Going Clear
Books | Religion / Scientology
4.2
(123)
Lawrence Wright
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD AND NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST • From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Looming Tower comes “an utterly necessary story” (The Wall Street Journal) that pulls back the curtain on the church of Scientology: one of the most secretive organizations at work today. • The Basis for the HBO Documentary.A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the CenturyScientology presents itself as a scientific approach to spiritual enlightenment, but its practices have long been shrouded in mystery. Now Lawrence Wright—armed with his investigative talents, years of archival research, and more than two hundred personal interviews with current and former Scientologists—uncovers the inner workings of the church. We meet founder L. Ron Hubbard, the highly imaginative but mentally troubled science-fiction writer, and his tough, driven successor, David Miscavige. We go inside their specialized cosmology and language. We learn about the church’s legal attacks on the IRS, its vindictive treatment of critics, and its phenomenal wealth. We see the church court celebrities such as Tom Cruise while consigning its clergy to hard labor under billion-year contracts. Through it all, Wright asks what fundamentally comprises a religion, and if Scientology in fact merits this Constitutionally-protected label.
AD
Buy now:
More Details:
Author
Lawrence Wright
Pages
448
Publisher
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published Date
2013-01-17
ISBN
0385350279 9780385350273
Ratings
Google: 3.5
Community ReviewsSee all
"As someone who had never done a deep dive into Scientology, this book was a fascinating eye opener. While I know that scientologists would say that this book is not a true look at their religion, it's quite obvious that the author did everything he could to prepare a fair look at scientology. I will never understand the appeal of these sorts of cults and I consider this to be one of the most dangerous ones currently operating in the world. Well worth the time it takes to read."
John Detrick
"I loved this book. I have always been interested in cults and the way all religions start out crazy and become more normalized and accepted over time. There are a lot of Scientology analogies to not just Mormonism but all of Christianity as well. Who knows what would have been reported on Jesus and his disciples if there was a printing press or even the internet then? Fascinating stuff, and well written in a compelling style. Read it."
Andrew Greene