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Waco Rising: David Koresh, the FBI, and the Birth of America's Modern Militias
Named one of The New Yorker's "Best Books of 2023"
A news-making account of the war between David Koresh’s Branch Davidians and the FBI, and how their standoff launched today’s militias
In 1993, David Koresh and a band of heavily armed evangelical Christians took on the might of the US government. A two-month siege of their compound in Waco, Texas, ended in a firefight that killed seventy-six, including twenty-five children. America is still picking up the pieces, and we still haven’t heard the full story.
Kevin Cook, who revealed the truth behind a mythic, misunderstood murder in his 2014 Kitty Genovese, finally provides the full story of what happened at Waco. He gives readers a taste of Koresh’s deadly charisma and takes us behind the scenes at the Branch Davidians’ compound, where “the new Christ” turned his followers into servants and sired seventeen children by a dozen “wives.” In vivid accounts packed with human drama, Cook harnesses never-reported material to reconstruct the FBI’s fifty-one-day siege of the Waco compound in minute-to-minute detail. He sheds new light on the Clinton administration’s approval of a lethal governmental assault in a new, definitive account of the firefight that ended so many lives and triggered the rise of today’s militia movement. Waco drew the battle lines for American extremists—in Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh’s words, “Waco started this war.” With help from sources as diverse as Branch Davidian survivors and the FBI’s lead negotiator during the siege, Cook draws a straight line from Waco’s ashes to the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol and insurrections yet to come.
Unmissable reading for anyone interested in the truth of what happened in Texas three decades ago, Waco Rising is chillingly relevant today. Here is the spark that ignited today’s antigovernment militias.
A news-making account of the war between David Koresh’s Branch Davidians and the FBI, and how their standoff launched today’s militias
In 1993, David Koresh and a band of heavily armed evangelical Christians took on the might of the US government. A two-month siege of their compound in Waco, Texas, ended in a firefight that killed seventy-six, including twenty-five children. America is still picking up the pieces, and we still haven’t heard the full story.
Kevin Cook, who revealed the truth behind a mythic, misunderstood murder in his 2014 Kitty Genovese, finally provides the full story of what happened at Waco. He gives readers a taste of Koresh’s deadly charisma and takes us behind the scenes at the Branch Davidians’ compound, where “the new Christ” turned his followers into servants and sired seventeen children by a dozen “wives.” In vivid accounts packed with human drama, Cook harnesses never-reported material to reconstruct the FBI’s fifty-one-day siege of the Waco compound in minute-to-minute detail. He sheds new light on the Clinton administration’s approval of a lethal governmental assault in a new, definitive account of the firefight that ended so many lives and triggered the rise of today’s militia movement. Waco drew the battle lines for American extremists—in Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh’s words, “Waco started this war.” With help from sources as diverse as Branch Davidian survivors and the FBI’s lead negotiator during the siege, Cook draws a straight line from Waco’s ashes to the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol and insurrections yet to come.
Unmissable reading for anyone interested in the truth of what happened in Texas three decades ago, Waco Rising is chillingly relevant today. Here is the spark that ignited today’s antigovernment militias.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 31, 2023
113 people are currently reading
8027 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Cook
67 books120 followersKevin Cook, the award-winning author of Titanic Thompson and Tommy’s Honor, has written for the New York Times, the Daily News, GQ, Men’s Journal, Vogue, and many other publications, and has appeared on CNN and Fox TV. He lives in New York City.
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March 25, 2023
“‘Come out of the compound with your hands up,’ the loudspeakers blared. ‘You are under arrest.’ David Koresh was shocked. It wasn’t supposed to go down this way. He had spent the night writing out his interpretation of the Seven Seals in the Bible’s book of Revelation. As soon as he finished, he said, he would lead his people out. And now this – after two months of stalemate, a surprise attack…Koresh rallied the others. The apocalypse was deafening, the FBI’s loudspeakers booming at full volume. Helicopters circled in the dawn’s early light. There was gunfire and wailing as tanks equipped with battering rams punched through walls. If Koresh ever needed proof of his preachings, here it was: American tanks crashing through walls, rolling toward American women and children. There wasn’t much time. After fifty-one days, the end of his standoff with federal agents was here. Or was it the end of the world…?”
- Kevin Cook, Waco Rising: David Koresh, the FBI, and the Birth of America’s Modern Militias
Anniversaries – especially nice round ones – are a good time to take stock of events, to gauge their impact, and to review how our interpretations have changed with the years. Thirty years ago, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms attempted to serve a warrant on David Koresh, living in a flimsy, sprawling structure outside of Waco, Texas. The federal government believed that Koresh and his followers – generally called the Branch Davidians – had been illegally converting firearms to become fully automatic.
As the agents discovered in the first moments of the botched raid, the Davidians were, in fact, in possession of such weapons. After a prolonged gun battle left four ATF and six Davidians dead, the Federal Bureau of Investigation took charge, presiding in a fifty-one day siege that ended in an inferno on April 19, 1993.
Now that this quintessential American pileup has reached early middle age, there are sure to be a spate of books and documentaries raking the coals of Waco’s still-warm controversies. The question, as always, is what is worth checking out, and what is better avoided.
At first glance, Kevin Cook’s Waco Rising felt like a hard pass to me. Its extreme brevity – at less than 230 pages of text – bore the hallmarks of something thrown together to cash in on the commemoration. Beyond that, the super-broad, super-bland subtitle reeks of a desperate attempt to seize a perceived zeitgeist.
Having struck out with Jeff Guinn’s Waco, however, I turned to this in the hope of a tighter, more balanced narrative of an exceptionally sad and weird episode of Americana. Somewhat to my surprise, it turned out to be pretty darn good.
***
My fear with a short book – especially one covering a big story – is that it’s going to miss important details that provide texture and resonance.
In Waco Rising, Cook does concision with precision. Obviously, he cannot be definitive or comprehensive, yet he focuses on the stuff that matters most, to really good effect.
***
Waco Rising begins with an overview of Vernon Howell, an unspectacular young man from a difficult background who managed, with no little audacity, to reimagine himself as David Koresh, Messenger of God.
Cook’s recounting of Koresh’s background is short, savage, and necessarily gross. This should go without saying, as David Koresh was a pedophile. Yet one of the fascinating aspects of Koresh’s legacy is that this substantial deficit is often treated as just one facet of his character. Call me old fashioned, but if you build a thousand bridges and molest one child, you’re a child molester, not a bridge-builder.
Even with Koresh’s admitted predilections, there are still folks who want to debate his Biblical scholarship, as though all his interpretations were not meant to do one thing: satisfy his own desires. In Waco Rising, you see not only his crimes, but how he bragged about them to his followers.
These crimes are important, not just as proof of Koresh’s charlatanry, but as an insight into his mindset vis-à-vis the final conflagration. All things considered, Koresh stood a pretty good chance of beating his gun rap. Heck, he might even have been acquitted of murdering a federal agent; Randy Weaver sure was. But raping little girls would have been tougher for a jury to ignore.
And by the time the ATF came knocking, Koresh’s predilections had been announced to the world.
***
Beyond Koresh, Cook makes a real effort to introduce us to a sampling of Davidians, and to show how they lived at Mount Carmel. Frankly, before Waco Rising, I tended to view Koresh’s followers as self-righteous hypocrites. Cook’s empathy nudged me away from that judgment, at least a bit. He presents sharp, telling mini-portraits of people like Wayne Martin, a black Harvard Law graduate who blamed himself for his son’s disability.
Life at Mount Carmel was tough. There was no indoor plumbing, the thin walls didn’t keep out the weather, most of their diet consisted of popcorn and bananas, and the men weren’t allowed to have sex with their wives. Nevertheless, humans crave communities, and Cook’s evocation makes it clear that the harsh conditions fostered a togetherness that bordered on dependency. Rather than a collection of misfits unable to fit into society, Cook half-persuaded me that Mount Carmel was akin to a monastery or kibbutz.
Except for the grooming and pimping of children to satisfy the lusts of David Koresh, of course.
***
There are three major set pieces in the Waco saga: the initial raid, the siege, and the awful finale. Cook nails them all, balancing literary verve with the necessity of sorting many contradictory accounts.
Especially impressive – given space limitations – is how well Cook covers the siege. Unable to go day-by-day, he’s still able to illustrate how the standoff progressed, with the pressure always building. He toggles back and forth between the FBI and the Davidians, often utilizing the telephone calls with negotiators, all of which were tape-recorded. He is rightfully critical of the FBI’s tactical leadership, who were abrupt, aggressive, and unnecessarily provocative.
The last day – in which the FBI used tanks to punch holes in the walls, to insert CS gas – is also expertly described. Cook really captures the chaos, which unfolded over several hours. Despite pleading from the FBI, the Davidians never came out.
Even when flames appeared.
***
The fire at Mount Carmel haunts Waco. It is the central element of the conspiracy theories that rose from its ashes.
The fire also proves to be Cook’s chief misstep. For most of Waco Rising, he is quite willing to referee the claims made by both sides. Yet for this, the most important element, Cook punts, essentially saying that the cause of the fire remains a mystery.
It’s not really a mystery, though, as Cook himself makes clear. He lays out almost all the evidence: the Title III taps that capture the Davidians talking about setting a fire, as well as Steve Schneider ordering it to be lit; the admissions of surviving Davidians; the slashed-open Coleman lanterns that had been used to spread kerosene; and the underlying apocalyptic beliefs that provided Koresh and his followers their motive.
I’m only speculating, but I wonder if Cook’s reticence is an attempt to protect Davidian Clive Doyle. Doyle, who recently died at the age of eighty, had become a favorite of journalists, since he spoke truth to power while decrying the hijacking of Waco by white supremacists. Near the end of Waco Rising, Cook describes Doyle agreeing with the proposition that the U.S. Government intentionally set the Davidians ablaze for all the world to see.
The problem, which Cook does not disclose, is that on April 20, 1993, Doyle told the Texas Rangers that the Davidians had spread Coleman fuel throughout the compound. Furthermore, while Cook notes Doyle’s burnt hands, he never bothers to explain the peculiar nature of these wounds, or how he received them. Arson experts, however, were more than happy to point out that Doyle had accelerant on his sleeves, and that his injuries were consistent with a man who got bit by his own fire.
In short, strong circumstantial evidence suggests that kindly Clive Doyle lit the pyre that cremated his fellows. Cook, somehow, fails to mention this.
***
The fire matters because it is the charred heart of the conspiracists. If it was intentional, then it’s not a conspiracy theory at all, and people like Alex Jones and Timothy McVeigh are correct. Cook’s refusal to take sides means that his endgame, in which he covers the white nationalist appropriation of Waco, wanders aimlessly in a cloud of moral confusion.
***
Ultimately, this criticism aside, Waco Rising satisfied me. It’s an extremely potent tale of strongminded and strong-willed individuals charting a collision course on a single track, neither willing to budge, neither willing to examine their beliefs, neither willing to simply back away.
- Kevin Cook, Waco Rising: David Koresh, the FBI, and the Birth of America’s Modern Militias
Anniversaries – especially nice round ones – are a good time to take stock of events, to gauge their impact, and to review how our interpretations have changed with the years. Thirty years ago, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms attempted to serve a warrant on David Koresh, living in a flimsy, sprawling structure outside of Waco, Texas. The federal government believed that Koresh and his followers – generally called the Branch Davidians – had been illegally converting firearms to become fully automatic.
As the agents discovered in the first moments of the botched raid, the Davidians were, in fact, in possession of such weapons. After a prolonged gun battle left four ATF and six Davidians dead, the Federal Bureau of Investigation took charge, presiding in a fifty-one day siege that ended in an inferno on April 19, 1993.
Now that this quintessential American pileup has reached early middle age, there are sure to be a spate of books and documentaries raking the coals of Waco’s still-warm controversies. The question, as always, is what is worth checking out, and what is better avoided.
At first glance, Kevin Cook’s Waco Rising felt like a hard pass to me. Its extreme brevity – at less than 230 pages of text – bore the hallmarks of something thrown together to cash in on the commemoration. Beyond that, the super-broad, super-bland subtitle reeks of a desperate attempt to seize a perceived zeitgeist.
Having struck out with Jeff Guinn’s Waco, however, I turned to this in the hope of a tighter, more balanced narrative of an exceptionally sad and weird episode of Americana. Somewhat to my surprise, it turned out to be pretty darn good.
***
My fear with a short book – especially one covering a big story – is that it’s going to miss important details that provide texture and resonance.
In Waco Rising, Cook does concision with precision. Obviously, he cannot be definitive or comprehensive, yet he focuses on the stuff that matters most, to really good effect.
***
Waco Rising begins with an overview of Vernon Howell, an unspectacular young man from a difficult background who managed, with no little audacity, to reimagine himself as David Koresh, Messenger of God.
Cook’s recounting of Koresh’s background is short, savage, and necessarily gross. This should go without saying, as David Koresh was a pedophile. Yet one of the fascinating aspects of Koresh’s legacy is that this substantial deficit is often treated as just one facet of his character. Call me old fashioned, but if you build a thousand bridges and molest one child, you’re a child molester, not a bridge-builder.
Even with Koresh’s admitted predilections, there are still folks who want to debate his Biblical scholarship, as though all his interpretations were not meant to do one thing: satisfy his own desires. In Waco Rising, you see not only his crimes, but how he bragged about them to his followers.
These crimes are important, not just as proof of Koresh’s charlatanry, but as an insight into his mindset vis-à-vis the final conflagration. All things considered, Koresh stood a pretty good chance of beating his gun rap. Heck, he might even have been acquitted of murdering a federal agent; Randy Weaver sure was. But raping little girls would have been tougher for a jury to ignore.
And by the time the ATF came knocking, Koresh’s predilections had been announced to the world.
***
Beyond Koresh, Cook makes a real effort to introduce us to a sampling of Davidians, and to show how they lived at Mount Carmel. Frankly, before Waco Rising, I tended to view Koresh’s followers as self-righteous hypocrites. Cook’s empathy nudged me away from that judgment, at least a bit. He presents sharp, telling mini-portraits of people like Wayne Martin, a black Harvard Law graduate who blamed himself for his son’s disability.
Life at Mount Carmel was tough. There was no indoor plumbing, the thin walls didn’t keep out the weather, most of their diet consisted of popcorn and bananas, and the men weren’t allowed to have sex with their wives. Nevertheless, humans crave communities, and Cook’s evocation makes it clear that the harsh conditions fostered a togetherness that bordered on dependency. Rather than a collection of misfits unable to fit into society, Cook half-persuaded me that Mount Carmel was akin to a monastery or kibbutz.
Except for the grooming and pimping of children to satisfy the lusts of David Koresh, of course.
***
There are three major set pieces in the Waco saga: the initial raid, the siege, and the awful finale. Cook nails them all, balancing literary verve with the necessity of sorting many contradictory accounts.
Especially impressive – given space limitations – is how well Cook covers the siege. Unable to go day-by-day, he’s still able to illustrate how the standoff progressed, with the pressure always building. He toggles back and forth between the FBI and the Davidians, often utilizing the telephone calls with negotiators, all of which were tape-recorded. He is rightfully critical of the FBI’s tactical leadership, who were abrupt, aggressive, and unnecessarily provocative.
The last day – in which the FBI used tanks to punch holes in the walls, to insert CS gas – is also expertly described. Cook really captures the chaos, which unfolded over several hours. Despite pleading from the FBI, the Davidians never came out.
Even when flames appeared.
***
The fire at Mount Carmel haunts Waco. It is the central element of the conspiracy theories that rose from its ashes.
The fire also proves to be Cook’s chief misstep. For most of Waco Rising, he is quite willing to referee the claims made by both sides. Yet for this, the most important element, Cook punts, essentially saying that the cause of the fire remains a mystery.
It’s not really a mystery, though, as Cook himself makes clear. He lays out almost all the evidence: the Title III taps that capture the Davidians talking about setting a fire, as well as Steve Schneider ordering it to be lit; the admissions of surviving Davidians; the slashed-open Coleman lanterns that had been used to spread kerosene; and the underlying apocalyptic beliefs that provided Koresh and his followers their motive.
I’m only speculating, but I wonder if Cook’s reticence is an attempt to protect Davidian Clive Doyle. Doyle, who recently died at the age of eighty, had become a favorite of journalists, since he spoke truth to power while decrying the hijacking of Waco by white supremacists. Near the end of Waco Rising, Cook describes Doyle agreeing with the proposition that the U.S. Government intentionally set the Davidians ablaze for all the world to see.
The problem, which Cook does not disclose, is that on April 20, 1993, Doyle told the Texas Rangers that the Davidians had spread Coleman fuel throughout the compound. Furthermore, while Cook notes Doyle’s burnt hands, he never bothers to explain the peculiar nature of these wounds, or how he received them. Arson experts, however, were more than happy to point out that Doyle had accelerant on his sleeves, and that his injuries were consistent with a man who got bit by his own fire.
In short, strong circumstantial evidence suggests that kindly Clive Doyle lit the pyre that cremated his fellows. Cook, somehow, fails to mention this.
***
The fire matters because it is the charred heart of the conspiracists. If it was intentional, then it’s not a conspiracy theory at all, and people like Alex Jones and Timothy McVeigh are correct. Cook’s refusal to take sides means that his endgame, in which he covers the white nationalist appropriation of Waco, wanders aimlessly in a cloud of moral confusion.
***
Ultimately, this criticism aside, Waco Rising satisfied me. It’s an extremely potent tale of strongminded and strong-willed individuals charting a collision course on a single track, neither willing to budge, neither willing to examine their beliefs, neither willing to simply back away.
January 24, 2023
This is a good primer for the events in Waco in 1993. It’s not super detailed or into the weeds on lead up (though a bit longwinded during the standoff stuff) and closes with solid insights into modern day militias and how Koresh led to their prominence.
December 2, 2022
I was a kid when Waco happened and only remember it being constantly shown on the news. Therefore I was extremely excited to read this and really learn what exactly happened. THEN, I see the author trying to tie this to January 6. The only problem is the author, in his desperate attempt to do this completely misconstrues the facts. I don't need the author going from a Waco play by play to personal opinion just to try and fit his narrative so he can sell a book. He should have kept to the facts. J6 "rioters" are not modern militias. This book was a major disappointment and was more offensive than porn.
March 4, 2023
Waco is a disaster that will be remembered for a very long time, one of the most egregious uses of excessive force against a group of people in the history of the United States. Kevin Cook’s new book, Waco Rising, is well researched and documented, yet is also written in a way that is accessible to a general audience. My thanks go to Net Galley and Henry Holt for the review copy. This book is for sale now.
The religious compound at Waco was headed by the charismatic David Koresh, and Cook takes us there, through the evolution of this sect, various splits and skirmishes among the faithful, and its final structure. Unlike many cults and other religious offshoots, this one was largely middle class, and numerous members brought their assets into the group. But the most distinctive aspect of it, compared to other such oddball organizations, was its fondness for munitions. The compound at Waco was armed to the teeth.
Koresh’s organization drew the attention of the Federal government when a disaffected former member leaked the news that Koresh was practicing polygamy—nobody else, just him—and that many of his wives were children:
“One Davidian remembered [Koresh] ‘approaching Michele in the dead of night.’ The word “approaching” was a euphemism. Describing the encounter later as if he found it amusing, [Koresh] told some of the men that he’d invited Michele, who had recently celebrated her twelfth birthday, into his bed “to get warm.” When he tried to pull down her underwear, she resisted. He kept going, he said, because God told him to.”
Initially, the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) saw this situation as an opportunity to redeem themselves after the debacle at Ruby Ridge. This time, they would get it right, rescue the little girls, and their reputation would be restored. It didn’t shake out that way. The ATF, and eventually the FBI and the armed forces were deployed, surrounding the Davidians from the land and even the air in a siege of fifty-one days. When it was over, the compound was a smoldering ruin, and seventy-six people, including twenty-five children, were dead.
I was initially unsure if I wanted to read this thing. I knew how it was going to end, after all, and did I want the details in my head? However, Cook paces the story expertly, punctuating the first two-thirds with the occasional darkly funny vignette. But the ending is nothing but grim, and that’s because there’s no other honest way to tell it.
The conversational way it’s written makes it a quick read, and there are a lot of excellent quotes. Cook uses material that hasn’t been reported previously, and he does a fine job. I highly recommend Waco Rising to anyone that is interested in this topic.
The religious compound at Waco was headed by the charismatic David Koresh, and Cook takes us there, through the evolution of this sect, various splits and skirmishes among the faithful, and its final structure. Unlike many cults and other religious offshoots, this one was largely middle class, and numerous members brought their assets into the group. But the most distinctive aspect of it, compared to other such oddball organizations, was its fondness for munitions. The compound at Waco was armed to the teeth.
Koresh’s organization drew the attention of the Federal government when a disaffected former member leaked the news that Koresh was practicing polygamy—nobody else, just him—and that many of his wives were children:
“One Davidian remembered [Koresh] ‘approaching Michele in the dead of night.’ The word “approaching” was a euphemism. Describing the encounter later as if he found it amusing, [Koresh] told some of the men that he’d invited Michele, who had recently celebrated her twelfth birthday, into his bed “to get warm.” When he tried to pull down her underwear, she resisted. He kept going, he said, because God told him to.”
Initially, the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) saw this situation as an opportunity to redeem themselves after the debacle at Ruby Ridge. This time, they would get it right, rescue the little girls, and their reputation would be restored. It didn’t shake out that way. The ATF, and eventually the FBI and the armed forces were deployed, surrounding the Davidians from the land and even the air in a siege of fifty-one days. When it was over, the compound was a smoldering ruin, and seventy-six people, including twenty-five children, were dead.
I was initially unsure if I wanted to read this thing. I knew how it was going to end, after all, and did I want the details in my head? However, Cook paces the story expertly, punctuating the first two-thirds with the occasional darkly funny vignette. But the ending is nothing but grim, and that’s because there’s no other honest way to tell it.
The conversational way it’s written makes it a quick read, and there are a lot of excellent quotes. Cook uses material that hasn’t been reported previously, and he does a fine job. I highly recommend Waco Rising to anyone that is interested in this topic.
February 7, 2023
Thank you, Goodreads Giveaways, and to the Author, Kevin Cook, for this informative book.
WOW!
Kudos!
#GOODREADSGIVEAWAYS!
#WINNER!
WOW!
Kudos!
#GOODREADSGIVEAWAYS!
#WINNER!
April 13, 2023
This is a good book for presenting the facts, but the writing style is dry as Texas dust.
April 17, 2023
Intriguing book about Waco which includes events leading up to the siege on the compound in 1993 as well as the investigations that followed. Bonnie Sue was not yet fifteen years old when she gave birth to Vernon Howell (later known as David Koresh). The future Davidian leader could recite from the Bible chapter by verse although he struggled in school and dropped out of high school. He moved to Texas in his early twenties and joined the Branch Davidians on their two-acre homestead in Mount Carmel. The compound was situated on a seventy-seven acre site a couple miles outside of Waco. He emerged the victor after a power struggle for leadership of the sect, overseeing construction to convert it to "Ranch Apocalypse" for him and his followers.
Howell legally changed his name to David Koresh (signifying his messianic leanings e.g. King David and the Biblical name for the prophet Cyrus). The Branch Davidians were a diverse group with believers coming from many parts of the world. Koresh had strict rules that his followers had to abide. Children were homeschooled. Most marriages were 'nullified" except his own. And it became an honor for fathers to “give” Koresh their 8-to-14-year-old daughters so the girls could be his “wives.” By the time of the conflagration, he had fathered at least sixteen children. One woman said, "Life at Mount Carmel was “fun" as long as we were obedient.” Koresh often said he wasn’t the original Jesus but a twentieth-century Christ, a “sinful messiah” for a sinful era.
Marc Breault was a follower who left on bad terms and after he returned home to Australia, he began petitioning authorities to investigate the Branch Davidians. Allegations of child abuse and Koresh’s launch of a retail gun business attracted the attention of the law and the ATF obtained search and arrest warrants for Koresh and others on weapons charges. In the morning hours of February 28, 1993, a gun battle ensued. Both sides accused the other of having fired the first shots. By the time a ceasefire was announced at 11:30 a.m., four ATF agents and six Davidians had been killed.
The subsequent siege that lasted 51 days has been well-documented. What was most interesting to me was learning about the conflicts within the ATF, FBI and local law enforcement as the stand-off continued, as well as what was happening within the compound during that same time. During active negotiations, a total of 35 people were "released" from the compound including 21 children, although none who had been fathered by Koresh.
Within the FBI, one faction supported continued negotiations while others advocated for more aggressive action. They began to become more heavy handed with their tactics. Tanks and heavy machinery encroached closer to the building, crushing vehicles and shutting off power, while blasting megawatt lights, earsplitting loud music and sounds (i.e. Nancy Sinatra, Gregorian chants, chainsaws), and erecting barbed wire fencing around the buildings. Koresh kept stalling a surrender saying that he took his direction from God. US Attorney General Janet Reno seemed to lean towards a more deliberate approach but had growing concerns with the allegations of child abuse. On April 19, she approved recommendations by the FBI to mount an assault. Explosives were used to puncture holes in the walls of the buildings of the main compound so tear gas could be pumped in, in hopes of flushing the Branch Davidians out. Around noon, three fires broke out in different parts of the building and spread quickly. Footage of the blaze was broadcast live by television crews, who had remained nearby throughout the siege. Seventy-six Branch Davidians, including children, died from falling rubble, smoke inhalation, burns or self-inflicted bullet wounds.
FBI negotiator Gary Noesner later described Waco as “a self-inflicted wound for the FBI. It contributed to a broad antigovernment sentiment that’s out there today.” The aftermath of Waco, as suggested by the author, is nearly as compelling as the assault itself with the radicalization of Timothy McVeigh, the celebrity of Alex Jones, and the growth of American militia groups.
Howell legally changed his name to David Koresh (signifying his messianic leanings e.g. King David and the Biblical name for the prophet Cyrus). The Branch Davidians were a diverse group with believers coming from many parts of the world. Koresh had strict rules that his followers had to abide. Children were homeschooled. Most marriages were 'nullified" except his own. And it became an honor for fathers to “give” Koresh their 8-to-14-year-old daughters so the girls could be his “wives.” By the time of the conflagration, he had fathered at least sixteen children. One woman said, "Life at Mount Carmel was “fun" as long as we were obedient.” Koresh often said he wasn’t the original Jesus but a twentieth-century Christ, a “sinful messiah” for a sinful era.
Marc Breault was a follower who left on bad terms and after he returned home to Australia, he began petitioning authorities to investigate the Branch Davidians. Allegations of child abuse and Koresh’s launch of a retail gun business attracted the attention of the law and the ATF obtained search and arrest warrants for Koresh and others on weapons charges. In the morning hours of February 28, 1993, a gun battle ensued. Both sides accused the other of having fired the first shots. By the time a ceasefire was announced at 11:30 a.m., four ATF agents and six Davidians had been killed.
The subsequent siege that lasted 51 days has been well-documented. What was most interesting to me was learning about the conflicts within the ATF, FBI and local law enforcement as the stand-off continued, as well as what was happening within the compound during that same time. During active negotiations, a total of 35 people were "released" from the compound including 21 children, although none who had been fathered by Koresh.
Within the FBI, one faction supported continued negotiations while others advocated for more aggressive action. They began to become more heavy handed with their tactics. Tanks and heavy machinery encroached closer to the building, crushing vehicles and shutting off power, while blasting megawatt lights, earsplitting loud music and sounds (i.e. Nancy Sinatra, Gregorian chants, chainsaws), and erecting barbed wire fencing around the buildings. Koresh kept stalling a surrender saying that he took his direction from God. US Attorney General Janet Reno seemed to lean towards a more deliberate approach but had growing concerns with the allegations of child abuse. On April 19, she approved recommendations by the FBI to mount an assault. Explosives were used to puncture holes in the walls of the buildings of the main compound so tear gas could be pumped in, in hopes of flushing the Branch Davidians out. Around noon, three fires broke out in different parts of the building and spread quickly. Footage of the blaze was broadcast live by television crews, who had remained nearby throughout the siege. Seventy-six Branch Davidians, including children, died from falling rubble, smoke inhalation, burns or self-inflicted bullet wounds.
FBI negotiator Gary Noesner later described Waco as “a self-inflicted wound for the FBI. It contributed to a broad antigovernment sentiment that’s out there today.” The aftermath of Waco, as suggested by the author, is nearly as compelling as the assault itself with the radicalization of Timothy McVeigh, the celebrity of Alex Jones, and the growth of American militia groups.
February 20, 2023
The first part of this book was kinda informative, but of course I can read between the liberal lines and see the authors slant. But it really got nuts in the last chapter and the epilogue where the author compares Trump to Koresh and his supporters with the branch dividians. GIVE ME A BREAK. And I won’t even get into the craziness of the authors obsession with Alex Jones and J6. Is this how it’s going to go from now on? Everything will be propagandized against anyone who supports or supported Trump as extremists and militants. Sorry, but really the government doesn’t need to be infringing on the second amendment and this is a story of their overreach, no matter how crazy Koresh was. Anyway, this book was absolute shit and it’s embarrassing to think the guy who wrote it considers himself a professional writer.
March 24, 2025
a phenomenal objective writing on the events at happened in waco in 1993. it includes interviews from ATF, FBI, texas state police, & former (and current) branch davidians.
the first half of this book is pretty much context on how the branch davidians came into existence and how david koresh got his power & it’s actually SO interesting. the second half kinda walks the reader through the siege day by day from all perspectives & it was very thought provoking. i also really enjoyed the way cook ties in waco with modern militias and events such as a oklahoma city bomber. overall— highly recommend this book.
the first half of this book is pretty much context on how the branch davidians came into existence and how david koresh got his power & it’s actually SO interesting. the second half kinda walks the reader through the siege day by day from all perspectives & it was very thought provoking. i also really enjoyed the way cook ties in waco with modern militias and events such as a oklahoma city bomber. overall— highly recommend this book.
October 19, 2022
A fast paced account of a dark time for decision making by the federal government that reads like a made for television drama!
It’s been 29 years since the federal government engaged in a 51-day standoff with the millennialist sect in Waco, Tex., that culminated in the deaths of 82 civilians and four agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The fiasco has been dissected ad nauseam by outsiders including journalists, religious scholars and even a congressional committee.
Kevin Cook steps in to give a strong account of the atrocities committed both within as well as outside the compound in the decision making on all parties. He does a fabulous job of pointing out the inconsistencies and misrepresentations on the governments side, and ties in how Waco (along with Ruby Ridge) can be attributed to as well as relied upon when discussing modern day militias.
What’s fascinating is how relevant these events from three decades ago foreshadowed, as well as explains, events occurring in todays political climate without being something drenched heavily in political basis. He truly brings the drama and will have you turning through the pages at a rapid pace.
While I was always aware of the gun issues and underage brides, I was shocked to learn just how young some of these poor girls were, and even the grooming that was taking place for girls as young as toddlers (being groomed) and single digit brides. The day to day life of the Davidians is as well as David Koresh himself has been meticulously researched and draws off interviews from surviving members.
This is a perfect read for people that just want to know more about the Waco tragedy, history buffs, and people that enjoy a fast paced read.
Thank you so much to #NetGalley, the publishers and author for extending me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
Happy reading my friends! 😊
It’s been 29 years since the federal government engaged in a 51-day standoff with the millennialist sect in Waco, Tex., that culminated in the deaths of 82 civilians and four agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The fiasco has been dissected ad nauseam by outsiders including journalists, religious scholars and even a congressional committee.
Kevin Cook steps in to give a strong account of the atrocities committed both within as well as outside the compound in the decision making on all parties. He does a fabulous job of pointing out the inconsistencies and misrepresentations on the governments side, and ties in how Waco (along with Ruby Ridge) can be attributed to as well as relied upon when discussing modern day militias.
What’s fascinating is how relevant these events from three decades ago foreshadowed, as well as explains, events occurring in todays political climate without being something drenched heavily in political basis. He truly brings the drama and will have you turning through the pages at a rapid pace.
While I was always aware of the gun issues and underage brides, I was shocked to learn just how young some of these poor girls were, and even the grooming that was taking place for girls as young as toddlers (being groomed) and single digit brides. The day to day life of the Davidians is as well as David Koresh himself has been meticulously researched and draws off interviews from surviving members.
This is a perfect read for people that just want to know more about the Waco tragedy, history buffs, and people that enjoy a fast paced read.
Thank you so much to #NetGalley, the publishers and author for extending me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
Happy reading my friends! 😊
Read
August 5, 2024it feels weird to rate a book about something like Waco, so I won’t but I’ll convey my thoughts on it. this is a well-written account of the atrocities that took place over time with David Karesh leading the Davidians. the author goes through from David’s childhood to his last moments at Waco, highlighting different members of the church throughout and what their backgrounds are. I wasn’t very familiar with the events that occurred at Waco, I didn’t even realize it was longer than a day so this was certainly very informative! I also hadn’t realized the connection of modern malitias like the Proud Boys and the roots in Waco.
December 12, 2024
This book dives into the 1993 Waco seige, a standoff between the Branch Davidians and multiple government agencies, including the ATF and FBI. The story is familiar, as many documentaries and a TV series have aired in recent years, but where this account stands out is in bringing the story forward. The author links the events at Waco to contemporary militia movements and the age of disinformation that we live in. Overall, an excellent read that attempts to dispel some of the myths that have emerged around Waco.
January 13, 2023
Wow, Kevin Cook managed to take an event in history already examined in true crime documentaries and docudramas, and make it a compelling listen. While I went into Waco Rising with some knowledge of Koresh and the compound, I felt this deep dive opened my eyes to many behind the scenes facts. Firstly, no matter your opinion on Koresh, as Americans we need to police our own and ensure the people behind the power do not abuse it. I am conflicted about what I heard and how I feel. Koresh was a self entitled prophet and his cult were willing to give their children to him, turn a blind eye to pedophilia, and die with him. The FBI was willing to do or say whatever it took to end the stand off, even if that involved untruths and obfuscation.
The second part of the book ties in later events, and current history, to show the rise of the American militias. This rise of home grown terrorists include the current group of extremists who stormed the Capitol, endangered democracy and killed police at J6. It is scarily laughable to read other reviewers who are offended by the inclusion of J6 among the list of radicalized Americans. It is a scary place to live right now, and Cook has scared me even more.
The audio narration of this book was perfect. Kept me listening and his voice did not get in the way of the story. Well done.
The second part of the book ties in later events, and current history, to show the rise of the American militias. This rise of home grown terrorists include the current group of extremists who stormed the Capitol, endangered democracy and killed police at J6. It is scarily laughable to read other reviewers who are offended by the inclusion of J6 among the list of radicalized Americans. It is a scary place to live right now, and Cook has scared me even more.
The audio narration of this book was perfect. Kept me listening and his voice did not get in the way of the story. Well done.
December 22, 2025
I thought this was a really insightful book about what happened after the start of the Waco raid. Each side has released accounts of what they said happened- and I feel this book does a decent job compiling them into one book that not only shows each each side says happened, but the likelihood (when applicable) of what likely really happened.
My biggest complaint with this book was there wasn't enough information leading up to the raid about Koresh's origin and starting his 'temple' in mount caramel. There was the bare minimum, but at only 20% of the book was when we got into the thick of the raid. I appreciate how much time and detail was spent on the raid, but I wish just as much time had been spent on it's coming up.
My biggest complaint with this book was there wasn't enough information leading up to the raid about Koresh's origin and starting his 'temple' in mount caramel. There was the bare minimum, but at only 20% of the book was when we got into the thick of the raid. I appreciate how much time and detail was spent on the raid, but I wish just as much time had been spent on it's coming up.
March 4, 2023
I was two when Waco took place, so I only know the broad strokes about what took place there. Waco Rising is a great book to learn more about the events without being inundated with too much information. The ending also ties together how Waco has influenced present-day militia movements and their rise, and how they often see Waco as the beginning of government overreach. Overall, a interesting book to learn more about the events that took place at the Branch Davidians compound and it's lasting effects today.
June 11, 2023
This is a history of the Branch Davidians cult, and a very readable one at that, but it is more. Without the need for dramatization, it brings the impacts of what happened in Waco, Texas on our nation and our culture into jarring focus. I have long been fascinated by cults and true crime, so it's unsurprising that I enjoyed this book. Despite this predicable history for me as a reader, I would say that it's a great entry point for those just wanting to break into recent sociopolitical history and the role of cults in that balance of politics and religion.
This book brings to life the story of the Waco siege, exposing the darkness on both sides of the raid. It's certainly an uncomfortable journey, especially when it touches on gross descriptions of pedophilia and other manipulative relationships within the cult. What I really found fascinating, however, was how this author captures just how slow and complex the siege was. This is not something out of an action film, but a slow burn drama. Even knowing how it ends, there's a lot of tension in the event that brought an even more tense present.
Most of the book follows the Branch Davidians, the ATF Bureau, and the FBI, but the book pitches itself as tackling more of the long-term implications of the raid. Though shorter in scope, the author does get into the launching of the new militia movement that followed, tackling the Oklahoma City bombing and the rise of conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones. Ultimately, this is a book about a historical event that is too often simplified, marginalized, or outright ignored in capturing the rise of the hard-right in America today. Cult followers like me will love it, but so too will those who wish to understand a controversial piece of history with more nuance and authenticity than I have read before.
This book brings to life the story of the Waco siege, exposing the darkness on both sides of the raid. It's certainly an uncomfortable journey, especially when it touches on gross descriptions of pedophilia and other manipulative relationships within the cult. What I really found fascinating, however, was how this author captures just how slow and complex the siege was. This is not something out of an action film, but a slow burn drama. Even knowing how it ends, there's a lot of tension in the event that brought an even more tense present.
Most of the book follows the Branch Davidians, the ATF Bureau, and the FBI, but the book pitches itself as tackling more of the long-term implications of the raid. Though shorter in scope, the author does get into the launching of the new militia movement that followed, tackling the Oklahoma City bombing and the rise of conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones. Ultimately, this is a book about a historical event that is too often simplified, marginalized, or outright ignored in capturing the rise of the hard-right in America today. Cult followers like me will love it, but so too will those who wish to understand a controversial piece of history with more nuance and authenticity than I have read before.
December 11, 2022
I remember watching the building burn after the 50+ day standoff on TV back in the day. Little did I know at the time how little I knew about what happened. So so well researched and well-written, this reads like fiction. I couldn’t put it down. Fascinating learning about David Korean’s childhood and background as well as learning more about who was negotiating and making decisions throughout the stand off. I also appreciated learning about how other incidents such as Ruby Ridge fed into distrust of the government and even Timothy McVeigh’s association to Waco. The author thoroughly researched bringing in current events about Michigan Governor Whitmer. I could have read another 100 pages. Fascinating. Thanks to Henry Holt Co for the advanced copy!
May 31, 2024
Oh wow, this was absurd. I didn’t know anything about Waco! Given growing anti-government white supremacist militias in the US, I think white Americans who distrust the government have a responsibility to interrogate their own beliefs and actions to make sure those align with John Brown and not the three percenters. Cook does a really great job of explaining the evil, weird, culty David Koresh, without painting him as a savior. He details the massive mishandling of the situation by persons in the ATF, FBI, and US government from February 1993 to April 19, when the FBI carried out the bloodiest attack against American citizens. These actions range from escalations and psychological attacks, to lying and misleading to get the okay to tear gas the 85 Branch Davidians. It seems like the massacre was retaliatory, as the Davidians had killed 4 ATF agents and wounded 20 during the initial exchange of fire. Certainly having 700+ armed G-men, helicopters, and tanks demonstrates it was lopsided, too.
Other people don’t like this book because Cook draws a clear line from Waco to the Oklahoma City Bombing, as Timothy McVeigh was at and inspired by Waco, and to Alex Jones and January 6 and the Michigan Militia that tried to kidnap Governor Whitmer. Because of Alex Jones’ influence, white supremacist far-right militias have used Waco as a battle cry. And they shouldn’t! The Davidians were diverse in race, ethnicity, and nation. They flew a banner supporting Rodney King!
So anyway, no heroes. David Koresh certainly wasn’t a hero. The US government murdered American citizens. I’m still thinking about how the US government used Waco as an argument against semiautomatic weapon ownership, I don’t know the answer! But G-men should not be able to kill with impunity. And police forces should not be militarized.
Other people don’t like this book because Cook draws a clear line from Waco to the Oklahoma City Bombing, as Timothy McVeigh was at and inspired by Waco, and to Alex Jones and January 6 and the Michigan Militia that tried to kidnap Governor Whitmer. Because of Alex Jones’ influence, white supremacist far-right militias have used Waco as a battle cry. And they shouldn’t! The Davidians were diverse in race, ethnicity, and nation. They flew a banner supporting Rodney King!
So anyway, no heroes. David Koresh certainly wasn’t a hero. The US government murdered American citizens. I’m still thinking about how the US government used Waco as an argument against semiautomatic weapon ownership, I don’t know the answer! But G-men should not be able to kill with impunity. And police forces should not be militarized.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2023
I had high hopes for this one. I read the first half on the treadmill, but found myself dreading my run each morning (and skipping it just because I didn't want to read this).
Too many dates, names, details.....I just needed the broad strokes of this story that I just wasn't all that interested in.
Too many dates, names, details.....I just needed the broad strokes of this story that I just wasn't all that interested in.
April 22, 2024
This was an informative audiobook on the events of Waco, but also other events that sparked from it. I’m not sure there’s much new info here (highly recommend the Netflix documentary) but I find cults fascinating, and it’s interesting reading about a big event I was alive for but too young to understand.
Read
August 8, 2024DNF. This seemed superficial and sensationalistic compared to Jeff Guinn's Waco.
February 2, 2024
I was 13 when Waco happened and while I remember it being on the news all the time I didn't pay much attention to it then. When I saw this book I was interested to read more about this tragic event. Cook does a good job of giving the history of the Branch Davidians (CRAZY) and how Vernon Howell, aka David Koresh, came to take over the leadership. The Branch Davidians were a cult and they were doing some illegal things - mainly underage sex/marriage, polygamy (only David Koresh though), and illegally modifying semi-automatic rifles to fully automatic. But, did that justify the 51-day siege that killed 86 people? Of course, hindsight is 20/20, but both the ATF and FBI seriously botched this whole event. Not that David Koresh and the Branch Davidians didn't have a role, but the two together created a HUGE cluster of craziness and unnecessary deaths. The ATF and FBI seemed to truly believe that Koresh was going to pull a Jim Jones-style mass suicide. There doesn't seem to be any information as to why they thought this, especially since Jonestown was 15 years prior and Jones had preached about "revolutionary suicide" during his entire "ministry." While Koresh's version of crazy was that he was the modern incarnation of Christ who would lead the final Armageddon battle against the world - hence his stockpiling of weapons and modified arsenal. What the ATF and FBI didn't understand was that what was happening with the siege at Waco played right into Koresh's prophecy and teachings and all his followers truly believed they were in the final Armageddon battle and whether they died in it or not was God's will. The FBI also refused to bring in any theologians or Biblical scholars to advise them because they didn't want the negotiating to turn into theological arguing with Koresh, but these scholars may have been able to help the FBI see how what they were doing was playing into Koresh's hand. Once everything was finally over the FBI (or someone) hid evidence that would have made the FBI look worse than they already did. That perceived hiding of evidence spurred the creation of more militias who felt that Waco was a huge governmental overreach.
Some of the reviews I read complained that Cook "forced a leftist agenda" by equating January 6th with Waco and bringing in Alex Jones. He didn't do that, but he did show how Waco became a rallying cry for militias who were worried the government would be coming for them next. And Alex Jones literally got his start because of his interest in Waco and even raised money to rebuild the church on the original site. While I'm sure every author has an agenda or angle or reasons why they write a book on a topic, I personally didn't feel like there was an obvious agenda with this book. I felt like Cook did a good job of showing how both sides did wrong things and how they also fed into each other in a way that created this horrible event. Although I do think the ATF should be held accountable for the botched raid that sparked this whole thing. Overall, a very interesting and well-written book about a dark chapter in America's history.
Some quotes I liked:
[When the ATF raid was discovered by Koresh] "The ATF had been counting on surprising Koresh; now the element of surprise was gone. Rodriguez pleaded with his bosses to call off the raid, but they were determined to stick to the plan...He thought his bosses were about to make a dangerous mistake. 'I went outside, and sat down, and I started to cry.'" (p. 53)
"Texas Governor Ann Richards had an even more personal interest. She was from Waco. Richards had told the ATF she wasn't sure federal forces should be using Texas National Guard equipment to raid a bunch of evangelical Christians in her hometown. Waco was known as Baylor's home, the birthplace of Dr Pepper, and the nation's leading producer of church pews. Governor Richards didn't want her hometown getting famous as a site of federal overreach." (p. 101)
"The ATF had kept three cameras trained on the compound from the undercover house across Double-EE Ranch Road, but now ATF agents reported that two of the cameras had malfunctioned. A third camera somehow disappeared from a locked evidence room in the days after the fire. It was never recovered...The compound's front doors lay flat after the rest of the compound burned down. Those bullet-pocked steel doors were key pieces of evidence. Koresh had told investigators that the holes in the doors would prove there had been far more incoming rounds than bullets fired the other way on February 28 - evidence the ATF raiders had been the aggressors...Now, during the initial investigation of a cordoned-off crime scene, the right-hand door, twenty square feet in size and weighing more than a hundred pounds, disappeared. It has never been found. Like the ATF's broken and missing cameras, the lost door would feature in conspiracy theories revolving around Waco." (p. 190)
Some of the reviews I read complained that Cook "forced a leftist agenda" by equating January 6th with Waco and bringing in Alex Jones. He didn't do that, but he did show how Waco became a rallying cry for militias who were worried the government would be coming for them next. And Alex Jones literally got his start because of his interest in Waco and even raised money to rebuild the church on the original site. While I'm sure every author has an agenda or angle or reasons why they write a book on a topic, I personally didn't feel like there was an obvious agenda with this book. I felt like Cook did a good job of showing how both sides did wrong things and how they also fed into each other in a way that created this horrible event. Although I do think the ATF should be held accountable for the botched raid that sparked this whole thing. Overall, a very interesting and well-written book about a dark chapter in America's history.
Some quotes I liked:
[When the ATF raid was discovered by Koresh] "The ATF had been counting on surprising Koresh; now the element of surprise was gone. Rodriguez pleaded with his bosses to call off the raid, but they were determined to stick to the plan...He thought his bosses were about to make a dangerous mistake. 'I went outside, and sat down, and I started to cry.'" (p. 53)
"Texas Governor Ann Richards had an even more personal interest. She was from Waco. Richards had told the ATF she wasn't sure federal forces should be using Texas National Guard equipment to raid a bunch of evangelical Christians in her hometown. Waco was known as Baylor's home, the birthplace of Dr Pepper, and the nation's leading producer of church pews. Governor Richards didn't want her hometown getting famous as a site of federal overreach." (p. 101)
"The ATF had kept three cameras trained on the compound from the undercover house across Double-EE Ranch Road, but now ATF agents reported that two of the cameras had malfunctioned. A third camera somehow disappeared from a locked evidence room in the days after the fire. It was never recovered...The compound's front doors lay flat after the rest of the compound burned down. Those bullet-pocked steel doors were key pieces of evidence. Koresh had told investigators that the holes in the doors would prove there had been far more incoming rounds than bullets fired the other way on February 28 - evidence the ATF raiders had been the aggressors...Now, during the initial investigation of a cordoned-off crime scene, the right-hand door, twenty square feet in size and weighing more than a hundred pounds, disappeared. It has never been found. Like the ATF's broken and missing cameras, the lost door would feature in conspiracy theories revolving around Waco." (p. 190)
March 16, 2025
scratch a christian rock musician, find an insane pedo cult leader
February 19, 2023
4.5
This book does have the misfortune of being the one I read immediately after finishing Waco: David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and A Legacy of Rage. I wanted to compare the two because one of the things I wanted from Guinn's book was more information on how Waco inspired modern militia and conspiracy movements. When I saw the subtitle for this one, I hoped it would provide that for me.
And while it definitely spent more time on modern militia movements than Guinn's book, I still would have liked a little more analysis and detail. It was only about the last quarter of the book that started scratching that itch and then it was over before I would have liked. I was still impressed to see events mentioned as recent as Alex Jones' losing his trail over his inflammatory and vile rhetoric about Sandy Hook. I also liked hearing from Gary Noesner about how changes to the FBI's negotiation tactics led by him resulted in different outcomes in future standoffs, like with the Freeman in Montana.
The first three-quarters of the book are good, although I do have a pet peeve about non-fiction books writing from the imagined perspective of people who weren't able to share their honest thoughts and this book opens with David Koresh being shocked about events from inside the siege and that immediately put a bad taste in my mouth. I don't like when non-fiction writers editorialize like that and put thoughts in people's heads. I know it was just a stylistic flourish, but the opening paragraph of your historical non-fiction book really shouldn't put me on edge about how much you're going to put words in people's mouths.
I did find the general relation of events to be clear, even-handed, and well-written. Unfortunately, not nearly as much context was included as in Guinn's book, which makes sense since this book is over 100 pages shorter. I liked this account, but I honestly think it would have benefited from more length to allow for more context at the beginning and more analysis at the end.
If you're really deep into the Waco rabbit hole like I am right now, my recommendation would be to read the entirety of Jeff Guinn's book and then the last quarter of this one. Then I would recommend Stalling for Time: My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator and if you want, David Thibodeau's memoir. Although that one is pretty difficult to read because Thibodeau is very dismissive of the sexual abuse of minor's that Koresh was involved in.
This book does have the misfortune of being the one I read immediately after finishing Waco: David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and A Legacy of Rage. I wanted to compare the two because one of the things I wanted from Guinn's book was more information on how Waco inspired modern militia and conspiracy movements. When I saw the subtitle for this one, I hoped it would provide that for me.
And while it definitely spent more time on modern militia movements than Guinn's book, I still would have liked a little more analysis and detail. It was only about the last quarter of the book that started scratching that itch and then it was over before I would have liked. I was still impressed to see events mentioned as recent as Alex Jones' losing his trail over his inflammatory and vile rhetoric about Sandy Hook. I also liked hearing from Gary Noesner about how changes to the FBI's negotiation tactics led by him resulted in different outcomes in future standoffs, like with the Freeman in Montana.
The first three-quarters of the book are good, although I do have a pet peeve about non-fiction books writing from the imagined perspective of people who weren't able to share their honest thoughts and this book opens with David Koresh being shocked about events from inside the siege and that immediately put a bad taste in my mouth. I don't like when non-fiction writers editorialize like that and put thoughts in people's heads. I know it was just a stylistic flourish, but the opening paragraph of your historical non-fiction book really shouldn't put me on edge about how much you're going to put words in people's mouths.
I did find the general relation of events to be clear, even-handed, and well-written. Unfortunately, not nearly as much context was included as in Guinn's book, which makes sense since this book is over 100 pages shorter. I liked this account, but I honestly think it would have benefited from more length to allow for more context at the beginning and more analysis at the end.
If you're really deep into the Waco rabbit hole like I am right now, my recommendation would be to read the entirety of Jeff Guinn's book and then the last quarter of this one. Then I would recommend Stalling for Time: My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator and if you want, David Thibodeau's memoir. Although that one is pretty difficult to read because Thibodeau is very dismissive of the sexual abuse of minor's that Koresh was involved in.
January 1, 2023
I don’t know why two books are being published in January 2023 on the standoff that took place in Waco, Texas in 1993, but they are and I read them both.
I found Waco Rising by Kevin Cook to be the more engaging, and the more frightening, of the two. Waco by Jeff Guinn is good but not great. Waco seems exhaustively researched; it is very detailed and at times repetitive. Waco Rising, on the other hand, included information I’d never heard or read before. For example, Guinn talks about the Branch Davidian dogs that were shot by agents, but Cook talks about the eleven tiny puppies that were inside, not outside in a pen, the chickens, and the “hunger-mad goose” penned up with the dead dogs. Details like these really brought the setting to life.
Cook’s retelling of what happened in at the Branch Davidian compound in the spring of 1993 moves at a much brisker pace, and without as much repetition (although there is still repetition – a good editor could have tightened up both of these books). Cook’s book is much more critical of the decisions made by the ATF and especially the FBI. Cook draws a direct line between Waco to Oklahoma City to Alex Jones to January 6th. FBI negotiator Gary Noesner calls Waco “a self-inflicted wound for the FBI. It contributed to a broad antigovernment sentiment that’s out there today.” (p. 157 of the advance reader copy)
If you want to know more about the standoff between government agents and the Branch Davidians, and how the event is affecting the United States today, you may find either or both of these books worth reading. I read advance reader copies of Waco Rising (and Waco) from Netgalley.
I found Waco Rising by Kevin Cook to be the more engaging, and the more frightening, of the two. Waco by Jeff Guinn is good but not great. Waco seems exhaustively researched; it is very detailed and at times repetitive. Waco Rising, on the other hand, included information I’d never heard or read before. For example, Guinn talks about the Branch Davidian dogs that were shot by agents, but Cook talks about the eleven tiny puppies that were inside, not outside in a pen, the chickens, and the “hunger-mad goose” penned up with the dead dogs. Details like these really brought the setting to life.
Cook’s retelling of what happened in at the Branch Davidian compound in the spring of 1993 moves at a much brisker pace, and without as much repetition (although there is still repetition – a good editor could have tightened up both of these books). Cook’s book is much more critical of the decisions made by the ATF and especially the FBI. Cook draws a direct line between Waco to Oklahoma City to Alex Jones to January 6th. FBI negotiator Gary Noesner calls Waco “a self-inflicted wound for the FBI. It contributed to a broad antigovernment sentiment that’s out there today.” (p. 157 of the advance reader copy)
If you want to know more about the standoff between government agents and the Branch Davidians, and how the event is affecting the United States today, you may find either or both of these books worth reading. I read advance reader copies of Waco Rising (and Waco) from Netgalley.
August 10, 2023
This book was well-written and fascinating as it got deeper and deeper into the story of Waco and its ramifications.
Seeing it all play out bit by bit and all the mistakes that were made along the way really had my mind reeling. So many bits and pieces to ponder and think about. It was such a crazy event, and to have happened to Americans on American soil. Wow! I don't deny they needed to be looked into for certain things, but certainly not in the way that it all went down. Especially knowing there were women and children inside. So many of the parts of this saga left me speechless. Just wow. And the connections to events beyond 1993 were also very startling. This one will be rattling around in my brain for quite a while.
Seeing it all play out bit by bit and all the mistakes that were made along the way really had my mind reeling. So many bits and pieces to ponder and think about. It was such a crazy event, and to have happened to Americans on American soil. Wow! I don't deny they needed to be looked into for certain things, but certainly not in the way that it all went down. Especially knowing there were women and children inside. So many of the parts of this saga left me speechless. Just wow. And the connections to events beyond 1993 were also very startling. This one will be rattling around in my brain for quite a while.
April 20, 2023
For many reasons, I would recommend Jeff Guinn’s 2023 book on Waco to anyone who wants to read about this topic. It is vastly superior to this garbage.
Firstly, who is Kevin Cook? Not sure, but he can’t write. This book is about as coherent as a ChatGPT term paper edited by a community college freshman.
Secondly, this book purports to be about “the birth of America’s modern militias”. It falls far short of that goal, and laughably so. There is even a photo of the Jan 6 protest included, although the author in no way makes a connection between Waco and those events.
I’m actually angry that I wasted time on this.
Firstly, who is Kevin Cook? Not sure, but he can’t write. This book is about as coherent as a ChatGPT term paper edited by a community college freshman.
Secondly, this book purports to be about “the birth of America’s modern militias”. It falls far short of that goal, and laughably so. There is even a photo of the Jan 6 protest included, although the author in no way makes a connection between Waco and those events.
I’m actually angry that I wasted time on this.
August 19, 2024
Heartbreaking but well done. Super helpful historical connections to modern notions of conspiracies, violence and why much of it is now connected to religion.
January 12, 2024
Kevin Cook has written an astonishingly well-researched book on an event that has been submerged into the dark swamps of misinformation and disinformation in modern day online ecosystems. Waco Rising is a title that will teach you about the events of the Waco siege in detail, as well as the background of the critical people involved and the societal reactions in the aftermath.
The short biography of David Koresh contained in here is interesting and unfortunately familiar to anyone who has witnessed the constant growth and fall of numerous "cults of personality", a phenomenon I would like to read more about in the future. Koresh was no man to follow for any reasonable person, his greatest sin being his rape of his child wives. But then again, many popular figures today have disconcerting popular support.
Also unfortunately familiar were the mistakes and bad calls made by numerous law enforcement agencies, primarily the ATF, with the FBI coming in a close second. The heavy handed tactics of federal law enforcement directly led to the deaths of those in the Waco compound and, as Cook's analysis suggests, created a throughline to the rise of the militia movement in the 90s and the subsequent Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Cook also provides links to current day movements and figures: Alex Jones (who apparently rebuilt a church on the original grounds of Mount Carmel), modern day militia movements, Trumpism, and January 6. It was in fact quite surprising to find anecdotes in this book in which actual survivors of the Waco siege were rejected from the movements that it spawned for not being conspiratorial enough.
A super high recommend from me and perhaps required reading for all American history classes. This book is a short and simple read of a very misunderstood event, but the amount of effort Cook went through to verify his sources and learn every angle of every debate here is incredible. I applaud him for his efforts and for the publishing of this book.
The short biography of David Koresh contained in here is interesting and unfortunately familiar to anyone who has witnessed the constant growth and fall of numerous "cults of personality", a phenomenon I would like to read more about in the future. Koresh was no man to follow for any reasonable person, his greatest sin being his rape of his child wives. But then again, many popular figures today have disconcerting popular support.
Also unfortunately familiar were the mistakes and bad calls made by numerous law enforcement agencies, primarily the ATF, with the FBI coming in a close second. The heavy handed tactics of federal law enforcement directly led to the deaths of those in the Waco compound and, as Cook's analysis suggests, created a throughline to the rise of the militia movement in the 90s and the subsequent Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Cook also provides links to current day movements and figures: Alex Jones (who apparently rebuilt a church on the original grounds of Mount Carmel), modern day militia movements, Trumpism, and January 6. It was in fact quite surprising to find anecdotes in this book in which actual survivors of the Waco siege were rejected from the movements that it spawned for not being conspiratorial enough.
A super high recommend from me and perhaps required reading for all American history classes. This book is a short and simple read of a very misunderstood event, but the amount of effort Cook went through to verify his sources and learn every angle of every debate here is incredible. I applaud him for his efforts and for the publishing of this book.
March 10, 2023
Waco Rising is a fascinating account of the Waco Branch Davidians and their leader, David Koresh; what lead to their massacre during the 1993 siege by the ATF and FBI; and the aftermath. Though I was very young when it happened, I've always been intrigued by how the events could have happened.
Kevin Cook's writing is succinct and objective. Overall, this was pretty compelling, but I'm still left wondering how so many could have followed Koresh and embraced his rigid expectations of them. His devout followers lived in meager conditions at Mount Carmel and were expected to submit women and girls to Koresh at his will in order to increase their numbers as a religious group. Some parts were pretty upsetting, especially the repulsive expectation for young followers to submit to Koresh's every desire and bear his children because of "God's will," and of course, the mass deaths during the siege were gruesome and so tragic.
I was surprised to learn the connections from the Waco siege and the Branch Davidians to the formation and the rise of InfoWars, widespread conspiracy theories, white supremacy groups, and modern-day militias in the United States. Waco has become a symbol of government overreach and inspired those with anti-government beliefs. It's interesting to see how even the messages of a religious cult have become twisted and exploited. I listened to the audiobook which was well-narrated by Gary Tiedemann.
Thank you, Henry Holt and Tantor Audio for providing this ebook and audiobook ARC. All thoughts are my own.
Kevin Cook's writing is succinct and objective. Overall, this was pretty compelling, but I'm still left wondering how so many could have followed Koresh and embraced his rigid expectations of them. His devout followers lived in meager conditions at Mount Carmel and were expected to submit women and girls to Koresh at his will in order to increase their numbers as a religious group. Some parts were pretty upsetting, especially the repulsive expectation for young followers to submit to Koresh's every desire and bear his children because of "God's will," and of course, the mass deaths during the siege were gruesome and so tragic.
I was surprised to learn the connections from the Waco siege and the Branch Davidians to the formation and the rise of InfoWars, widespread conspiracy theories, white supremacy groups, and modern-day militias in the United States. Waco has become a symbol of government overreach and inspired those with anti-government beliefs. It's interesting to see how even the messages of a religious cult have become twisted and exploited. I listened to the audiobook which was well-narrated by Gary Tiedemann.
Thank you, Henry Holt and Tantor Audio for providing this ebook and audiobook ARC. All thoughts are my own.
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