Going Clear

Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief

By: Lawrence Wright

Narrated by: Morton Sellers

Length: 17 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

National Book Award Finalist

A clear-sighted revelation, a deep penetration into the world of Scientology by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Looming Tower, the now-classic study of al-Qaeda’s 9/11 attack. Based on more than two hundred personal interviews with current and former Scientologists—both famous and less well known—and years of archival research, Lawrence Wright uses his extraordinary investigative ability to uncover for us the inner workings of the Church of Scientology.

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 science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, whose restless, expansive mind invented a new religion. And his successor, David Miscavige—tough and driven, with the unenviable task of preserving the church after the death of Hubbard.

We learn about Scientology’s complicated cosmology and special language. We see the ways in which the church pursues celebrities, such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta, and how such stars are used to advance the church’s goals. And we meet the young idealists who have joined the Sea Org, the church’s clergy, signing up with a billion-year contract.

In Going Clear, Wright examines what fundamentally makes a religion a religion, and whether Scientology is, in fact, deserving of this constitutional protection. Employing all his exceptional journalistic skills of observation, understanding, and shaping a story into a compelling narrative, Lawrence Wright has given us an evenhanded yet keenly incisive book that reveals the very essence of what makes Scientology the institution it is.

©2013 Lawrence Wright (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Brings a clear-eyed, investigative fearlessness to Scientology . . . a rollicking, if deeply creepy, narrative ride, evidence that truth can be stranger even than science fiction." (The Washington Post)

“A hotly compelling read. It’s a minutiae-packed book full of wild stories.” (The New York Times)

“An utterly necessary story. . . . A feat of reporting.” (The Wall Street Journal)

Excellent work of investigative reporting

Mr. Wright is a master of getting to the bottom of things. "Going Clear" is no different. I downloaded this book after a recent visit to Clearwater, Florida. I was very amused when I saw the downtown area crawling with uniformed Scientologists. This made me curious, so I did some research and came upon Lawrence Wright's book. It's well worth the listen! If you're in any way curious about the secretive world of Scientology, this is the source.

Incredible!

If you've seen the HBO documentary and thought it was shocking, wait until you listen to this! The documentary covers maybe...10% of what's in the book. Fascinating and shocking at the same time.

Best info on Scientology

most the stuff in this I already knew but it did shed some light on LRH and who he was. if you want to learn about Scientology, this is the best book to read

Fair and balanced book!!

Outstanding and very even-handed account of an extremely dangerous group of narcissists preying on people who truly want to better the world. Highly recommend!!!!

Fascinating

This book is fantastic. Well researched, well written, and well spoken. Also very understanding and empathetic.

Interesting, but long

What made the experience of listening to Going Clear the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed it but had to stop half way through. Just too long for the time period I had to listen.

Would you be willing to try another book from Lawrence Wright? Why or why not?

Yes

What about Morton Sellers’s performance did you like?

Good

Prepare to be depressed

Going clear is one of those listens that starts interesting then gets very hard to listen to. Not through any fault of the material or the reader. No the problem comes purely from the story your hearing. The first part of the book is the story of LRH life and times and the founding of Scientology. Next we hear about the methods of Scientology and it's early history.

It's all very interesting stuff and full of gripping detail as we hear about how LRH married and discarded wives as some men buy and throw away boots. But then the book takes a turn for the worse. Again I must emphasis the book does not become more poorly written but the story itself takes a turn for the worse and keeps getting more depressing.

Imagine if you take the first forty minutes of The Blues brothers and then splice in any bombastic drivel like Pearl Harbor then end on the last twenty minutes of Grave of the Fireflies You see the church built, you laugh at their antics but then the Sea org is founded and we see what LRH builds his church out to be and we see the stories of those who join the church at a young age... As LRH gets older and eventually dies everything gets worse. Day by day, week by week the more the misery mounts. And that's not even going into Operation Freakout or Snow White.

So my advice if you want to understand Scientology, this is the book to give you the story warts and all.

Footnote:The footnotes are mostly hilarious but not intentionally so, gotta love lawyers.

Excellent read

Highly recommend it! Great flow, very informative and a good inside view of Scientology and its history. Good springboard to the HBO documentary too.

Quite the surprise

I really enjoyed description of the accounts and personal relationship each person had with the church. Also that it was written as a storyteller and not a one-sided monologue. Really makes you think about your own spirituality too.

WOW

Would you listen to Going Clear again? Why?

Sure, I Guess It a was a book good

What other book might you compare Going Clear to and why?

This is the first book I have read on Scientology and it is so scarry, real! I will read more on the subject, but why? I can't believe how stupid and gulible people are.

What about Morton Sellers’s performance did you like?

Good voice!

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

That Scientology is all about the Money and so are Movie Stars!!!