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Cults, Conspiracies, and Secret Societies: The Straight Scoop on Freemasons, The Illuminati, Skull and Bones, Black Helicopters, The New World Order, and many, many more
Did you know?
• Freemasonry's first American lodge included a young Benjamin Franklin among its members.
• The Knights Templar began as impoverished warrior monks then evolved into bankers.
• Groom Lake, Dreamland, Homey Airport, Paradise Ranch, The Farm, Watertown Strip, Red Square, “The Box,” are all names for Area 51.
An indispensable guide, Cults, Conspiracies, and Secret Societies connects the dots and sets the record straight on a host of greedy gurus and murderous messiahs, crepuscular cabals and suspicious coincidences. Some topics are familiar—the Kennedy assassinations, the Bilderberg Group, the Illuminati, the People's Temple and Heaven's Gate—and some surprising, like Oulipo, a select group of intellectuals who created wild formulas for creating literary masterpieces, and the Chauffeurs, an eighteenth-century society of French home invaders, who set fire to their victims' feet.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
• Freemasonry's first American lodge included a young Benjamin Franklin among its members.
• The Knights Templar began as impoverished warrior monks then evolved into bankers.
• Groom Lake, Dreamland, Homey Airport, Paradise Ranch, The Farm, Watertown Strip, Red Square, “The Box,” are all names for Area 51.
An indispensable guide, Cults, Conspiracies, and Secret Societies connects the dots and sets the record straight on a host of greedy gurus and murderous messiahs, crepuscular cabals and suspicious coincidences. Some topics are familiar—the Kennedy assassinations, the Bilderberg Group, the Illuminati, the People's Temple and Heaven's Gate—and some surprising, like Oulipo, a select group of intellectuals who created wild formulas for creating literary masterpieces, and the Chauffeurs, an eighteenth-century society of French home invaders, who set fire to their victims' feet.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
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First published January 1, 2009
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About the author
Arthur Goldwag
6 books30 followersArthur Goldwag is the author of The Beliefnet Guide to Kabbalah (2005), Isms & Ologies (2007), Cults, Conspiracies & Secret Societies (2009), The New Hate (2012), and most recently, The Politics of Fear (2024).
After graduating from Kenyon College in 1979, he was briefly enrolled in a graduate program at Brown University. Between 1980 and 2003, he held a number of jobs in book publishing, including stints at the Scott Meredith Literary Agency, Random House, The New York Review of Books, and Book-of-the-Month Club. Since then, he has freelanced full time, as both a writer and editor. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
After graduating from Kenyon College in 1979, he was briefly enrolled in a graduate program at Brown University. Between 1980 and 2003, he held a number of jobs in book publishing, including stints at the Scott Meredith Literary Agency, Random House, The New York Review of Books, and Book-of-the-Month Club. Since then, he has freelanced full time, as both a writer and editor. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
November 5, 2011
I almost hated giving this three stars--because it really was interesting.
The discussion of how cults arise and how many are out there was fascinating. Some of them were so nutso that the idea that people would believe it is even crazier. You'd be really amazed how many cult leaders were one (or both) of the two witnesses to the Revelation--and even more have been the Messiah.
Conspiracies were just as engrossing. My guy jokes that I hate conspiracy theories so much that I think they are a conspiracy. Conspiracies assume you have a lot people that are in power, evil, and can keep a secret. I can see where you'd have a lot of people with two of those attribute, but I seriously doubt all three. And some of the explanations and rewriting of the world to make the theory work seemed just really exhausting. However the author discusses this as well. He points out that the true believers of conspiracy theories come from a very one-track thought process. They start from their belief and work outward, discounting anything that doesn't fit, and searching (maniacally at times) for the barest shreds of information and calculation and numerology to support it. It is a case of "none being as blind as those who will not see." It is a willful, and thus complete, lack of critical thinking.
The discussion of secret societies was the weakest link in the book. Yes, I realize that some attribute nefarious motives to Kiwanis and Rotary members, but really? If your badge is on the town sign, how secret are you? This seemed more a discussion of fringe groups mixed with old men groups.
The real problem with the book is the dangerous lack of any sources and citations. I would just really like to know where all this information came from--and that makes this book frustrating. It also lacks an index, which made it infuriating at times.
This is a good fun read, but not scholarly and while you may get cocktail party chatter with it, you certainly won't get enough fodder to really disprove any conspiracy theorist out there.
The discussion of how cults arise and how many are out there was fascinating. Some of them were so nutso that the idea that people would believe it is even crazier. You'd be really amazed how many cult leaders were one (or both) of the two witnesses to the Revelation--and even more have been the Messiah.
Conspiracies were just as engrossing. My guy jokes that I hate conspiracy theories so much that I think they are a conspiracy. Conspiracies assume you have a lot people that are in power, evil, and can keep a secret. I can see where you'd have a lot of people with two of those attribute, but I seriously doubt all three. And some of the explanations and rewriting of the world to make the theory work seemed just really exhausting. However the author discusses this as well. He points out that the true believers of conspiracy theories come from a very one-track thought process. They start from their belief and work outward, discounting anything that doesn't fit, and searching (maniacally at times) for the barest shreds of information and calculation and numerology to support it. It is a case of "none being as blind as those who will not see." It is a willful, and thus complete, lack of critical thinking.
The discussion of secret societies was the weakest link in the book. Yes, I realize that some attribute nefarious motives to Kiwanis and Rotary members, but really? If your badge is on the town sign, how secret are you? This seemed more a discussion of fringe groups mixed with old men groups.
The real problem with the book is the dangerous lack of any sources and citations. I would just really like to know where all this information came from--and that makes this book frustrating. It also lacks an index, which made it infuriating at times.
This is a good fun read, but not scholarly and while you may get cocktail party chatter with it, you certainly won't get enough fodder to really disprove any conspiracy theorist out there.
March 10, 2021
Laba uzziņu literatūra, visi kulti, teorijas, slepenās biedrības sakārtotas alfabētiski un nelielu aprakstu. Īpaši interesanta likās nodaļa, kas veltīta folija cepurīšu apvienībām. Visi sazvērestības teoriju piekritēji tomēr savā būtībā ir ļoti līdzīgi, lai gan katrs jūtas īpašs.
September 18, 2024
Overture:
Cults are Mini-Religions, and Religions are Mega-Cults. Conspiracy theories, cults, and secret societies each have much in common, a great deal of overlap, and share many commonalities and connections. It is sometimes hard to draw clear distinctions between them as they straddle more than one of the three classification categories used in this book. All have in common wishful thinking in place of critical thinking. When there is a crises, tragedy, or general time of uncertainty (almost always) often stemming from a complex chain of causality, conspiracy theories offer simplicity, cults offer refuge, and secret societies offer explanation. Conspiracy theories, cults and secret societies also eliminate the possibility of accident, contingency, happenstance, circumstance, and coincidence as possible contributing factors in a tragedy. With clinical paranoia, conspiracy theories, cults and secret societies seek to topple intellectually coherent theories of politics or explanations of events and replace them with mythology. The greatest danger comes from the cynical use of conspiracy theories, cults, and secret societies by manipulative and unscrupulous politicians to opportunistically manipulate gullible members of the population. Donald Trump and the Republican Party are the paradigm example of course, but they have gone one step further in that the Republican Party has become a cult and Donald Trump a cult leader pedaling conspiracy theories (election fraud) and secret societies (QAnon).
Cults:
The worst form of cult is of course the religious cult but then again, all religions are cults prophesying destruction and offering salvation. I do not believe that promotion of a cult to the status of religion gives it any sort of legitimacy, it only makes it a more widespread and dangerous cult, e.g., all three of the Abrahamic religions. Cults are little religions, and religions are big cults. A cult is built on a compressed psychic environment in a world under constant threat and on the verge of crisis. Cults and religions are places of refuge from a complex world. This refuge comes at the price of psychological control for the members. Cults demand a totalizing relationship between the leader and the unhealthy dependency of the adherents. Only the privileged or blessed few can enter the cult and know its secrets. From this refuge it is easy blame outsiders for any trouble. I have seen and personally experienced how the cult of Christianity breaks apart families and destroys human relationships.
Conspiracy Theories:
If you believe in God, you can believe in anything. The connection between religious belief and cultic conspiracy theories cannot be denied. Conspiracy theories attract conspirators, many of whom have their own psychological pathologies, religious commitments, and forms of mental illness. Aliens and angels are traveling partners in the minds of the disturbed and religious alike. As Karl Popper pointed out, conspiracy theories are the secular versions of naive religious superstitions. As such, these imaginary explanations are very empowering for believers in that the believers obtain the secret gnostic knowledge needed to explain events in an oversimplified world to which all non-believers are ignorant. As with cults, religion is the fundamental cause of the problem. Conspiracy theories are a product of paranoia as much as they are of willful ignorance. Conspiracy theories spring from the same mindset that creates backlashes such as those against Arab Americans after 09/11/2001 or Japanese Americans after Peral Harbor. These backlash movements are dangerous threats to peace and often lead to violence and injustice. Conspiracy theories as such are not innocuous fringe theories or marginal ideas that can be easily ridiculed and dismissed. They are very dangerous to civil society and spring from the same prejudices and psychological distortions that create scapegoats for tragedies and violent panics based on imaginary fears, e.g., legal Haitian immigrants invited to work the U.S. eating cats and dogs. These are psychological conspiracies emanating for a peculiar frame of mind, not legal or real conspiracies requiring evidence to meet the burden of proof in a courtroom.
Secret Societies:
Superstition and suspicion are the coin of the realm in any secret society. Superstition and suspicion provide the consistency and continuity of secret societies. The truth cannot be understood without a strong dose of reified superstition and suspicion. The theater and make-believe pretending of secret societies often leads to criminal negligence and suicidal stupidity, e.g., the KKK. The deeply religious make the most committed members of secret societies because they easily become totally committed to the social density and exclusivity of the society just as they do with their religious identity. Ironically, the secretive nature of such societies gives them their collective bond. Formal bonds and sacred but secret oaths are part of any secret society worth its salt so to speak. The secrets of a secret society are often banal and inane but as long as they are ‘secret’, they provide the basis of a shared identity, group cohesion, and separation from the rest of society. That is, secret societies do not have any secrets worth keeping other than how they keep their members brain washed with the pseudo secrets. Once a person is initiated into a secret society, the outside society no longer matters. A characteristic of a secret society is the prohibition on joining any other ‘secret’ society. Interestingly, the Catholic Church forbids membership in the Masons, but this is because they have their own cult-like secret society known as the Knights of Columbus. The irony is discussing secret societies is that the most important or dangerous ones are the ones that remain unknown and thus secret.
Coda:
This book was originally published in 2009. Since that time, things have gotten worse. The crackpot conspiracy theories, fanatical cults, and zany secret societies have been transferred into politics as the next place of possible fulfillment of the many hairbrained prophesies. We only need to witness Trump and the MAGA morons to see this in real time. The conspiracy theories, cults, and secret societies are no longer fringe movements; they have become mainstreamed into American politics as Trump collects the fanatics around himself to create the greatest internal danger to the continuance of the democratic system in the history of the Republic. Toxic Christianity is growing more fundamentalist and extreme in the form of Christian nationalism as it divides people into Manichean silos of good and evil to establish an American Christian theocracy. The widespread dissemination of disinformation is leading to ever narrower pockets of extremism, deeper holes of separatism, and an accompanying impoverishment of social capital. The internet has enabled the worst conspiracy theories, cults, and secret societies by making it easier to disseminate rumors and disinformation which have a higher commercial value than do truth and accurate information.
Cults are Mini-Religions, and Religions are Mega-Cults. Conspiracy theories, cults, and secret societies each have much in common, a great deal of overlap, and share many commonalities and connections. It is sometimes hard to draw clear distinctions between them as they straddle more than one of the three classification categories used in this book. All have in common wishful thinking in place of critical thinking. When there is a crises, tragedy, or general time of uncertainty (almost always) often stemming from a complex chain of causality, conspiracy theories offer simplicity, cults offer refuge, and secret societies offer explanation. Conspiracy theories, cults and secret societies also eliminate the possibility of accident, contingency, happenstance, circumstance, and coincidence as possible contributing factors in a tragedy. With clinical paranoia, conspiracy theories, cults and secret societies seek to topple intellectually coherent theories of politics or explanations of events and replace them with mythology. The greatest danger comes from the cynical use of conspiracy theories, cults, and secret societies by manipulative and unscrupulous politicians to opportunistically manipulate gullible members of the population. Donald Trump and the Republican Party are the paradigm example of course, but they have gone one step further in that the Republican Party has become a cult and Donald Trump a cult leader pedaling conspiracy theories (election fraud) and secret societies (QAnon).
Cults:
The worst form of cult is of course the religious cult but then again, all religions are cults prophesying destruction and offering salvation. I do not believe that promotion of a cult to the status of religion gives it any sort of legitimacy, it only makes it a more widespread and dangerous cult, e.g., all three of the Abrahamic religions. Cults are little religions, and religions are big cults. A cult is built on a compressed psychic environment in a world under constant threat and on the verge of crisis. Cults and religions are places of refuge from a complex world. This refuge comes at the price of psychological control for the members. Cults demand a totalizing relationship between the leader and the unhealthy dependency of the adherents. Only the privileged or blessed few can enter the cult and know its secrets. From this refuge it is easy blame outsiders for any trouble. I have seen and personally experienced how the cult of Christianity breaks apart families and destroys human relationships.
Conspiracy Theories:
If you believe in God, you can believe in anything. The connection between religious belief and cultic conspiracy theories cannot be denied. Conspiracy theories attract conspirators, many of whom have their own psychological pathologies, religious commitments, and forms of mental illness. Aliens and angels are traveling partners in the minds of the disturbed and religious alike. As Karl Popper pointed out, conspiracy theories are the secular versions of naive religious superstitions. As such, these imaginary explanations are very empowering for believers in that the believers obtain the secret gnostic knowledge needed to explain events in an oversimplified world to which all non-believers are ignorant. As with cults, religion is the fundamental cause of the problem. Conspiracy theories are a product of paranoia as much as they are of willful ignorance. Conspiracy theories spring from the same mindset that creates backlashes such as those against Arab Americans after 09/11/2001 or Japanese Americans after Peral Harbor. These backlash movements are dangerous threats to peace and often lead to violence and injustice. Conspiracy theories as such are not innocuous fringe theories or marginal ideas that can be easily ridiculed and dismissed. They are very dangerous to civil society and spring from the same prejudices and psychological distortions that create scapegoats for tragedies and violent panics based on imaginary fears, e.g., legal Haitian immigrants invited to work the U.S. eating cats and dogs. These are psychological conspiracies emanating for a peculiar frame of mind, not legal or real conspiracies requiring evidence to meet the burden of proof in a courtroom.
Secret Societies:
Superstition and suspicion are the coin of the realm in any secret society. Superstition and suspicion provide the consistency and continuity of secret societies. The truth cannot be understood without a strong dose of reified superstition and suspicion. The theater and make-believe pretending of secret societies often leads to criminal negligence and suicidal stupidity, e.g., the KKK. The deeply religious make the most committed members of secret societies because they easily become totally committed to the social density and exclusivity of the society just as they do with their religious identity. Ironically, the secretive nature of such societies gives them their collective bond. Formal bonds and sacred but secret oaths are part of any secret society worth its salt so to speak. The secrets of a secret society are often banal and inane but as long as they are ‘secret’, they provide the basis of a shared identity, group cohesion, and separation from the rest of society. That is, secret societies do not have any secrets worth keeping other than how they keep their members brain washed with the pseudo secrets. Once a person is initiated into a secret society, the outside society no longer matters. A characteristic of a secret society is the prohibition on joining any other ‘secret’ society. Interestingly, the Catholic Church forbids membership in the Masons, but this is because they have their own cult-like secret society known as the Knights of Columbus. The irony is discussing secret societies is that the most important or dangerous ones are the ones that remain unknown and thus secret.
Coda:
This book was originally published in 2009. Since that time, things have gotten worse. The crackpot conspiracy theories, fanatical cults, and zany secret societies have been transferred into politics as the next place of possible fulfillment of the many hairbrained prophesies. We only need to witness Trump and the MAGA morons to see this in real time. The conspiracy theories, cults, and secret societies are no longer fringe movements; they have become mainstreamed into American politics as Trump collects the fanatics around himself to create the greatest internal danger to the continuance of the democratic system in the history of the Republic. Toxic Christianity is growing more fundamentalist and extreme in the form of Christian nationalism as it divides people into Manichean silos of good and evil to establish an American Christian theocracy. The widespread dissemination of disinformation is leading to ever narrower pockets of extremism, deeper holes of separatism, and an accompanying impoverishment of social capital. The internet has enabled the worst conspiracy theories, cults, and secret societies by making it easier to disseminate rumors and disinformation which have a higher commercial value than do truth and accurate information.
August 21, 2009
Good introduction to some of the more famous cults, conspiracies, and secret societies of the world. The book doesn't go into incredible detail, but enough to satisfy a mildly curious reader. If you don't want to pick up a tome devoted to one specific cult, etc., and you just want an overview of the more eccentric (to put it nicely) and clandestine aspects of our world, then this is a great book.
January 31, 2021
Full disclosure: I didn't read every chapter as my library loan ended, but those I read were very interesting. This is a group of short descriptions of just about every "cult" there might be in the world, including Children of God, Heaven's Gate, Amway (!), and more. The chapters I did read were full of fascinating basic history facts (I didn't realize that Branch Davidian's roots started in 1935) contained in fairly short chapters or sections. If you're looking for a full history of a cult, it's best to do more research and perhaps find a full book on that particular topic but if you're looking for an overview of various world groups, this is a good place to start.
My only issue is that sometimes it's a little too wordy with details that can bog down the narrative.
My only issue is that sometimes it's a little too wordy with details that can bog down the narrative.
May 19, 2022
This book is made up of 3 parts. The first part (Cults) was the best and most interesting part of this book. Next came the conspiracy theories which I believe were written with TOO much bias. The author discredits some theories comparing them to the idea of Intelligent design, as a result the author automatically loses all authority on the matter in my eyes since I, without a doubt, believe in creation. The last part of this book (Secret Societies) was unbearably repetitive since all of these had been discussed in the previous 2 parts. If this author was a little more objective I think this book would be more interesting.
March 26, 2014
This is NOT Hunter Thompson embedding himself in the Hell's Angels. This is a general reference book, and gives the author's opinion as to why people engage and join these groups and ideas. My interest in the subject has mostly to do with the Conspiracists. Goldwag's conclusion supports my own--that Conspiracists are akin to Religious Fundamentalists. In other words, they both seek external causal explanation for events; and justify their actions accordingly. In psychological jargon, an external locus of control. Better understood as "It's not my fault." Goldwag concludes that many conspiracists are paranoid personalities. The DSM IV concurs, as does interpersonal theory about personality disorders. The difference between the two groups is: The religious tend to attribute events to a supernatural struggle between good and evil [(God and the Devil) which is accepted as 'normal':]. Whereas: Conspiracists blame secret societies of power hungry individuals [which is considered by society as abnormal and subversive:]. Unfortunately, there is a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy to all of this--and as both extremist views gain popular support--we might just get Armageddon or another Holocaust. This is scary stuff. The behavior and action of the two groups are different. The religious want to convert others, pray, and rejoice in their salvation, i.e. engage others. The Conspiracists want to disengage, isolate, and then do battle. Both want to "save the world." Both deny personal responsibility ... ironic.
November 19, 2024
Since I've got a group of books to review from my vacation that need to get done tonight, I'm going to do this in a good old fashioned pros and cons list.
Pros:
-Interesting Subject Matter: I was really curious about cults mostly, which is why I picked this up, but secret societies and conspiracies are also fun subjects I think about at least once every two weeks but don't actually read about. Until now, I guess.
-Good Writing: I found that the author made a good connection to the audience. I got what I came for, which was cool new facts about various bloodthirsty cults to rattle off one by one at family dinner parties, but the way it was written made me enjoy the personal anecdotes about the KKK ritual that turned out to be a fraternity initiation.
Cons:
-The Bits That Weren't About Cults: Nah, wasn't really so interested in these, despite the author's best efforts. I got through them this time though, so obviously they weren't that bad.
-Dates: I really don't need to know the exact day of the foundation of Scientology and its notable members' birthdays. It's really not that important. One year per section would have been fine.
-Dragged On At The End: For such a thing book, this is deceptively long. I took forever to finish the last two sections. Maybe it was my lack of interest but it took so long I nearly gave up.
All in all, it's a really good non-fiction book but unless all three subjects tickle your pickle, it can get boring. Well written boring, but still boring.
Pros:
-Interesting Subject Matter: I was really curious about cults mostly, which is why I picked this up, but secret societies and conspiracies are also fun subjects I think about at least once every two weeks but don't actually read about. Until now, I guess.
-Good Writing: I found that the author made a good connection to the audience. I got what I came for, which was cool new facts about various bloodthirsty cults to rattle off one by one at family dinner parties, but the way it was written made me enjoy the personal anecdotes about the KKK ritual that turned out to be a fraternity initiation.
Cons:
-The Bits That Weren't About Cults: Nah, wasn't really so interested in these, despite the author's best efforts. I got through them this time though, so obviously they weren't that bad.
-Dates: I really don't need to know the exact day of the foundation of Scientology and its notable members' birthdays. It's really not that important. One year per section would have been fine.
-Dragged On At The End: For such a thing book, this is deceptively long. I took forever to finish the last two sections. Maybe it was my lack of interest but it took so long I nearly gave up.
All in all, it's a really good non-fiction book but unless all three subjects tickle your pickle, it can get boring. Well written boring, but still boring.
November 13, 2014
started off interesting but became quite boring half way through, I think the author tried to cover too many cults
August 9, 2020
I didn't so much read this book as I did study it from cover to cover.
I'm working on a book that has a secret society in it with a dash of a cultlike mentality for good measure. During my research, I saw this book and its high praise. I had wondered how a book like this would compete with the internet. Arthur Goldwag's thorough guide on cults, conspiracies, and secret societies is not for the faint of heart. You better be committed to this before turning to the first page.
I took copious notes for my novel and will refer to it often. I bought it brand new, but now it looks as worn as ever. And that is a sign of a great book. The most interesting topics to me were Scientology, Branch Davidians, Aryan Brotherhood, Kabbalah, elks, and synarchy.
I'm working on a book that has a secret society in it with a dash of a cultlike mentality for good measure. During my research, I saw this book and its high praise. I had wondered how a book like this would compete with the internet. Arthur Goldwag's thorough guide on cults, conspiracies, and secret societies is not for the faint of heart. You better be committed to this before turning to the first page.
I took copious notes for my novel and will refer to it often. I bought it brand new, but now it looks as worn as ever. And that is a sign of a great book. The most interesting topics to me were Scientology, Branch Davidians, Aryan Brotherhood, Kabbalah, elks, and synarchy.
January 17, 2016
A rather comprehensive overview of Cults, Conspiracies and Secret Societies. There are plenty of crazy people/groups profiled here. Well before word processing there has been a great deal of cut and paste of ideas. There are no shortage of groups that incorporate any number of conspiratorial ideas into their thoughts. The book does a good job of showing how the often many amazing co-incidents presented to prove a conspiracy are just facts pulled out of pure air and made to look like they are part of something bigger. My one beef is the lack of an index.
May 14, 2022
First third of the book is interesting, but like other reviewers, I agree that the last two thirds really drag on.
November 3, 2023
Although the author remains skeptical of the conspiracies he writes about, it is a good overview of many popular theories and secret societies. It was interesting to learn more about different cults as well!
I wish the author included a section on the moon landing and spent less time on the 9/11 "no planers". No one actually believes that there were no real planes, as it's kinda a joke in the conspiracy circle like the Flat Earth theory. However, there are many credible theories around 9/11 that the author could have focused on.
I wish the author included a section on the moon landing and spent less time on the 9/11 "no planers". No one actually believes that there were no real planes, as it's kinda a joke in the conspiracy circle like the Flat Earth theory. However, there are many credible theories around 9/11 that the author could have focused on.
April 15, 2020
It's a lot of information about a looooooot of different groups. Kinda don't like how the author has the Church of Satan under cults....but like....fine.
February 15, 2022
A really fun read that will lead to searching further information on some of the topics mentioned.
March 14, 2010
The lengthy title and subtitle of Arthur Goldwag's book, "Cults, Conspiracies, and Secret Societies: The Straight Scoop on Freemasons, The Illuminati, Skull and Bones, Black Helicopters, The New World Order, and many, many more," belies the brevity with which he addresses most of the myriad subjects between the book's covers. It's true even a mildly avid researcher can find on the Internet or in a public library or well-stocked bookstore vast amounts of exhaustively detailed material devoted to each of the subjects Goldwag surveys in his book. This is the advantage, rather than disadvantage, of Goldwag's approach. Goldwag's book supplies only the tantalizing breadcrumbs. He leaves it for the reader to follow the trail if she's hungry to find more information on the matters that interest her, many of which she may never had known of before exploring Goldwag's work. Goldwag's writing is savvy, crisp and clean, often tongue-in-cheek, and he's not afraid to voice his personal opinion on some of the wackier Cults, Conspiracies, and Secret Societies featured in his book. It's a quick, informative and entertaining read, which I believe is exactly what the author intended.
October 21, 2009
Very fun book. Essentially it was an interesting, encyclopedia-like documentation of the most bizarre cults, bizarre conspiracy theories and elusive secret societies, both contemporary and from history. I found the conspiracy theory section the most useful and relevant; I have never understood what compels people to adopt such a bizarre, unsubstantiated worldview. The book offers some insight towards answering this question and then launches into an alphabetic summary of well known and obscure conspiracies. Often these fringe theories are adopted by political extremists; one needs only listen to Glenn Beck and his asinine claims of FEMA-run concentration camps (turns out, a long-time favorite of the far right) and Obama loyalist civilian armies to witness how such ridiculousness leaves the fringe and enters the mainstream. I read this book as an avowed skeptic; though I have no better understanding as to why seemingly rational people buy into such pseudo-science and paranoia and absurdity, I admit, I had fun reading about it.
May 3, 2010
The cults section was riveting, as was the conspiracies section. I'm not really into any conspiracy theory, so maybe that information was old news, but I had never read it before. The secret societies section was a bit of a let down, but not due to the writing. It seemed that all the secret societies followed the same pattern - created by a group of like-minded men, gained members, created rituals and secrets (usually based on Masonic mumbo-jumbo), had some influence, "secret" mumbo-jumbo was "discovered", waning membership and influence today.
April 29, 2014
Good book! I think the best part is that you don't have to read the book in order, just whatever you're in the mood to learn about!
March 2, 2018
Interesting without being sensationalist or fear mongering, offering an overall viewpoint, relatively unbiased, and not glorifying them either.
July 9, 2021
This is the kind of book that is indicative of the state of bookselling in America today. "Cults, Conspiracies, and Secret Societies" is meant less to be read than it is to be owned. It is the book you see in Urban Outfitters, the last-minute stocking stuffer for dad, the book that is noticed on a shelf more often than it is taken off the shelf.
And that is how it is written. Simplistic, filled with generalities and padded with flowery digressions to meet the target page count. Golwag doesn't have any particular claim to expertise but he is a competent writer who can cobble together Wikipedia-style entries with references to obvious texts and basic historical record to create something close enough to a book. This reads more like a disposable set of Vox explainers or Atlas Obscura articles than it does a rigorous or thoughtful text worthy of purchase.
The book was useful enough for me, as I needed a rundown of these groups for research and I wouldn't have known what all to Google. And I honestly don't hate the player, I hate the game. I suspect Goldwag would prefer a career writing novels or more meaningful non-fiction, but sometimes you see a hole in the market and you plug it with word count.
Under capitalism there are worse ways to make money and if he hadn't written it, someone else would have.
And that is how it is written. Simplistic, filled with generalities and padded with flowery digressions to meet the target page count. Golwag doesn't have any particular claim to expertise but he is a competent writer who can cobble together Wikipedia-style entries with references to obvious texts and basic historical record to create something close enough to a book. This reads more like a disposable set of Vox explainers or Atlas Obscura articles than it does a rigorous or thoughtful text worthy of purchase.
The book was useful enough for me, as I needed a rundown of these groups for research and I wouldn't have known what all to Google. And I honestly don't hate the player, I hate the game. I suspect Goldwag would prefer a career writing novels or more meaningful non-fiction, but sometimes you see a hole in the market and you plug it with word count.
Under capitalism there are worse ways to make money and if he hadn't written it, someone else would have.
December 30, 2018
Hmmm, kāpēc gan cilvēks, kurš neinteresējas par slepenām brālībām, konspirāciju, sazvērestības teorijām un līdzīgiem tematiem pēkšņi izdomātu ko tādu lasīt? Tas notiek tikai tad, ja vēlies izaicināt pats sevi un lasīt ko tādu, kuram ikdienā ej garām "ar līkumu". Patiesību sakot, kā apkopojums par visiem šiem jautājumiem grāmata nemaz slikta nebija. To lasīt pat bija aizraujoši, jo nenoliedzami katrs esam dzirdējuši kādas druskas gan par Kenedija un Džona Lenona noslepkavošanām, gan 11. septembra "aizkulisēm", gan par slepeniem eksperimentiem ar citplanētiešiem. Jā, tas viss ir aprakstīts šajā diezgan apjomīgajā darbā. Starp citu, tieši šajā darbā es uzzināju, ka daudzu cienītais iedvesmojošās literatūras autors Ošo (Osho) patiesībā ir bijis negantnieks un radikālu uzskatu paudējs, un kāds no viņa sekotājiem grāmatā pat izsakās šādi: "(..) Rajneesh/Osho is the worst thing that ever happened to spirituality in the West." Tā, lūk! Kāpēc lieku trīs zvaigznītes? Jo man nebija skaidrs, kā autors atlasījis aprakstāmās biedrības un personības, turklāt nereti teksti likās ne pārāk loģiski, domas šķita "lēkājam". Kā iesācējam šajos jautājumos tas apgrūtināja izpratni. Iesaku izlasīt gan tāpat vien, ja gribas pārmaiņas ierastajā lasāmvielā, kā arī tad, ja ir vēlme saprast milzīgo kultu un biedrību daudzveidību.
April 6, 2019
I enjoyed the direct presentation of factual information to catalog these various groups. As for the conspiracies, and secret societies, efforts were made to debunk the negative remarks, particularly regarding World Domination. The inclusion of groups that are not not cults, secret, or a part of conspiracy theories struck me as odd, and I am not always certain why the groups chosen were added because it isn't exhaustive only cursory coverage which is fine by me because I am not particularly interested in these subjects but I was curious, therefore, it was enough to satisfy the inquiring mind.
As for the cults, I very much appreciate the time taken to define the term as one that has been misused from its original meaning; the same is true regarding inclusion of groups that aren't considered negative.
As for the cults, I very much appreciate the time taken to define the term as one that has been misused from its original meaning; the same is true regarding inclusion of groups that aren't considered negative.
April 21, 2025
**.5
There is almost no insight, the book mostly reads like a brief summary of wikipedia articles, with the most prominent feature the birth and death dates of every person mentioned, at the expense of details that may have actually shed some light on the topic.
The only real commentary is the author's obvious disdain of 9/11 "truthers" which inspired him to write the book in the first place.
Although there are some interesting bits, I'm not really sure who the book is for, as there isn't enough depth to be a useful research tool, but there also isn't enough context for readers who aren't already familiar with the groups.
Rating rounded down for the bizarre fixation on Dan Brown's 2003 novel "The Da Vinci Code" which he mentions about 12 dozen times, each time noting the publication date 2003 as if that was somehow a crucial fact worth repeating again and again.
There is almost no insight, the book mostly reads like a brief summary of wikipedia articles, with the most prominent feature the birth and death dates of every person mentioned, at the expense of details that may have actually shed some light on the topic.
The only real commentary is the author's obvious disdain of 9/11 "truthers" which inspired him to write the book in the first place.
Although there are some interesting bits, I'm not really sure who the book is for, as there isn't enough depth to be a useful research tool, but there also isn't enough context for readers who aren't already familiar with the groups.
Rating rounded down for the bizarre fixation on Dan Brown's 2003 novel "The Da Vinci Code" which he mentions about 12 dozen times, each time noting the publication date 2003 as if that was somehow a crucial fact worth repeating again and again.
January 27, 2018
A great romp into the world of; cults , secret societies and conspiracy theories.
Well researched and from a evidence based perspective.
So the next time someone claims that the black helicopters are piloted by the skull and bones in service of the Illuminati, you can at least understand what they are referencing. Also to know at least a small amount about each group and to understand that the above three as a combination really doesn't make any sense.
Or is that what THEY want you to think? Nope its mostly BS. Once you go at all beneath the surface you can see that while there is a lot of history most of it is just truly sad or just negligible.
Well researched and from a evidence based perspective.
So the next time someone claims that the black helicopters are piloted by the skull and bones in service of the Illuminati, you can at least understand what they are referencing. Also to know at least a small amount about each group and to understand that the above three as a combination really doesn't make any sense.
Or is that what THEY want you to think? Nope its mostly BS. Once you go at all beneath the surface you can see that while there is a lot of history most of it is just truly sad or just negligible.
July 25, 2019
Bought this on honeymoon in Vermont at my favorite bookstore (Crow Bookshop on Church Street). It was decent, essentially an encyclopedia of all sorts of cults and social groups ( even lions clubs, elk clubs, etc). Kind of an introduction into each things. I was hoping it would be filled with juicier info (not even sure what I mean by that).
I should have kept a notebook next to me to write down groups I wanted to look into specifically again later that I found interesting. Of which there were a handful.
Man, people really feel the need to belong to something bigger than themselves, don't they?
I should have kept a notebook next to me to write down groups I wanted to look into specifically again later that I found interesting. Of which there were a handful.
Man, people really feel the need to belong to something bigger than themselves, don't they?
January 20, 2024
A comprehensive exploration of various fringe movements, secret societies, and conspiracy theories throughout history. More encyclopedic in nature, Goldwag doesn't sensationalize the topics but rather provides a critical examination of the different groups and their impact on society. It's a valuable resource for readers interested in exploring the fringes of history and a great starting point for those looking to understand the various movements and groups that have shaped our cultural landscape.
September 17, 2024
Interesting high level information on different cults, conspiracies, and secret societies. Even though it’s high level information, it’s a lot to take in, so I would recommend digesting it in small batches; I had a tough time if I was trying to sit with the book to read for a few hours.
I don’t really have an issue with there not being reference information. It’s difficult to reference secret societies and conspiracies. When it comes to cults, I like that I received enough information for me to determine if I’m interested enough to learn more.
I don’t really have an issue with there not being reference information. It’s difficult to reference secret societies and conspiracies. When it comes to cults, I like that I received enough information for me to determine if I’m interested enough to learn more.
July 17, 2023
Sure you could just google this stuff, but it's fun to have it all in one place, in a thorough andd thoughtful compilation. It's more like a coffee table book than a book you would sit down and read through. It's divided into the three categories right there in the title, and then within those you get background and insight into each specific topic. It's a bit like what we had before Wikipedia. Books!
May 5, 2023
This book is a compendium of many conspiracies and cults, many of them little-known, some better known. Mr. Goldwag breaks down many of the conspiracies presented and debunks them, as well as puts light on many cults and secret groups on the fringe of society. Well worth the time investment to read.
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