Going clear : Scientology, Hollywood, and the prison of belief / Lawrence Wright.
A clear-sighted revelation, a deep penetration into the world of Scientology by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the now-classic study of al-Qaeda's 9/11 attack, The Looming Tower. Based on more than two hundred personal interviews with both current and former Scientologists--both famous and less well known--and years of archival research, Lawrence Wright uses his extraordinary investigative skills to uncover for us the inner workings of the Church of Scientology: its origins in the imagination of science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard; its struggles to find acceptance as a legitimate (and legally acknowledged) religion; its vast, secret campaign to infiltrate the U.S. government; its vindictive treatment of critics, its phenomenal wealth; adn its dramatic efforts to grow and prevail after the death of Hubbard. At the book's center, two men whom Wright brings vividly to life, showing how they have made Scientology what it is today: The darkly brilliant L. Ron Hubbard--whose restless, expansive mind invented a new religion tailor-made to prosper in the spiritually troubled post-World War II era. And his successor, David Miscavige--tough and driven, with the inenviable task of preserving the church in the face of ongoing scandals and continual legal assaults. We learn about Scientology's esoteric cosmology; about the auditing process that determines an inductee's state of being, about the Bridge to Total Freedom, through which members gain eternal life. We see the ways in which the church pursues celebrities, such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta, and how such stars are exploited to advance the church's goals. We meet young idealists who joined the Sea Org, the church's clergy, whose members often enter as children, signing up with a billion-year contract and working with little pay in poor conditions. We meet men and women "disconnected" from friends and a family by the church's policy of shunning critical voices. And we discover, through many firsthand stories, the violence that has long permeated the inner
Record details
- ISBN: 9780307700667
- ISBN: 0307700666
- Physical Description: xiii, 430 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm
- Edition: First edition.
- Publisher: New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2013.
Content descriptions
Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 373-418) and index. |
Formatted Contents Note: | The convert -- Source -- Going overboard -- The faith factory -- Dropping the body -- In service to the stars -- The future is ours -- Bohemian rhapsody -- TC and COB -- The investigation -- Tommy. |
Awards Note: | National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist, Nonfiction 2013 |
Search for related items by subject
Subject: | Hubbard, L. Ron. Miscavige, David. Scientology. Scientology > Doctrines. Scientologists. Cults > United States. |
Available copies
- 22 of 22 copies available at Missouri Evergreen. (Show)
- 1 of 1 copy available at North Kansas City.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 22 total copies.
Other Formats and Editions
Show Only Available Copies
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
North Kansas City Public Library | 299.936 WRIGHT 2013 (Text) | 0001001984556 | Nonfiction | Available | - |