Here's what Chuck Beatty had to say about Bent's Book on Operation Clambake:
"I highly recommend ex members, particularly people who've done a decade or two in Scientology, and who are now out, who read books, to read Bent's excellent book.
I've been out of Scientology exactly 4 years now, and I finally got around to start reading it.
Bent interviews some very significant people who knew LRH up-close,
from the 1940s and 1950s, and the book's range and depth is the best in my opinion.
Scientologists usually have only heard LRH's side of the story. It is enlightening to hear other versions of these same stories, and my vote goes to these people's versions of the stories as opposed to LRH's versions of these events.
If ex members haven't read Bent's book, I highly recommend especially ex decades long staffers read it.
LRH's 1940s, 1950s lifestyle and behavior, is jaw-droppingly similar to LRH's bad behavior throughout his life.
Expert longtime observers of Scientology comment in shortened version what Bent's books gives ample detailed on the ground firsthand statements by the people who lived with LRH in the 1940s, and 1950s.
But also Bent freely praises what attracted him to LRH and Scientology, but then reflects on the unnoticed downside, which he only later concluded:
page 337-8 of the 1996 edition:
"I audited all sorts of people who told me their intimate problems and considerations. Here I was 19 years old, and men and women twice or three times my age were baring their souls to me. It was quite an experience. I grew up fast.
"At the same time, looking back at it, because of the 'wins' I was having, I became increasingly inclined to see nothing wrong with Hubbard and Scientology.
"Hubbard and his organization, of which I really knew very little, were somehow superimposed onto the good feelings inspired by decent, caring people involved with these counseling techniques. Hubbard became equated in my mind with happiness, freedom and ability.
"I began to credit Hubbard with, among other things, my feeling of being superior to virtually any challenge presented to me.
"Hubbard also began to become equated with my own intentions for helping Mankind. These intentions had always been there, but now they were, in my mind, increasingly being credited to Hubbard.
"The natural good feelings of esprit de corps that evolve as a group works together for a common purpose, somehow also was credited to Hubbard. 'Ron's wonderful tech' was the reason I was receiving admiration from those I assisted.
"I had joined because of the anti-authoritarian message. I failed to notice at the time that the message was coming from an ultra-authoritarian source...."
Bent Corydon from pages 337-338 "L. Ron Hubbard, MESSIAH or MADMAN", 1996 edition."
http://ocmb.xenu.net/ocmb/viewtopic.php?t=22768