Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of BeliefGoing Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief
Score Modern
What it's about
Lawrence Wright investigates the Church of Scientology: its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, its esoteric beliefs and practices, its treatment of members and its pursuit of celebrities, drawing on interviews with former members.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. It's a meticulous, gripping exposé.
You'll love it if you liked
The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
Cultish: The Language of FanaticismGood to know
It became an Emmy-winning HBO documentary.
By the numbers
- Readers52 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics45 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller42 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #6 of the 11 faith books we rank
- #148 of the 198 history books we rank
- #622 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1177 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by Lawrence Wright
If you like this, read next
East West Street
The Tattooist of Auschwitz
Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
Sarah's Key
Schindler's List
Disappearing EarthExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. It ranks #1,177 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief about?
Lawrence Wright investigates the Church of Scientology: its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, its esoteric beliefs and practices, its treatment of members and its pursuit of celebrities, drawing on interviews with former members.
How long does it take to read Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief?
About 11 hours (430 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief?
If you liked it, try The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 by Lawrence Wright, Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou or Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell.