EdenOne
What you have said about the "calm approach" of Ray Franz is important. Had I read the book and found a frenzy of statements and overt anger, I would have been suspicious at the time. I was so afraid the whole time I was reading his book. Afraid of being caught out, paranoid of it somehow showing on my face.........all that cultish feeling that sweeps through a person when they feel they are going against the ultimate authority on god.
I had loaned it from my local library and recall feeling scared that the librarian was a JW and I would be found. So stretched were my nerves at the time. As I read his quiet refutations of doctrine and man made rules, I began to calm down and re read passages that I had read while I was panicking ( it's hard to take it in when you are in a state of fear) I found his concise accounts, substantiated with documents and such, were a proof that I truly needed at the time.
Yes, I do agree with you, it was a well thought out biography, expose, and generally well put explanation of how things were and are.