Cults in America: Programmed for Paradise

by Willa Appel

Examines who joins cults & why, the techniques they use to attract & keep members, & the dangers cults present to the larger society. 9 Chpts, 204 pgs, Index. First Edition trade paperback

Genres: Religion, Psychology, Cults

204 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1985

Reviews

[Zhelana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a weird "scare piece" that focuses on trying to scare people of religious cults. It's not that I don't think cults are pretty scary, it's just that I don't believe the problem is nearly as common as this author claims. After reading this you'd think that every unhappy teenager was going to run off and get brainwashed. I will give some points for the detailed description of how brainwashing works and the physical effects it can have on the body. It also talked in some detail about how deprogramming works and that was interesting. But really, it comes from the era of the Satanic Panic, and fits nicely with that scare rather than anything resembling modern academia.

[Autumn Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

was good for researching cults in the 60s and 70s and how political factors influenced them. wish it had talked more about cults like Manson instead of just religious cults like Jonestown