Book Log 2016 #40: Going Clear by Lawrence Wright

This is the book on which the HBO documentary of the same name is based. It gives a history of Scientology and some of its leading figures - including founder L. Ron Hubbard - and looks at how the group developed, grew, and hold on to its members (including allegations of harsh punishment for members who step out of line). It spends a fair amount of time looking at some celebrity Scientologists, and discussing how the organization uses celebrity to boost itself, and how the celebrities influence its very operations.

Scientology pushed back against this book pretty heavily, not surprising given the group's history of litigation (there's also at least one exhaustive web critique of the book that's still online). But failing anything more transparent coming through official channels, this is likely the best look inside that we have, and is very much worth reading.