Ali's Smile

Ali's Smile: Naked Scientology
Head shot of short haired man wearing horn-rimmed glasses, looking at the camera.
1978 Expanded media edition
AuthorWilliam S. Burroughs
LanguageEnglish
SubjectScientology
GenreShort story
Publication date
1971
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint
ISBN3880300119

Ali's Smile: Naked Scientology is a collection of essays and a short story by American Beat writer William S. Burroughs (1914–1997). First published in 1971 as the short story "Ali's Smile", the book eventually contained a group of previously published newspaper articles as well, all of which address Scientology. Burroughs had been interested in Scientology throughout the 1960s, believing that its methods might help combat a controlling society. He joined the Church of Scientology later in the decade. However, he became disenchanted with the authoritarian nature of the organization. In 1970 Burroughs had published a "considered statement" on Scientology's methods because he felt they were significant enough to warrant commentary. These pieces were later gathered together into Ali's Smile: Naked Scientology, which religious studies scholar Hugh B. Urban describes as a "nonscholarly popular exposé of Scientology".[1][2] Burroughs's texts argue that while some of Scientology's therapies are worthwhile, the dogmatic nature of the group and its secrecy are harmful.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Seed149 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Urban 2006, p. 357