Have you ever had unkind thoughts about L. Ron Hubbard? If so, you need to read Janet Reitman‘s 14,000-word Rolling Stone report, “Inside Scientology,” nominated in March for a National Magazine Award (winners will be announced May 9). When the story first appeared, I had this to say. I’m thrilled to see that Rolling Stone itself, for which I’m a contributing editor, is a finalist in the general excellence category, too — a reflection, I’m guessing, of the magazine’s increasing emphasis on extensively reported, longform narrative stories at a time when most publications are shrinking word counts. Here are the rest of the nominees.