poetic yet propulsive memoir was created for the listening experience, and poses the question: What do we owe each other as family? Medical Parents & Adult Children Professionals & Academics Religious Studies Biographies & Memoirs Parenting & Families

Critic reviews

"In this moving memoir, a son embarks on a journey to understand and come to terms with the man who raised him, haunted by the echoes of a complicated childhood. An impactful listen that will make you think twice (or thrice!) before joining a cult." (Mara Altman, co-author of Episodes: The True Story of Two Friends & One Diagnosis)
"Anyone who has had to deal with painful family relationships (so, everyone) will appreciate how Jonathan Hirsch wrestles with his. This brave audiobook will help others understand how fierce the pull of family can be." (Meg Kissinger, author of While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence)
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Just hearing the story that resonates to so many of us in (or just exiting) the sandwich phase of our lives, this tale rings true. Whether you were raised in a cult, a city, suburb or farm, you can connect to his story. Finally, what a thoughtful and honest author that was worth my listen.

beautifully written

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Wonderful page turner-couldn’t put it down! Honest. Authentic. Sad and joyful sometimes. Highly recommend to others.

Coping with mental illness in a family.

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So ...he obviously his parents were not the greatest of parents. Cared about him but insensitive to him as well. Dementia is a terrible ordeal for a family. My dad, who I had just and ok relationship with had it. While I feel for him and have compassion...but 7 hours please! Not a groundbreaking story here folks

I get it already!

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