princesszinza's review against another edition
4.0
I've been interested with the Jonestown massacre since it happened. I followed the coverage in the Orange County Register when I was an adolescent. In fact, I played a newspaper game where I checked every day to see if there was a story about the tragedy. I found one in the paper everyday for almost a year after it happened. I was shocked to learn that the church close to the apartment I later moved to, the one that had broken windows and a for sale sign on it, was the infamous San Francisco People's Temple Church.
The author was a highly regarded church member who instigated the investigation which led to the deaths of congressman Leo Ryan and most of Jim Jones' followers. Her brother was the man who shot the congressman.
This was a fascinating and completely creepy read which will probably give me nightmares for days. I've always wondered if I'm the kind of person who could be lured into a cult. I had previously read of admirable things People's Temple did before Jim Jones became a paranoid, crazy, drug addict. This book makes it clear that this church was pretty heinous in its treatment of parishioners from early on. In fact, Jim Jones told his leadership that the church was just a ruse for the socialist organization he was forming. I don't think I could ever fall for all the paranoid lies that Jim Jones told. I don't really understand how Deborah Layton, obviously an intelligent person, did. I'm glad that she had the courage to leave and to tell her story.
The author was a highly regarded church member who instigated the investigation which led to the deaths of congressman Leo Ryan and most of Jim Jones' followers. Her brother was the man who shot the congressman.
This was a fascinating and completely creepy read which will probably give me nightmares for days. I've always wondered if I'm the kind of person who could be lured into a cult. I had previously read of admirable things People's Temple did before Jim Jones became a paranoid, crazy, drug addict. This book makes it clear that this church was pretty heinous in its treatment of parishioners from early on. In fact, Jim Jones told his leadership that the church was just a ruse for the socialist organization he was forming. I don't think I could ever fall for all the paranoid lies that Jim Jones told. I don't really understand how Deborah Layton, obviously an intelligent person, did. I'm glad that she had the courage to leave and to tell her story.
misschai's review against another edition
I’m not going to buy a star rating in someone’s struggle, and pain. But I will tell you that this is a one sitting book. I listened to it on audio book and by the last 4th of the book I was sitting up, edge of my chair, holding my knitting just listening. Such an amazing story.
l_kistemaker's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
4.0
This was such an informative book to read. The way Deborah Layton has been able to document her indoctrination, helps anyone understand how people end up in cults. This book truly shows that it could happen to anyone and I think therefor it is an important read. It could happen again. Especially with social media now. People can so easily be swayed or convinced of certain beliefs. We should all be aware of the war ing signs Deborah Layton tells us about and even specifically states at the end of her book.
xxstefaniereadsxx's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
One of the things that interests me the most about cults is how people find themselves taken in by them. Pretty much everyone has heard of Jim Jones and the People's Temple. What in the world was it about Jim Jones that was so appealing to people? What were people missing in their lives that they thought this was the answer? I haven't ran across very many people who could say they survived the events at Jonestown, so I was very interested in what this woman had to say. I cannot imagine living the life that these people did. The conditions were horrible. The treatment was horrible. The environment was horrible. I cannot imagine how much pain and devastation this event caused for so many who lost family members due to this insane man, and how traumatized those who survived his grasp must have been.
dachiefpak's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Excellent first-hand account from a Jonestown survivor!
cmem1789's review against another edition
5.0
This was an excellent look not only at Jonestown, but also at how people end up in cults. I feel as though the message is timeless. It was a very scary and reflective book.