A long-lost manuscript unravels a hidden life marked by secret identity, exile, reinvention, redemption, and the profound complexities of the human heart.

NY, UNITED STATES, December 15, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- “Paradise Cove: They Escaped the Cuckoo’s Nest” (Manhattan Book Group, January 5, 2026), by George T. Nagel and edited by Rabbi Pini Dunner, is a powerful firsthand account of life inside a Southern California residential facility for recovering psychiatric patients. Nagel—an 80-year-old graduate student and unlikely observer volunteering in the 1970s as part of his master’s fieldwork at California State University, Northridge—chronicles the daily struggles and quiet triumphs of residents navigating the fragile space between institutionalization and independence. With clarity, compassion, and humor, he captures their lives while quietly tracing his own path toward healing.

But Nagel harbored an extraordinary secret: he was, in fact, Rabbi Yechezkel Taub—the Yabloner Rebbe—a renowned Hasidic leader who led hundreds of followers from Poland to pre-state Israel before abandoning his faith and disappearing into secular anonymity in Los Angeles.

Pini Dunner, noted historian, scholar, and senior rabbi of Beverly Hills Synagogue, discovered the manuscript while researching the Rebbe’s mysterious disappearance. “What began as an eccentric and deeply personal narrative became a universal story of identity, exile, reinvention, and compassion,” Dunner explains. “This manuscript is more than a memoir—it is a window into the profound humanity of often-overlooked lives and a revelation of an extraordinary individual’s hidden story.”

By bringing this poignant and long-buried manuscript to light, Dunner ensures that Nagel’s remarkable voice—and the life behind it—will finally be heard, reminding us that no story is ever as simple as it seems.

Key highlights from the book include:

• Nagel’s vivid field notes, based on firsthand accounts of his time at the residential facility, showcase the resilience, dignity, and humor of psychiatric patients living on the margins of society.

• The breathtaking revelation of Nagel’s true identity as the Yabloner Rebbe, a charismatic leader whose odyssey from Poland to Israel to Los Angeles remains one of the most astonishing untold stories of the 20th century.

• Rabbi Dunner’s extensive historical and cultural annotations, providing critical context for understanding the significance of the manuscript and its subjects.

• Themes of mental health, personal identity, exile, reinvention, and the redemptive power of kindness make the book both relevant and timeless.

Restored with Dunner’s detailed preface, epilogue, and meticulous annotations, "Paradise Cove" offers a compelling dual narrative: the extraordinary odyssey of a man who reinvented himself, and the modern-day detective work that brought his story to light. With its raw honesty, unforgettable characters, and stunning revelations, Paradise Cove is a captivating tale rich with mystery, history, and humanity—a must-read for anyone interested in historical nonfiction, hidden identities, and stories that shape the human experience.

“Paradise Cove: They Escaped the Cuckoo’s Nest” can be purchased through retailers worldwide, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

PARADISE COVE: THEY ESCAPED THE CUCKOO’S NEST
by George T. Nagel | Edited by Rabbi Pini Dunner
Manhattan Book Group | January 5, 2026
Print length: 324 pages
Hardcover | ISBN: 9781968485528 $34.99 USD
Paperback| ISBN: 9781968485511 | $19.99 USD
E-Book | $2.99 USD
Review copies and interviews with the author are available upon request.
Media Contact: Alison Graham | PR Representative | [email protected]

About the Editor:

Pini Dunner is the senior rabbi of Beverly Hills Synagogue and a scholar known for his fascination with the margins of history and the extraordinary individuals who inhabit them. The son of Holocaust survivors, he was raised in London with a deep love of Jewish history and storytelling. A widely published commentator on Jewish thought, faith, and contemporary society, Rabbi Dunner combines rigorous scholarship with a love of overlooked and unconventional narratives. He is the author of Mavericks, Mystics & False Messiahs and host of the YouTube series Rogues, Rascals and Rapscallions. In Paradise Cove: They Escaped the Cuckoo’s Nest, he brings George Nagel's forgotten manuscript to light with expert context and illuminating annotations. To learn more about Rabbi Dunner and Paradise Cove visit paradisecovebook.com.

About Manhattan Book Group:

Manhattan Book Group (“MBG”), located on Broadway in New York City, is a registered trade name of Mindstir Media LLC. MBG is widely known as a premier hybrid book publisher, combining the best of traditional publishing with the best of self-publishing to provide authors with the “best of both worlds.” To learn more about MBG, visit manhattanbookgroup.com.

Michelle VanSledright
Manhattan Book Group
+1 800-767-0531
email us here

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