New Boy: Life and Death at the World Headquarters of the Jehovah’s Witnesses

by Keith Casarona

Enjoy a fifty year odyssey of one person's journey into the bowels of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, otherwise known as the Jehovah's Witnesses.How has this same organization, has been instrumental in the death, suicides and insanity of thousands of people, many of whom are not even Jehovah's Witnesses? Find out what devastating tool this organization uses, to keep over eight million of their followers in line with their teachings and policies.Why do millions of their drone-like followers knock on doors every week looking for new converts? Find out why these people want you to join them in their soon to be paradise Earth. A paradise that can only take place after their god Jehovah kills off the vast majority of the Earth's population. A carnage they are looking forward to, that could even include many of their own family members.Find out what devastating problem could be the complete demise of the Jehovah's Witnesses and is costing their organization millions of dollars every year. Keith Casarona has written a telling account of his life, in and out of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization. Alternately humorous and painful, it is and intriguing educational read. -Jack Sutton Find out the real truth about the truth!

Genres: Cults, Memoir

480 pages, Paperback

Published April 16, 2019

Reviews

[Frank Smith]

Powerful

Powerful, insightful, captivating. The storytelling of the author lets you feel you are right there in the belly of the beast that is known as Watchtower. If you are a JW or exJW there are parts of this book that will make you laugh and smile because you’ve experienced the same. Other parts will make your blood boil at the hypocrisy and lies and horrors that Watchtower has caused. Either way I consider this a must read for anyone doubting their faith as a JW, any exJWs on their path outside of this cult and anyone interested in how cults in general operate.

[Natalie Grand]

Hi Keith, Your book was amazing! And written so well. Very entertaining about the inner workings of bethel. I tell so many exJW friends and make post to read your book. You written it in away that take control of your life is empowering. I spoke on the phone with you a couple years ago to talk about your book and I wish I saved your number. I messaged you on Facebook and it must of went to FB spam. But my comedic graphic novel just released a few days ago called CULT GIRLS.

[Aimee Kathleen Aldrich]

Wow....... Speechless.

Absolutely fantastic book. To anyone who wants to know what Bethel was really like and to anyone who is curious about Jehovah's Witnesses, this is an eye-opener.... So easy to read, too. You can feel the emotion in every word. My story is your story, Keith. Thank you for writing it.

[Rob Green]

A good book for exJWs

I am an exJW. Waking up and coming out of this cult is very difficult. It takes years to recover, if that's even possible. I'm glad to have read this book. It has helped in my healing process by letting me know that I'm not alone, now that I'm being shunned, but have a new big family in the real world.

[Darren Steele]

I cannot say enough about this book! More information and content needs to be exposed about the white priveledge at Watchtower. There was shares people bought in Russell's time, you can find the watchtower shares in the JWs own publication called the proclaimers book. There is very rich families off the watchtower shares and they got honey contracts with the organisation such as Dale Baker (google him).

[Jenn]

A Compelling Look Behind the JW Curtain

The author bravely wrote his testimony and included specific details with an earnest desire to protect the unknowing people from getting trapped in this awful, mind-warping cult. He told his story with passion, enthusiasm, humor, and style. His story about getting out is heartbreaking.

I congratulate him on telling so difficult and tragic a story with such dedication and courage.

[Jenna]

Such an insightful tale of his time in the organization and just how tough and rough it can be. How spiteful some can be even at the House of God! A good read for everyone no matter what the religious background was or is.

[Dulce]

I really enjoyed Keith’s story of waking up. Very interesting read. Read it fast because I couldn’t put
It down! Thanks for sharing your story!

I would say the one thing that bugged me were that toward the end there were a bunch of spelling errors overlooked that the publisher should have caught.

[Lara Sparkman]

Great rwad

Well done and very accurate portrayal of life as a JW. Informative and factual. Unfortunately so true and sad how they treat anyone who decides to leave. I’ve been out 22 years. 5th generation exJW.

[Pamela Williams]

Helped me remember things I forgot.

I knew Keith when some the events happened. My aunt married Roy Baty. It was hard being a kid back then worried about 1975. Very good book.

[Riley Gonsalves]

DANG GOOD BOOK! Every witness in it and out of it needs to read this. I remember hearing about this kidnapping at the headquarters. But just as the cult policies are YOU CAN'T talk about anything negative of God's paradise or you get kicked and disfellowshipped. Unfortunately the wrong people get kicked out. If you speak or question the injustices or know of an admitted predator, that is considered speaking against the spirit and you are out and lose your job, family and whole foundation. Many are only in this religion because they are being held hostage. But with men and women using their voices the public is being made aware of their harmful policies. Just like in Norway on March 2022 the Jehovah's Witnesses was defunded by government. I guess JWs was getting tax dollars, lol. They still get to keep their tax exempt status, but the government said you can't hold your members hostage. Then the JW headquarters in Norway lied to the government in open forum and said WE DON'T SHUN which was a huge lie. Many victims came out to show evidence of their shun and the dum dums in headquarters forgot that there was a norweigan translated elder flock book (suppose to be a secret) and government got a copy. Many, many Jehovah's Witnesses in Norway left immediately and realized they were slaving for a lying sack of poo.

[Dalia]

SUCH AN AMAZING EXPOSE of bethel, the international headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses in New York. I visited a couple times and I saw resentment for the happy secular JW to visits. Sadly they are overworked, abused and basically peddlers (waiting for a handout from bethel tourism). Keith didn't cover that the low level labor camp people have to purchase their own napkins and learn to shut their mouth to advance. Meanwhile if you are an attorney or medical doctor, you can practice on the side, use their free building in fact to make additional money, have luxury condos, medical insurance for you and your family, house keepers and not pay a penny for rent or food with a contract with salary even. PLEASE RESEARCH the Monica Hines versus Watchtower case right now. The poor girl was work and sex trafficked at the headquarters and her abuser Bill Briggs admitted sodomizing her, but the Governing Body forgave him in house, did not report to the police and she continued to get abused. Now Bill (still in good standing) was moved to Equador with access to beautiful children and a JW elite (film/ photographer) used for this cult. I wish Keith was on podcasts like alot of the other of these ex-Jehovah's Witness authors. I did appreciate him exposing the racism at headquarters.

[Stefanie Robinson]

The author of this book is a former Jehovah's Witness, who served at the World Headquarters for a time. Casarona describes his experiences in this organization, which is very informative. There are very few scholarly resources that relate to the history of this organization. I believe this is actually the first book I have ran across that is by a former member. The woman that used to cut my hair belonged to this group, but we never discussed anything about it other than right around the time she was getting married. (To the creepiest looking man I have ever seen, for the record.) It was interesting to see the differences in this group and other mainstream Christian sects. It did not surprise me to learn of the lying, scheming, and other general foolishness that "leaders" get up to. The author recounts his experiences in a way that any reader can connect with, while also letting people see behind the veil of secrecy. I have the Audible version of this book, but it is currently available on Kindle Unlimited for those interested.

[Tracey]

I was a 3rd generation JW, but have been out for 30 years now. This book extremely interesting for me as I haven't read much about Bethel. As a kid, it seemed like some magical and important place. People would brag if they were able to go on tour on vacation. I remember someone in the congregation was going to work at Bethel and we were in awe. To hear the inner workings and all the hypocrisy, the doomsday dates, the history of the organization - so much hidden from us at that time. I can see it for what it is now, but sad that others can't and are still trapped in the belief of this cult. Most of my family are JW. Hello black sheep! :-)

[Dallas Robertson]

Brave but flawed story

Wonderful book for a fresh perspective on my former religion. However, the briefest of edits by the author/publisher would eliminate the enormous amount of typos, spelling errors, and grammatical mistakes. Also, the book is fairly incoherent, bumbling along with random stories, hokey truths, and obvious metaphors unnecessarily explained. Apart from that, Casarona bravely tells his story in a fun way, explaining the wackiness that comes from being indoctrinated as a JW.

[Rashid Williams]

Truth about the “truth”

This book gives a detailed look into the history and practices of the JW Organization like no other way. Written by a former member who spent over 50 years in the cult, reveals details that no current JW publication or member would dare to talk about. It’s a good read for anyone who has questions about the true history of the organization. Much much detail.

[Steven Eads]

Great book

This story is a good one, a great and well written book. It does need proofreading and editing.
Parallels my own experience. I was an elder for many years before I left.

[Diane M.]

Very interesting. I liked the stories within the story.

[Annette]

Eye opening account of life at Bethel, and the experience of the author while a JW.

[Bruce Wells]

It rang true.

[Ivy Lea]

This was a very good look into the religion, but God, it needed more editing in the grammar.
Also it needed to be cut down. It did not need to be that long.