Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of L. Ron Hubbard’s “Dianetics”

As Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health marks its 75th anniversary on May 9, 2025, the Church of Scientology celebrates a milestone in the journey of self-discovery and mental wellness that began in 1950. With over 22 million copies sold in 176 countries and translations into 50 languages, this seminal work by L. Ron Hubbard is now accessible to over 90% of the world’s population.

The publication of Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health on May 9, 1950, unleashed “a full-scale explosion,” as newspapers of the day described it. When it rolled off the presses 75 years ago, the book soared onto the New York Times bestseller list and remained there for 26 consecutive weeks. Publishers Weekly described Dianetics as “perhaps the best-selling non-Christian book of all time in the West” and awarded it the Century Award for over 100 weeks on its bestseller list. Dianetics now spans every culture and continent in more than 50 languages.

Dianetics helps individuals to understand and overcome the reactive mind—the source of irrational fears, stress and psychosomatic illnesses. L. Ron Hubbard stated at the beginning of the book, “Dianetics is an adventure. It is an exploration into Terra Incognita, the human mind, that vast hitherto unknown realm half an inch back of our foreheads.” And with the Dianetics Seminar available at Scientology Churches and Missions the world over, it is easier than ever before to experience that adventure.

The Dianetics Seminar is based on the book and a set of 32 films called How to Use Dianetics. Available in 17 languages, the films provide more than four hours of visual instruction in Dianetics principles and procedures. The film and the book can be purchased at any Scientology Church or Mission, most bookstores, and through dianetics.org.