The Mind Benders was written by Cyril Vosper, a Scientologist of 14 years who had become disillusioned,[1] Published in 1971 (hardback, Neville Spearman, ISBN 0-85435-061-6) and reprinted in 1973 (softcover, Mayflower, ISBN 0-583-12249-3), it was the first book on Scientology to be written by an ex-member and the first critical book on Scientology to be published (narrowly beating Inside Scientology by Robert Kaufman).

The book was released as an electronic edition on the internet with the approval of Vosper by the old Cult Awareness Network, in April 1996 and then again in August 1997.

[citation needed] In 1972, the Church of Scientology sued to prevent publication, claiming that as a condition of taking the Special Briefing Course at Saint Hill, Vosper had agreed not to divulge its content to anyone who was not "Clear".

[1] Lord Denning dismissed the case, arguing that the material was sufficiently dangerous for the public interest to override the confidentiality agreement.

[citation needed] To this day, the case Hubbard v Vosper is a staple in many classes studying copyright law.