Reviews tagging 'Death'

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

96 reviews

bashsbooks's review

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

This is an extremely cool linguistic exploration on how language impacts how people decided to join and stay in manipulative groups (broadly termed 'cultish'). From murder-suicides like Jonestown and Heaven's Gate to MLMs to fitness groups like Soul Cycle, the spectrum is wide, but Montell convincing demonstrates on how all these groups employ similar rhetorical strats to recruit people.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Murder, Religious bigotry, Racism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death, and Child death

Moderate: Antisemitism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Addiction

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

nykolereads's review against another edition

informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, Drug abuse, and Death

risemini's review against another edition

informative reflective fast-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Child death, Suicide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, and Violence

divine529's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

Cults are something I've been finding myself fascinated by more and more lately, especially given how much we hear about them on a regular basis. This is an absolutely fantastic book and a topic I've been interested in for awhile - language. This book really opened my eyes to a variety of things, expanded upon things I've believed, learned about and understood for awhile, and allowed me to view choices and experiences I've made and had in a different way. 

That said, tread lightly if you have triggers as this book deals with heavy and difficult topics at times. 

I highly recommend this to everyone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Murder, Racism, Confinement, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

alsoapples's review against another edition

dark funny informative fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Trafficking, Confinement, Gaslighting, Murder, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Racism, and Torture

crabbytaco's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Gaslighting

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Death

syd_s_r's review

4.0

This is just how I like my nonfiction books. It's conversational tone makes it very approachable. The mix of storytelling and information kept me engaged. The author clearly has a political bias, and it occasionally felt forced instead of adding to her argument. Given the subject, I thought this book might be anti-religion, but the author actually approaches the intersection of cults and religion very tactfully.

Also, the cover is cool.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: Cursing

angreadseverything's review against another edition

funny informative lighthearted medium-paced

3.0

I think it could have been organized better overall

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Suicide

Moderate: Confinement, Sexual assault, and Child death

elsa__reads's review

dark funny informative tense fast-paced

5.0

Easy to read, it's written fairly accessible. A very interesting read as well without getting tiring. Some chapters are hard to read because the events written about led to people losing their lives, so major trigger warning for that. I really enjoyed her writing style.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Child death

siriface's review

challenging emotional funny informative relaxing sad medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Death, and Suicide