Ruth Davis Konigsberg of Time: The Church of Scientology is a notoriously difficult subject for journalists. The press has long been considered an enemy of the church, which was founded half a century ago by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. (To give but one example, in the 1950s, Hubbard wrote that TIME’s purpose was to “cause riots and disaffection.”) In a new book, Inside Scientology: The Story of America’s Most Secretive Religion, author Janet Reitman tells the fascinating history of the mysterious organization and its members. “I have sought to understand Scientology: not to judge, but simply to absorb,” she writes. “What I have found defies expectation, and even definition.” TIME spoke with Reitman about what she learned. Read the full report here.
