• Going Clear

  • Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief
  • By: Lawrence Wright
  • Narrated by: Morton Sellers
  • Length: 17 hrs and 24 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (4,592 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Going Clear  By  cover art

Going Clear

By: Lawrence Wright
Narrated by: Morton Sellers
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $22.50

Buy for $22.50

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

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
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

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)

More from the same

What listeners say about Going Clear

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,974
  • 4 Stars
    1,166
  • 3 Stars
    326
  • 2 Stars
    69
  • 1 Stars
    57
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,490
  • 4 Stars
    1,077
  • 3 Stars
    347
  • 2 Stars
    60
  • 1 Stars
    54
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,730
  • 4 Stars
    914
  • 3 Stars
    257
  • 2 Stars
    56
  • 1 Stars
    44

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best audiobook I’ve ever heard

The narrator is excellent, the material is excellent, the writing is excellent. 10/10 have listened many times

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Careful Construction

it is amazing in the court evidence section of the book, when the IRS is bringing charges against the church to loose their religion status, that L. Ron Hubbard had orchestrated his religion so precise that he accounted for all aspects of Scientology to reflect how the other organized religions operate. Genius really.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent journalism

What a mind-blowing journey. This story goes all over the place, and was more entertaining than many novels I’ve read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So Good

Points of this are hard to listen to but so good and so interesting. Hard to listen at times because of how jaw dropping the content is

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Boring Read

This goes into deep details of L Ron Hubbard's life. It might be interesting but for the dull reading by the narrator. I kept hoping for it to get better, but it didn't.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

a complete masterpiece

I didn't know anything about scientology and this book has opened up my eyes to the world of it. very informative and fact-checked!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent portrayal of a very dangerous cult!

really good book about one of the most dangerous cults in our world! everyone should read this book so they know the difference between a religion and a cult!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful. Highly recommend. I loved it.

Really enjoyed. Great narration, fascinating subject. Well done. I absolutely recommend. Great book in addition to HBO “Going Clear” and film “The Master”

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not a favorite

Way too long and disjointed. Hard to follow line of story. Author jumps around over decades and no clear line of thought. Footnotes intrusive. Read New Yorker article for clearer summary

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Intriguing look inside a secretive organization

this story follows The Insider's view of Scientology. It does a good job of covering history of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder, and various other individuals who were part of the organization including movie stars and other famous individuals. I found the chronology difficult to follow at times, but overall was a very well performed and interesting story nonetheless.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!