Good read for those interested in cults, generally, or Scientology in particular. The author's factual research is excellent, but I wish he'd tied it together with more "how" and "why": How did L. Ron Hubbard get so many people to follow him? Why does Scientology continue to hold so much sway over so many people? Anyway, the thesis of the book is pretty well summarized by this bit from the epilogue: "Many current and former Scientologists have attested to the value of their training and the insight they derived from their study of the religion. They have the right to believe whatever they choose. But it is a different matter to use the protections afforded a religion by the First Amendment to falsify history, to propagate forgeries, and to cover up human-rights abuses."