The Mind Is Burning: Losing My Father to a Cult and Dementia

by Jonathan Hirsch

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 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 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 What do we owe each other as family?

Genres: Audiobook, Nonfiction, Memoir, Cults, Biography Memoir, Biography

1 pages, Audio CD

Published May 13, 2025

Reviews

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like so many others, I was first introduced to Jonathan Hirsch through his hit podcast Dear Franklin Jones. Jonathan is a great storyteller and did an amazing job telling the personal details of his life with his father. I’ve lost several family members to dementia so I deeply related to Jonathan’s struggle.

The book almost takes off where Dear Franklin Jones ends. The podcast details his father's life in the cult and while the book does go into that, it’s more about his father's struggle with dementia and mental illness.

Jonathan recounts his lifelong relationship struggles with not only his father's struggle but his relationship struggles with his mother as well and how he had a hard time connecting with him. He also recounts being estranged from his father and how he took care of his father even though he felt his father never took care of him as a child. The Mind is Burning is an emotionally charged story that will stay with me long after finishing it.

If you decide to pick this one up, and haven’t already, I would recommend listening to Jonathan’s podcast, Dear Franklin Jones, before starting The Mind is Burning.

The book is only released in audio format and I Just know that nonfiction readers are going to love this one. Also the audiobook is read by the author!

The Mind is Burning: Losing My Father to a Cult and Dementia by Jonathan Hirsch was published on May 13 so it’s available now. Many thanks to Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook!

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like I am trapped underneath a weighted emotional blanket and I can't get my cooling leg free.

This was a lot. I am one of the few who apparently didn't know who Hirsch was or his link to the podcast world. Yes, I downloaded the episodes for later listening.

Read if you love memoirs, parent/child relationship struggles, and a strange childhood.

Don't read if you are hoping to learn about the Cult his father was a part of. This was more about their strained relationship and his father's dementia.

[Tara Cignarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mind Is Burning: Losing My Father to a Cult and Dementia by
Jonathan Hirsch
Audio Version
Overall Grade: B
Information: B-
Writing/Organization: B
Narration: C
Best Aspect: Interesting memoir that pulled me in early on.
Worst Aspect: I did not like when it cut to a podcast recording, it through the audio off and there were some slow sections.
Recommend: Yes.

[Keryn Moriarty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m sorry for thinking you were being too hard on Cheryl in the middle

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mind is Burning is in short, an eight hour podcast. I didn't know this going into it as I don't know Jonathan Hirsch (I have a continuing habit of listening to memoirs from people I don't know a thing about but in that way it too suffers from assuming the reader knows at least something about the memoir-ist. At first I was like, "oh, okay, it's got a few audio cues, that's neat," but it was constant enough that it was just fully a podcast and not a book. Which is fine if you're here for that! A good amount of the early part of the book too talks about Hirsch's life and background despite the title and marketing pointing toward an accounting on his father (which he inexplicably calls Tomas throughout the book which is jarring honestly, as well as the way he sometimes lowers his voice to quote his father...... but then we have actual recordings of his father in here that sound very much the opposite of that).

Additionally, while Hirsch's father was involved with several spiritual gurus and his family went to live either on-grounds or close to on-grounds of a cult compound they were involved in, this book actually speaks very little to that -- it's much more of a background to Hirsch's family life rather than a deep dive into how his parents got involved with various spiritual gurus except for one single line near the end.

What's more interesting, and what doesn't appear until the the last part of the book, is Hirsch's father's descent into dementia, but also how horrible it is to try and get help for anyone who is cogent some days and not on others, and who would have it so much worse off if not for the wealth of his son being able to pay to house him in the care facilities he's spent the last years of his life. Hirsch is clear about his privilege to be able to do this, but doesn't really get into what life is like for those without the thousands of extra dollars a month.

Star rating is hard because when it starts actually focusing on Hirsch's father's dementia care, it's very good - but everything prior to that drags and could have been edited a lot more tightly. Also, since I almost exclusively listen to audiobooks while driving imagine me trying not to yell at my steering wheel during some absolutely abhorrent things the family had to experience near the end (of the book)!! Jail, jail for everyone (okay just one person really).

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Audio | Simon & Schuster Audio Originals for the ALC in exchange for review!

[emily *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ · Rating 5 out of 5]

this memoir was so insightful and i enjoyed listening to his story. while the title is a little misleading he doesn't discuss the cult very much- it was still very interesting. Jonathan has a true talent for storytelling and keeping you engaged.

thank you the publishers and netgalley for the ARC!

[kaitlyns_library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really insightful and interesting.

[Madison ✨ (mad.lyreading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really interesting - I went to look for how long the book was, and realized this book is being published in audio format only. Once I began listening to it, I understood, because the author is a podcast producer and audio is his format of choice. This felt like a podcast, in that there were recordings from past times that were integrated into the story. Honestly, an incredible way to do a memoir, and I really enjoyed that aspect of it.

The title was a bit misleading, as it is more about the author's father's dementia than it is him being in a cult. I feel like I didn't learn much about the cult, and that is likely because the author has already done a podcast on that aspect of his life. While that's fine, I think he was told to add 'cult' to the title to bring in the true crime girlies.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Audio for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Darcia Helle · Rating 3 out of 5]

My reaction to THE MIND IS BURNING is a mental shrug.

Given the title and subtitle (Losing My Father to a Cult and Dementia), I expected some intense content. I was wrong. In fact, the subtitle is misleading. This book is mostly about family drama.

We get a little information about the cult, and lots of information on how the author dealt with his father’s dementia. Spoiler: He’s pretty grumpy about it.

In fairness, the author was estranged from his father, who seemed to be struggling with mental illness before the dementia set in. They didn't have much of a connection, so the content is more about the responsibilities of an only child who doesn't want to be dragged back into his father's life.

This book will only be released in audio. The author is a podcaster, and this book’s entire structure feels much like listening to a podcast.

If you enjoy podcasts and stories about family struggles, this might be perfect for you.

*Thanks to Simon Audio for the free audiobook download.*

[Sharon Corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written by Jonathan Hirsch, "The Mind Is Burning" is the true story about being raised by parents who were involved with Franklin Jones, a spiritual leader. I have read a lot of books and watched a lot of documentaries about cults, so I did have a lot of expectations about this book.
Jonathan starts as a young boy, living with a father who seems to spend all of his time looking for spiritual guidance and smoking huge amounts of pot. It becomes very clear that his parents were ill-suited to raise a child, and while he does have food and clothing, it is clear he is emotionally neglected, and his parents do nothing to help him in life.
When they become with Franklin Jones, Jonathan is forced to give up basketball, something that brings him incredible joy, so his parents can move closer to Franklin to be his personal acupuncturist.
First, unless you have listened to Mr. Hirsch's podcast, which I hadn't, you should spend sometime looking up Franklin Jones, or Adi Da, and his cult.
Second, you hear so many horrific stories about cults, and this book is not one of them. He and his parents never lived on the actual grounds of the cult, they had a home and provided Mr. Jones a service. Eventually, he replaces them with someone else, and they left. No big drama, hiding away, fear, nothing like that. So, that part of the book was a letdown.
However, this is a very powerful book about a son becoming his fathers caretaker, a man who had never been there for his son. Thomas Hirsch was an Hungarian war refugee who survived a piece of shrapnel hitting him across the forehead. Years later, when he is dealing with dementia, you wonder if the head injury, or the incredible amount of pot contributed to the situation.
The struggle Jonathan goes through, running a very successful business, being married with children and then having to deal with a very demanding father and the father's girlfriend is very compelling and a great read.
I listened to the audio version of this book, read by the author. There is music, different sounds, actual recordings....it is very clear, very well read and I give the book 3 smiles.

[Megan Maradiago · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, a big thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Audio for the advanced listening copy of this audiobook. I went into The Mind is Burning as a blank slate—I didn’t know who Jonathan Hirsch was or the impact he’s had on the podcasting world (which I do love). That made discovering his voice—literally and narratively—even more compelling. This book gave me a behind-the-scenes look into the mind of someone whose work has shaped a medium I deeply enjoy.

Let’s clear something up—if you’re going into this expecting a deep dive into cults, that’s not what this book is really about. Hirsch has explored that terrain before. This story is more intimate. It’s about relationships—or maybe more accurately, the absence of them—and the lasting marks that loneliness and fractured connections leave behind.

At its heart, this is a deeply personal memoir of a man grappling with a lifetime of feeling unanchored. Hirsch shares his complicated relationship with his father—a relationship marked by distance, disappointment, and eventually role reversal, as he steps into the caregiver role his father never quite fulfilled. There are glimpses of warmth, like his connection with his grandmother, but overall it paints a portrait of a childhood shaped more by isolation than by meaningful bonds.

One line describes the experience as “losing my father to a cult and to dementia,” but that felt off to me. It’s hard to lose something you never really had. That sentence hit like a gut punch—not because it was profound, but because it exposed the hollowness of a connection that was never there to begin with. It’s one of the quiet heartbreaks that lingers long after the chapter ends.

It’s heavy. Like emotionally packed and then some kind of heavy. For me, it wasn’t an easy listen—not because it wasn’t good, but because it asked a lot emotionally. It’s not the kind of audiobook you throw on while folding laundry. It deserves your full attention, and if you're in the right headspace, it’ll reward that focus with a deeply human story. But be prepared—this one lingers.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC Audiobook version of this book.

Jonathan Hirsch had a hell of a childhood. Parents who weren’t emotionally mature enough to actually parent. Who put their focus into the cult they were raising the family as part of. Jonathan was emotionally abused and manipulated by both parents. Used as a pawn to gaslight the other parent into doing what they want.

As he grows into an adult, his spiritual guru father is diagnosed with dementia and the story of loving unconditionally comes into play. Jonathan goes into everything with the hope that this will finally be the moment he connects with his father. The moment where he is seen. He’s forced into a caretaker role that he is unprepared for, at the turning point in the business he’s building. He has to not only determine the care for his father, who is becoming more difficult to deal with, but also with his mother who needs attention due to jealousy, and his father’s partner, who never expected to care for his father.

Jonathan touches on how fucked up our health care system is, especially for people with dementia. Dementia, unlike Alzheimer’s, isn’t easy to prove, as many of its symptoms are similar to typical aging. The rate at which dementia is occurring is increasing as well. His father is a war vet and he covers the lack of support veterans receive today after being promised so so much more. He even covers the predatory world of assisted living. All of this plays into his emotional state of grief, anger, loss, regret, and saying goodbye.

Definitely an interesting read. I deducted a star because many parts felt repetitive. I know he’s trying to drill in a point, but I feel like he does it excessively in some areas. Otherwise, it’s a wonderfully written book giving a look at a first hand experience with having to care for parents as they age while also trying to address the pain they caused in childhood.

[TheLisaD · Rating 3 out of 5]

In The Mind is Burning, Jonathan Hirsch presents a searing and deeply personal memoir that confronts the emotional toll of growing up in the shadow of mental illness, family trauma, and the haunting influence of a cult. With unflinching honesty and a reflective tone, Hirsch recounts his turbulent relationship with his father, crafting a narrative that is as heart-wrenching as it is compelling.

The subject matter is undeniably difficult—touching on mental health, identity, and the lasting effects of psychological manipulation—but Hirsch’s voice is measured, compassionate, and profoundly human. His storytelling is vivid, and the emotional resonance of his experience is palpable on every page. Readers are not only drawn into his personal journey, but also asked to reflect on the complexities of familial love and the scars it can leave.

What sets this memoir apart is the unique context of Hirsch’s father’s involvement in a cult, a revelation that adds another layer of depth and urgency to an already powerful narrative. Rather than sensationalizing the experience, Hirsch approaches it with nuance, balancing introspection with clarity.

The Mind is Burning is a courageous and beautifully written memoir that lingers long after the final page—an intimate portrait of pain, resilience, and the long road to understanding.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this one to hear from someone else who is taking care of their parents and learning as they go. I enjoyed hearing about the author's experiences, and the book is strongest when he focuses on telling the story of his dad's health journey. I was less interested in the bits about the cult and how that was so hard for him. Felt like this was mixing lot of threads. On the one hand, he's capturing honestly his thoughts, still I found it cringeworthy that he kept doing a lot of stuff to try and make his dad see how hard his childhood was. Like trying to manufacture a wake up call by making dad watch certain documentaries or writing certain books to help dad understand his POV. This kind of stuff we all do as kids but at a certain point we have to take the burden off people to try and change for our benefit especially if the person has shown no ability to be empathetic or take responsibility. We go through therapy, we learn to take care of our own shit, and stop looking for validation from our families.

I am definitely looking for more stories like this, but honestly I would rather the focus be on how you got through it and offer encouragement to others rather than focus on feeling sorry for yourself and dad hasn't had a big moment with you yet.

[Sharon M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for gifting me an audio ARC of this memoir by Jonathan Hirsch, narrated by the author. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Jonathan's upbringing wasn't normal; his parents were constantly chasing spiritual enlightenment and eventually got involved with Franklin, a cult leader. Jonathan left home the day he turned 18, but 20 years later was pulled back into his family when Thomas was diagnosed with dementia.

Jonathan Hirsch is a podcaster by trade, so this book is well done and included interview snippets with his father. While his family was involved in a cult and Jonathan had to deal with that growing up and it obviously shaped him and his relationship with his father, this book mostly centers around that relationship as they are both adults. Dealing with a parent with dementia now, I certainly related with the difficulties surrounding being responsible for a parent while still trying to have your own life. Add into that a bad relationship such as Hirsh had with his father, I cannot imagine how hard it was. We will all be faced with the question of just what exactly we owe our parents as they age, so this is a good reflection on that topic.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this non-fictional book, author and narrator Jonathan Hirsch writes the story of his father. It is a complicated story, one involving him moving to the United States at a young age, being involved in different religious groups including ones that many consider to be a cult, and also dealing with drug dependency and later dementia. The author writes in a way that is very inviting and engaging to the reader, while also being respectful of his father, and all that he has dealt with in his life. This book features interviews Jonathan does with his dad, as well as voice mails, emails, and letters between Jonathan and various friends and family members. It is also poetic in some places, poetry being something that the author and his father has a shared affinity for.
I greatly enjoyed this book, and the way that it dealt with family relationships, mental health, and addiction, as well as having to deal with the aging of your parents. I recommend this book to any fans of the authors podcast (which I am excited to check out!) or anyone interested in family stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the author/narrator, and publisher of this book for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Mind is Burning is set to release May 13, 2025 is a powerful story of Jonathan’s childhood and adulthood. Outright a shocking read.

Jonathan tells his story of a lifelong journey and dynamic relationship with his father who joined a cult and later had dementia. He tells of his relationship with his father and the dynamics there (or lack of).

This story was heartfelt and an eye opening read it made me gasp and want to cry at times. Generational trauma takes its toll again and Jonathan stands up again to make a better life for himself and his story. This story was relatable (at times) and a heart breaking read.

As normal the arise of these childhood stories and relationships come up often when one becomes a parent. To make progress and improve our own stories moving forward.

I love that this story was labeled a ‘stranger than fiction’ novel as it truly is hard to imagine!!

Thank you to Jonathan for writing this story and sharing these words. Truly great reading experience and I found the writing to be very good. The storyline made sense and easy to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Audio for this audio book.

[Relena_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hirsch is good at his job, and it shows in the intricate sound design of this audio-first production. Given that, though, I feel justified in rounding down a 4.5 to a 4 for the use of hyper-realistic ambulance sirens in the first chapter of the book. It feels like a rookie podcaster move instead of a choice made by a seasoned veteran who knows that tons of people are listening to their work in cars.

Other reviews have noted that this more about dementia than it is about cults, which is true, but also exactly what I expected given the title. "Dear Franklin Jones" was Hirsch's deep-dive into his time in cult-land. This was his deep-dive into being an adult care-taking their parent.

Care-taking is, by its nature, brutal and uneven, and Hirsch's background is episodic, so I forgave some of the timeline back-and-forths and more pedantic moments, but I really wish that the discussion of the sandwich generation had begun sooner.

I hope this gets all of the listens that it deserves.

ARC supplied by Netgalley.

[Macy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author shares with us his painful and emotional experience of growing up with a mentally ill father who never acknowledged or treated his issues and instead, along with his wife, got involved with multiple religious/cult/cult-like groups. These were not good places for anyone, let alone a young child. He left home at 18 to create his own life with little idea of what normal was, only what it wasn't. Years later he is called to step up and take care of his father, who has now been diagnosed with dementia. Most of the story is about having to take care of his mentally ill and unstable father, the difficulties of it while not under good circumstances. It’s emotional, insightful and gives us a look at what so many have to deal with. Definitely not an easy listen, but important. It was more like listening to a very long podcast than a traditional memoir.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Clara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Jonathan walks us through his life and his relationship with his parents. Throughout the audiobook, Jonathan walks us through his unstable childhood with neglectful parents, living in a cult, and escaping that lifestyle. The title of the story is misleading because little was discussed about the cult itself. He focused on how living in a cult negatively impacted his relationship with his parents, especially his father. I enjoyed how Jonathan navigated his relationship with his father. We were given insight into this relationship throughout his life and his internal battle with becoming his father's caregiver. I enjoyed the narration. I felt that Jonathan provided a soothing voice to discuss challenging topics/issues.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Tori DeFazio · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mind is Burning is a unique memoir about the complicated relationship between an estranged son and father. This memoir focuses almost solely on Jonathan’s relationship with his father, Thomas. If you are interested in personal/family stories and the intricacies of dementia/healthcare, I think you will enjoy this story. This memoir has an extremely unique style- it listens like a long form podcast, similar to Serial or S-Town. While this originally took away from my enjoyment of the memoir but by the end I really enjoyed getting to hear parts of the father, Thomas Hirsch’s, story in his own voice.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook The Mind Is Burning

[meejieweegie · Rating 1 out of 5]

tbh im not really sure why this book was written - until you learn that he had a podcast and he is just doing that thing that writers do (derogatory lol)

by the time i was halfway through the book, literally all the info i had was the same as what was intro'd in the prologue - his dad sucked at being a dad, then joined a cult, and now he had dementia... like... u could just look at the title of the book instead of reading it, and you would've gained everything there is to know.

the cult part was also a shockingly small part of the book - probs to drive engagement to the podcast?

2/10

also his dad's not even dead yet?? weird way to end a memoir

[Brittney Carven · Rating 5 out of 5]

For eight years, I struggled with Alzheimer’s, feeling lost as it stole my memories and clarity. Conventional treatments failed, and I felt hopeless. Then, a friend recommended Earth Cure Herbal Clinic(www.earthcureherbalclinic.com), and though I was skeptical, I decided to try their natural remedies. Slowly, I began to regain my memory and mental clarity. It wasn’t an instant fix, but over time, I felt my mind clear and my sense of self return. Thanks to their treatment, I’m no longer defined by Alzheimer’s. My journey proves that even in the darkest moments, there is hope.

[Chela Landau · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can read almost any book about any subject if I think it is well-written and compelling. Both the subjects, cults and dementia, are fascinating subjects to me and yet I felt that chapter after chapter was repetitive and boring, and bottom line the author was not a sympathetic character to me despite what he went through. I felt more empathy for the father's girlfriend. The writing adage "show don't tell" is soundly ignored here, he just tells and tells and tells.

[NaTaya Hastings · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. This one wasn't for me, and part of that is on me. I should have read the book description more closely, I suppose. I picked it up because I thought it was going to provide unique insight into the cult lifestyle, but in truth, there is only a very small bit of information on the author's time in a cult.

Instead, it was more of a personal memoir focused specifically on his father's battle with dementia.

And while there's nothing wrong with that at all, it definitely wasn't the book I was hoping to read. It's very personal and emotional and has almost nothing to do with cults. I almost feel like the title is purposely misleading to pique the interest of true crime lovers like me. (And hey, it worked!)

The audio format worked nicely, as the author is a podcaster by trade and included snippets of interviews with his father and things like that. Unfortunately, it really just didn't hold my interest, as I'm not big on reading about other people's familial struggles. (I have plenty of those already!)

If you're looking for a foray into the world of cults and true crime, avoid this one. That is absolutely not what it is.

If, instead, you're looking for something personal, poignant, and focused on how dementia pulls families apart and the American healthcare system fails them over and over again, this is the book for you.

[Taylor Yeaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to find out that The Mind Is Burning was only being released in audio format — and honestly, it makes sense. The whole thing feels much more like a podcast than a traditional audiobook, especially as it goes on. Knowing Jonathan Hirsch’s background in podcasting, that choice fits, but it definitely shaped the experience of listening to it.

As for the content, the “cult” part of the title felt a little like bait. While it’s mentioned, it doesn’t really dive deep into that side of the story. Most of the focus is on the familial struggles, which, while emotional, weren’t quite gripping enough to fully hold my interest throughout. Overall, it’s a unique listen with some thoughtful moments, but it didn’t quite live up to the promise of its premise for me.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Audio for the Audio ARC!

The Mind Is Burning is an interesting look at family dynamics, and specifically, what can occur when an aging parent needs full-time care from their child, especially when their relationship was previously quite rocky. A unique perspective, and a very compelling memoir.

[M Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize that this was a podcast so the format felt off as I was trying to listen to it as a book. The content was interesting and while it's hard to rate a memoir, my personal experience with this story was just okay.

Thanks to Librofm and Blackstone Audio for this complimentary audiobook. My thoughts are my own.

[Nicky · Rating 1 out of 5]

Today I learned I find it INSUFFERABLE to listen to an audiobook with music in the background, especially when it’s a memoir. I had been waiting for months to read this book, and now, after 20 minutes of audio, I had to give up. I beg you to release a version with no music.

[JennShesBooked]

Feels less about what the title suggests and more about his success as a podcaster?