Unsolved:Bibliography of books critical of Scientology

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This is a bibliography of works critical of Scientology and the Church of Scientology. Template:Criticism of religion sidebar

Overview

Between 1954 and 2020, only four English-language scholarly monographs have been published about Scientology (Wallis 1977 [1976]; Whitehead 1987; Urban 2011; Westbrook 2019).[1] Most other critical works have come in the form of apostate memoirs: books written by ex-members about their experiences within the Church of Scientology (CoS).[1] On several occasions, the licensee of the CoS has initiated copyright infringement lawsuits to restrain the publication of books critical of Scientology or its founder, L. Ron Hubbard.[1][2] Since 2008, the Internet has been able to provide a much safer ground for publishing material critical of the CoS, because traditional copyright law had little application there.[1]

Books by title

  • Ali's Smile: Naked Scientology (1971) by William S. Burroughs
  • Arrows in the Dark: A True Story of Intrigue and Espionage from the Church of Scientology's #1 Spy (2015) by Merrell Vannier[3] ISBN 9781508534075
  • Bare-faced Messiah: The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard (1987) by Russell Miller[1]
  • Believe What You Like: What happened between the Scientologists and the National Association for Mental Health (1973) by C. H. Rolph
  • Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape (2013) by Jenna Miscavige Hill[1] ISBN 9780062248473
  • A Billion Years: My Escape From a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology (2022) by Mike Rinder ISBN 9781982185763
  • Blown for Good: Behind the Iron Curtain of Scientology (2009) by Marc Headley[1]
  • The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion (2011) by Hugh Urban[1]
  • The Complex: An Insider Exposes the Covert World of the Church of Scientology (2008) by John Duignan (with Nicola Tallant)[1]
  • Counterfeit Dreams: One Man's Journey into and Out of the World of Scientology (2010) by Jefferson Hawkins[4] ISBN 9780615375649
  • Cults of Unreason (1973) by Christopher Evans OL 5438675M
  • Damaged Lives: the Legacy of Scientology (2012) by Margery Wakefield
  • A Doctor's Report on Dianetics (1951, 1987) by Joseph A. Winter
  • Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science (1952, 1957) by Martin Gardner
  • Fair Game: The Incredible Untold Story of Scientology in Australia (2016) by Steve Cannane. ISBN 9780733331329[5]
  • Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief (2013) by Lawrence Wright[1]
  • Have You Told All? Inside my Time with Narconon and Scientology (2013) by Lucas Catton[1] ISBN 0615768725
  • Hollywood Undercover: Revealing the Sordid Secrets of Tinseltown (2007) by Ian Halperin
  • Hollywood, Interrupted: Insanity Chic in Babylon - The Case Against Celebrity (2004) by Andrew Breitbart & Mark Ebner
  • Inside Scientology: How I Joined Scientology and Became Superhuman (1972) by Robert Kaufman
  • Inside Scientology: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion (2011) by Janet Reitman[1]
  • I Survived! Overcoming Abuse, Scientology and Life in General (2019) by Margery Wakefield
  • L. Ron Hubbard, Messiah or Madman? (1987, 1995) by Bent Corydon and Ronald DeWolf[1]
  • The Mind Benders (1971) by Cyril Vosper
  • My Billion Year Contract: Memoir of a Former Scientologist (2009) by Nancy Many[1] ISBN 0578039222,Template:Ol
  • The New Believers (2001) by David V. Barrett
  • Nineteen Eighty-Four, My Journey Into Scientology's Innermost Secrets - And Out Again (Norwegian: Nittenåttifire, Min vei inn i Scientologiens innerste hemmeligheter - og ut igjen) (2013) by Geir Isene[6] ISBN 9788282820592
  • A Piece of Blue Sky: Scientology, Dianetics, and L. Ron Hubbard Exposed (1990) by Jon Atack[1]
  • A Queer and Pleasant Danger: A Memoir (2012) by Kate Bornstein[1] ISBN 9780807001653,Template:Ol
  • Religion Inc. The Church of Scientology (1986) by Stewart Lamont ISBN 0245543341,OL 2080316M
  • Renunciation and Reformulation: A Study of Conversion in an American Sect (1987) by Harriet Whitehead[1] ISBN 0801418496,Template:Ol
  • The Road to Total Freedom: A Sociological Analysis of Scientology (1976, 1977) by Roy Wallis[1]
  • The Road to Xenu: Life Inside Scientology (1991) by Margery Wakefield
  • Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me (2016) by Ron Miscavige (with Dan Koon)[1]
  • The Scandal of Scientology (1971) by Paulette Cooper
  • Scientology: Abuse At the Top (2010) by Amy Scobee ISBN 9780692008010[7][8]
  • Scientology: The Now Religion (1970) by George Malko. OL 5444962M
  • Unsolved:Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography (2008) by Andrew Morton
  • Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology (2015) by Leah Remini
  • The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper (2015) by Tony Ortega ISBN 9781511639378
  • Understanding Scientology: The Demon Cult (2009) by Margery Wakefield

Other print media

Year Title Notes
1991 The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power Investigative report by Richard Behar in Time magazine
2009 The Truth Rundown A 3-part series of investigative reporting in the St Petersburg Times[9]

Government reports

Year Title Notes
1965 Anderson Report Australia, Board of Inquiry into Scientology
1969 Dumbleton–Powles Report New Zealand, Commission of Inquiry into the Hubbard Scientology organisation
1970 Lee Report Canada, Sectarian Healers and Hypnotherapy
1971 Foster Report United Kingdom, Enquiry into the Practice and Effects of Scientology
1972 The Kotzé Report[10] South Africa, Report of the Commission of Enquiry into Scientology

Television

Year Title Notes
2005 Trapped in the Closet South Park episode
2006 The Return of Chef South Park episode
2007 Scientology and Me Documentary on BBC's Panorama hosted by John Sweeney
2010 The Secrets of Scientology Documentary on BBC's Panorama hosted by John Sweeney
2010 Until Nothing Remains German documentary aired on ARD by Niki Stein (de)
2015 My Scientology Movie Louis Theroux, Altitude Film Distribution
2016-2019 Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath 3-season series on A&E (TV network) hosted by Leah Remini and Mike Rinder

Film

Year Title Notes
2002 The Profit Peter N. Alexander, Independent film
2006 The Bridge Brett Hanover, Independent film
2012 The Master Paul Thomas Anderson
2015 Going Clear Alex Gibney, HBO Documentary Films

See also

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 Cusack, Carole M. (2020). "Apostate Memoirs and the Study of Scientology in the Twenty-First Century". Implicit Religion (Religious Studies Project) 23 (2): 1–7. doi:10.1558/imre.19164. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349851471. Retrieved 13 February 2022. 
  2. Gordon, W. J. (1993). "A Property Right in Self-Expression: Equality and Individualism in the Natural Law of Intellectual Property". The Yale Law Journal (The Yale Law Journal Company, Inc.) 102 (7): 1535. doi:10.2307/796826. https://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7491&context=ylj. Retrieved 13 February 2022. 
  3. Cobb, Douglas (May 25, 2015). "'Arrows In The Dark' By Merrell Vannier Exposes Truth About Scientology". https://guardianlv.com/2015/05/arrows-in-the-dark-by-merrell-vannier-exposes-truth-about-scientology/. 
  4. Cusack, Carole (2017). "Review of Steve Cannane, Fair Game: The Incredible Untold Story of Scientology in Australia". Nova Religio 20 (4): 106–108. doi:10.1525/nr.2017.20.4.106. https://www.academia.edu/32862101. 
  5. "Lansering av Nittenåttifire". http://www.litteraturhuset.no/program/2013/09/nittenaatifire.html. 
  6. n:Author Amy Scobee recounts abuse as Scientology executive (Wikinews)
  7. Ortega, Tony (August 22, 2011). "The Top 25 People Crippling Scientology, No. 18: Amy Scobee". https://www.villagevoice.com/2011/08/22/the-top-25-people-crippling-scientology-no-18-amy-scobee/. 
  8. Kotzé, G.P.C. (9 June 1972). Report of the Commission of Enquiry into Scientology for 1972 (Report). Republic of South Africa. RP 55/1973 (The Kotzé Report). https://archive.org/details/southafricascientologyreport1972full/.