Surviving Evil: CIA Mind Control Experiments in Vermont

by Karen Wetmore

Beginning at age thirteen, Karen Wetmore was subjected to horrific treatment in Vermont State Hospital and related facilities. Through years of investigative journalism, and numerous Freedom of Information Act requests, she was able do document that she was a victim of secret CIA mind control experiments as an adolescent, and of sexual abuse by one of her psychiatrists. Karen's psychiatrists included Robert Hyde, M.D., who was cleared at TOP SECRET as the contractor on CIA LSD experiments conducted under MKULTRA Subprojects 8, 10, 63, and 66. Karen calls for an investigation into the nearly 3000 deaths at Vermont State Hospital from 1952 to 1973, when CIA money was pouring into the hospital. These deaths may have provided cover for terminal experiments conducted at the hospital.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Memoir, Conspiracy Theories, Psychology, True Crime, Science

325 pages, Perfect Paperback

First published April 3, 2014

Reviews

[S.P. Aruna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meant to write this review awhile ago, but just got caught up in things.

Of all these books by victims of mind control experiments, this one is by far the most credible. From Ms Wetmore's account you can see why it is so hard to prove what happened. Amnesia is a common symptom...memories float to the surface without context. This woman's search for documents and records, digging up info on the doctors who treated her, and investigating the institutions that held her, was a desperate journey, piecing together the pieces of the puzzle to find answers for herself. What was really scary was that her probing led her to discover the mysterious deaths of over 3000 patients whom she believes were the victims of "terminal" experiments.

(Of note - the only person who would help her in her quest for answers was Bernie Sanders)

[Tao · Rating 5 out of 5]

"CIA defenders like to point out that the drug and mind control programs have already been investigated and that nothing new would be learned. I beg to differ. If I have been able to document the massive presence of CIA in Vermont institutions, what might the government with all its resources be able to learn? The lack of interest in an investigation has everything to do with making sure that the CIA activities in Vermont remain covered up."

[Phoebe Sparrow Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harrowing but absolutely convincing account of a young woman's torture and imprisonment at Vermont State Hospital in the 1960s under the "auspices" of the CIA for purposes of mind control experiments. A must-read that leads to many many questions, but be advised, this is not light fare. Frighteningly true account and well-written though it is, i was terrified just thinking about what our goverment would do to a child and then a young woman....all in the name of research. And to think that thousands at VSH died in these same experiments!

[Ella R · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't remember the last time I was so happy to finish a book. I say that as both a testament to how painful Wetmore's life has been and thus how difficult it is to read about. But also because the way this book was written is crazy-making.

First of all, the structure of the book is haphazard, sporadic, and to call it disorganized would be stating it lightly. Every once in a while, I'd be thinking, "Ok finally, we're getting into her personal story told in her voice minus the endless lists of numbers and letters relating to experiment codes and hospital floor numbers and letters." But every time I was about four pages into her actually-good writing (the meat of the story), she'd, out of absolutely nowhere, slip into a minimum of ten pages of letter and number code talk. And this experience of feeling like a ping pong ball happened about 100+ times throughout the book. This does not make for a good read. Where was her editor? Any editor worth their salt knows this type of info needs to be in footnotes or an appendix. Or in this case, left out entirely.

The amount of time spent skimming the needless dull details was one of the most infuriating reading experiences I've had in my 45 years on planet Earth. And it saddens me because when Wetmore stops writing what looks like an endless technical manual written by extraterrestrials, she's very good at telling her story. Again, she needs a lot of help organizing when the events should show up in the book, but there's so much for her to tell and I know any of us who picked up this book REALLY want to hear her. Unfortunately, it's almost impossible for her to keep a reader's interest while the book is structured the way it is.

I believe every single detail of her story. And I'm disgusted by the pure evil that exists in this world. I wish nothing but success, justice, and long-term, well-deserved happiness for Karen Wetmore. But for the love of god, someone get this book a reissue with a much more competent (and aggressive) editor.

This book is actually a 2 star book for me, but I'm keeping it at a 3 because I care so much about Wetmore's story.

[Staci Huntsman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting and surprising information, yet poorly organized and written.

[GK · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most disturbing thing I have ever read

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, the CIA contracted out mind-altering experimentation on American citizens in hospitals, at Universities, military bases, in child care facilities, in foster care, and even some with the blessings of their generationally abusive families. Experiments were conducted on a populace nobody pays attention to.

Those who made it out alive (3,000 did not in a twenty year stretch at Vermont State Hospital alone) were left on the curb detached from reality with no reintegration plan. A few managed to get it together with support, kindness, and encouragement from others of which Karen Wetmore is one. She lived through it and wrote a book about her experiences.

It is written as you would expect from a person whose mind was traumatically fractured before being glued back together. Choppy, yet informative.

[Chad Montabon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just what you are looking for when you go down the MKUltra rabbit hole. the most prominent names are readily available in other works, but there are new names (new to me at least) and new avenues to go down, new books to be read.
There are several long asides (code perhaps) that seem out of place, but there is a lot of meat on the bone for those who like such things, as do I.
Go forth undaunted, but if you get this book, pay cash and wear a hoodie :)

[Adam Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be a mixture of convincing narrative, hard-to-believe storytelling, troubling facts and questionable conclusions drawn from those facts. Parts of this book are hard to deny, others hard to believe. But it's still a valuable resource for me as a fiction writer!

[Valiant Thor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-documented account by a woman who, as a 13 year old, found herself a "patient" in a CIA MK ULTRA research hospital, namely Vermont State Hospital. The book essentially follows the author's path in trying to find out what was done to her during her years there. In the course of her research, she discovered the reason VSH's involvement in MK Ultra was so thoroughly covered up: thousands of deaths from "terminal experiments" during the 20 years of active MK Ultra research.

[H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very gripping, worth reading whether or not you feel the author is credible in her account.