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The Family: A Powerful Work of Investigative Journalism that Reveals the Legacy of a Notorious Cult
The apocalyptic group The Family and their guru, Anne Hamilton-Byrne, captured international headlines throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Hamilton-Byrne, who some followers believed was Jesus Christ, was glamorous and charismatic -- and, many allege, very dangerous. She acquired children -- some through adoption and some born to cult members -- and raised them as her own, bleaching their hair blonde to make them look like siblings. The group, which grew out of Anne's yoga classes in the heady days of the countercultural movement, became surrounded by rumours of LSD use, child abuse, and strange spiritual rituals.
In 1987, police swooped on The Family's lakeside compound and rescued children who claimed they were part of Anne's future master race. The children recounted terrible stories of near starvation, emotional manipulation, and physical abuse. But Anne could not be found, sparking an international police hunt that involved Interpol and the FBI. Could they bring Anne to justice?
Today, the elderly Anne lives in a nursing home with dementia. She has only one criminal conviction to her name, but her estate is estimated to be worth millions. Her few remaining followers attend her bedside.
How did such a notorious group come to flourish in suburban Melbourne? How did Anne, one of few female cult leaders, maintain a hold over her followers? Drawing on police files, diary entries, recordings of Anne, and original interviews with survivors and investigators, The Family goes inside one of the most bizarre cults in modern history to expose its strange and shocking story.
Hamilton-Byrne, who some followers believed was Jesus Christ, was glamorous and charismatic -- and, many allege, very dangerous. She acquired children -- some through adoption and some born to cult members -- and raised them as her own, bleaching their hair blonde to make them look like siblings. The group, which grew out of Anne's yoga classes in the heady days of the countercultural movement, became surrounded by rumours of LSD use, child abuse, and strange spiritual rituals.
In 1987, police swooped on The Family's lakeside compound and rescued children who claimed they were part of Anne's future master race. The children recounted terrible stories of near starvation, emotional manipulation, and physical abuse. But Anne could not be found, sparking an international police hunt that involved Interpol and the FBI. Could they bring Anne to justice?
Today, the elderly Anne lives in a nursing home with dementia. She has only one criminal conviction to her name, but her estate is estimated to be worth millions. Her few remaining followers attend her bedside.
How did such a notorious group come to flourish in suburban Melbourne? How did Anne, one of few female cult leaders, maintain a hold over her followers? Drawing on police files, diary entries, recordings of Anne, and original interviews with survivors and investigators, The Family goes inside one of the most bizarre cults in modern history to expose its strange and shocking story.
288 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2016
106 people are currently reading
1494 people want to read
About the author
Chris Johnston
107 books18 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 9, 2016
I came across the cult of The Family and of Anne Hamilton-Byrne – one of the few female cult leaders – through watching a television documentary. Interested to know more, I found this book which was written by a journalist and a documentary maker. I read it was probably the most comprehensive book about this cult and, after reading it, I can only feel that this is a book which is still to be written. Although this is an interesting account of events, there are a lot of gaps and not really enough depth.
To begin with, we read of Anne Hamilton-Byrne; born Evelyn Grace Victoria Edwards in Australia in 1921. Anne’s mother, Florence, was born in Wandsworth and spent twenty seven years in mental hospitals. The eldest of seven children, her father was largely absent and this was, obviously, very relevant to later events in her life. For example, she was a fantasist and made up stories about her parents and, later, many of the children she forcibly adopted had mothers who also had treatment for mental health issues. Although I would have expected Anne’s early life to be simply told in a documentary; here I would have liked far more information about her early life. We know that she had one daughter who, understandably, does not wish to discuss her mother – but there is really very little information about her childhood, her siblings or anyone who knew her.
We really get to know Anne in the 1950’s when she is teaching yoga and is targeting middle aged, mainly wealthy women, and begins to make some influential contacts. She was considered by her followers to be a reincarnation of Jesus and was glamorous and charismatic, whose third husband became a co-conspirator in her cult. Gradually, the cult began to target children. Anne and her followers helped organise adoptions and the children were told that they were siblings and, bizarrely, had their hair dyed blonde (or most did). As the children got older, it seems that Anne and the ‘aunties’ that were largely in charge of them began to lose control. Previously, they had wielded iron discipline – with strict time-tables, physical punishment and the withholding of food as forms of control.
The book then goes on to the police involvement in the cult, the allegations of the children and the attempts to bring justice to the victims. However, the book lacks a coherence and is emotive, rather than presenting any real facts or evidence. Obviously, it is difficult to get to the bottom of the allegations and the police, and legal case, against the cult were badly handled. Still, I really felt at the end of this book that I still really had very little knowledge about why Anne Hamilton-Byrne felt the need to control so many people, in particular children, and yet was rarely actually there. I did feel that much of the reasons behind her behaviour lay in her childhood and yet this was not properly explored. Overall, an interesting, but frustrating, read.
Rated 2.5
To begin with, we read of Anne Hamilton-Byrne; born Evelyn Grace Victoria Edwards in Australia in 1921. Anne’s mother, Florence, was born in Wandsworth and spent twenty seven years in mental hospitals. The eldest of seven children, her father was largely absent and this was, obviously, very relevant to later events in her life. For example, she was a fantasist and made up stories about her parents and, later, many of the children she forcibly adopted had mothers who also had treatment for mental health issues. Although I would have expected Anne’s early life to be simply told in a documentary; here I would have liked far more information about her early life. We know that she had one daughter who, understandably, does not wish to discuss her mother – but there is really very little information about her childhood, her siblings or anyone who knew her.
We really get to know Anne in the 1950’s when she is teaching yoga and is targeting middle aged, mainly wealthy women, and begins to make some influential contacts. She was considered by her followers to be a reincarnation of Jesus and was glamorous and charismatic, whose third husband became a co-conspirator in her cult. Gradually, the cult began to target children. Anne and her followers helped organise adoptions and the children were told that they were siblings and, bizarrely, had their hair dyed blonde (or most did). As the children got older, it seems that Anne and the ‘aunties’ that were largely in charge of them began to lose control. Previously, they had wielded iron discipline – with strict time-tables, physical punishment and the withholding of food as forms of control.
The book then goes on to the police involvement in the cult, the allegations of the children and the attempts to bring justice to the victims. However, the book lacks a coherence and is emotive, rather than presenting any real facts or evidence. Obviously, it is difficult to get to the bottom of the allegations and the police, and legal case, against the cult were badly handled. Still, I really felt at the end of this book that I still really had very little knowledge about why Anne Hamilton-Byrne felt the need to control so many people, in particular children, and yet was rarely actually there. I did feel that much of the reasons behind her behaviour lay in her childhood and yet this was not properly explored. Overall, an interesting, but frustrating, read.
Rated 2.5
December 2, 2016
Having studied the notorious Australian cult "The Family" via several sources, I found this to be the most comprehensive account I've come across. I learned several new things about the cult, as the authors draw upon the testimonies of everyone involved; the cult leader herself, Anne Hamilton-Byrne; the children she abused; present and ex-cult members; the investigating police officers, and Dr Raynor Johnson whom she captivated in her "master-stroke" and upon whose mantle of respectability she relied, as she developed her cult. I also recently watched the BBC TV documentary Storyville: "The Cult That Stole Children" and this too fully fleshes out the story from all sides.
I met Dr Raynor Johnson myself, in 1976 in London, and having listened to him lecture, I too was entranced by his teachings, as expressed in his many books. I now know those teachings to have been derived from Anne Hamilton-Byrne. I had until recently tended to think of him as a kindly professor who was indoctrinated and used by Anne, and was unaware of her cruelty and abuse, but now I think he was aware of her criminal activities, and the level of her mind-control put him into a state of denial.
Having read this book, you will become aware of the full scale of the deception and folly Anne practised, and the cruel and manipulative control she exercised over the lives of many. The story also serves as a shameful indictment of the Australian justice system, which failed and betrayed her victims, and allowed her to live freely with a small fine, insignificant in comparison with the vast wealth she had accumulated from followers.
I did feel the structure of the book was slightly unsatisfactory and this may be because of the large number of named individuals who are constantly introduced, and the fact that the authors gave full rein to the verbose and rambling testimonies of some. These could have been sharply edited for more impact. I also sometimes felt an odd "woolliness" in the account, a lack of resolve and clarity, almost as if her mind control is still operating over all those who concentrate on her. In one respect, from reading the story it might even seem as if the younger Anne was simply a good yoga teacher who went astray. She discovered her beauty and charisma were effective tools she could use to make people do what she wanted, and she fell in love with control and power. Of course the reality behind all this was far deeper and more disturbing.
However, at the end the authors sum up Anne very deftly: "She invented a religion from a kitbag of delusions and known theosophical tropes at the perfect time in the perfect place and she appointed herself in charge. She gave herself magical powers. She drove Jaguars and Daimlers and wore sophisticated red dresses and high heels. She plied people with LSD to make them believe her."
Finally, a very astute observation can also be found in Film Ireland's review of the newly released film "The Family": "evil and abuse masked by the cloth of goodness and (non-official) religion flourishes everywhere in the world."
I met Dr Raynor Johnson myself, in 1976 in London, and having listened to him lecture, I too was entranced by his teachings, as expressed in his many books. I now know those teachings to have been derived from Anne Hamilton-Byrne. I had until recently tended to think of him as a kindly professor who was indoctrinated and used by Anne, and was unaware of her cruelty and abuse, but now I think he was aware of her criminal activities, and the level of her mind-control put him into a state of denial.
Having read this book, you will become aware of the full scale of the deception and folly Anne practised, and the cruel and manipulative control she exercised over the lives of many. The story also serves as a shameful indictment of the Australian justice system, which failed and betrayed her victims, and allowed her to live freely with a small fine, insignificant in comparison with the vast wealth she had accumulated from followers.
I did feel the structure of the book was slightly unsatisfactory and this may be because of the large number of named individuals who are constantly introduced, and the fact that the authors gave full rein to the verbose and rambling testimonies of some. These could have been sharply edited for more impact. I also sometimes felt an odd "woolliness" in the account, a lack of resolve and clarity, almost as if her mind control is still operating over all those who concentrate on her. In one respect, from reading the story it might even seem as if the younger Anne was simply a good yoga teacher who went astray. She discovered her beauty and charisma were effective tools she could use to make people do what she wanted, and she fell in love with control and power. Of course the reality behind all this was far deeper and more disturbing.
However, at the end the authors sum up Anne very deftly: "She invented a religion from a kitbag of delusions and known theosophical tropes at the perfect time in the perfect place and she appointed herself in charge. She gave herself magical powers. She drove Jaguars and Daimlers and wore sophisticated red dresses and high heels. She plied people with LSD to make them believe her."
Finally, a very astute observation can also be found in Film Ireland's review of the newly released film "The Family": "evil and abuse masked by the cloth of goodness and (non-official) religion flourishes everywhere in the world."
April 1, 2017
WARNINGS: Child abuse, forced adoptions, neglect, LSD dosing, cult.
January 12, 2022
I am a huge fan of true crime and investigative journalism. I hear the word “cult” and my ears automatically ping and tune in.
This book was horrifying and yet I couldn’t put it down.
What happened to these poor children was awful. Johnston and Jones really creeped me out in this. For all the information they had, despite a few missing pieces that have gone to the graves of the perpetrators, this book was a fantastic read.
I think my interest mostly lied within the day to day lives of the cult and the poor children. The law / court stuff was a bit of a bore for me.
My heart goes out to all the exploited people in this story.
This book was horrifying and yet I couldn’t put it down.
What happened to these poor children was awful. Johnston and Jones really creeped me out in this. For all the information they had, despite a few missing pieces that have gone to the graves of the perpetrators, this book was a fantastic read.
I think my interest mostly lied within the day to day lives of the cult and the poor children. The law / court stuff was a bit of a bore for me.
My heart goes out to all the exploited people in this story.
March 6, 2025
Didn’t investigate any motivation.
August 23, 2018
|This book was won in a Goodreads Giveaway|
This is a cult that I hadn't heard about before--granted, I don't know much about cults beyond the Big Ones, more specifically the Big American Ones--and I was extremely excited to read more about it, especially since this isn't a cult that LPOTL hasn't done an episode on, so I didn't have that knowledge swimming around while reading this.
And this... shit, man, this is intense. Obviously. But on a more writing-centered, book-centered, story-centered note.... it was very well written. This is maybe one of the most engaging true crime books I've read lately, while still being supremely informative. It caught me and all I could do was sit back in horror and read about the terrible things that happened to these kids. Anne Hamilton-Byrne may be a rare female cult leader, but other than her sex, there is very little separating her from the heavy hitters we really think about when we think about cult leaders. She is textbook cult leader.
This is a cult that I hadn't heard about before--granted, I don't know much about cults beyond the Big Ones, more specifically the Big American Ones--and I was extremely excited to read more about it, especially since this isn't a cult that LPOTL hasn't done an episode on, so I didn't have that knowledge swimming around while reading this.
And this... shit, man, this is intense. Obviously. But on a more writing-centered, book-centered, story-centered note.... it was very well written. This is maybe one of the most engaging true crime books I've read lately, while still being supremely informative. It caught me and all I could do was sit back in horror and read about the terrible things that happened to these kids. Anne Hamilton-Byrne may be a rare female cult leader, but other than her sex, there is very little separating her from the heavy hitters we really think about when we think about cult leaders. She is textbook cult leader.
September 29, 2017
I read this book, which I bought after seeing co-author Rosie Jones on a panel at the Brisbane Writers Festival, soon after I'd finished Sarah Hamilton-Byrne's memoir Unseen, Unheard, Unknown. Hamilton-Byrne's book told her story about growing up in The Family so it was interesting to learn more about this cult from a different perspective.
Johnston and Jones' non-fiction book is more focused on the police investigation into the empire created by cult leader Anne Hamilton-Byrne. There is some information about the cult leader's early life, which gives a little insight into what formed the adult woman who was able charm her way into convincing people she was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. It sounds ridiculous and unbelievable, but she was able to influence hundreds of people, many of them wealthy, into believing her (and handing over their money). There are still loyal followers today who continue to believe Hamilton-Byrne is a god, despite the fact she has dementia and living in a nursing home.
Hamilton-Byrne created a labyrinth of lies and legal mess, and at times it is hard to follow who is doing what in this complicated true story. But what The Family does well is reveal the true extent of the damage caused by this one woman, and the followers who were under her spell. Hamilton-Byrne was responsible for fake adoptions, child abuse, and causing ongoing trauma from which some -particularly the children she illegally took into her "care" - have never recovered.
I was sad to read at the end of The Family that Sarah Hamilton-Byrne (also known as Sarah Moore), who was the first of The Family's "children" to break free of the cult and lead the way for others to escape, died in 2016. She had struggled throughout her adult life but nonetheless managed to study medicine, and worked as a doctor for many years. Sarah was a brave woman, the complete antithesis to the evil Anne Hamilton-Byrne who (until her mind deteriorated with dementia to the point that she was unable to express herself rationally) remained unrepentant.
The Family is a complicated but well-researched look into this fascinating and bizarre cult, which flourished in part due to the help of well-connected and prominent members of Melbourne society. Highly recommended for those who enjoy good investigative journalism and insights into what makes a religious cult tick.
Johnston and Jones' non-fiction book is more focused on the police investigation into the empire created by cult leader Anne Hamilton-Byrne. There is some information about the cult leader's early life, which gives a little insight into what formed the adult woman who was able charm her way into convincing people she was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. It sounds ridiculous and unbelievable, but she was able to influence hundreds of people, many of them wealthy, into believing her (and handing over their money). There are still loyal followers today who continue to believe Hamilton-Byrne is a god, despite the fact she has dementia and living in a nursing home.
Hamilton-Byrne created a labyrinth of lies and legal mess, and at times it is hard to follow who is doing what in this complicated true story. But what The Family does well is reveal the true extent of the damage caused by this one woman, and the followers who were under her spell. Hamilton-Byrne was responsible for fake adoptions, child abuse, and causing ongoing trauma from which some -particularly the children she illegally took into her "care" - have never recovered.
I was sad to read at the end of The Family that Sarah Hamilton-Byrne (also known as Sarah Moore), who was the first of The Family's "children" to break free of the cult and lead the way for others to escape, died in 2016. She had struggled throughout her adult life but nonetheless managed to study medicine, and worked as a doctor for many years. Sarah was a brave woman, the complete antithesis to the evil Anne Hamilton-Byrne who (until her mind deteriorated with dementia to the point that she was unable to express herself rationally) remained unrepentant.
The Family is a complicated but well-researched look into this fascinating and bizarre cult, which flourished in part due to the help of well-connected and prominent members of Melbourne society. Highly recommended for those who enjoy good investigative journalism and insights into what makes a religious cult tick.
October 11, 2017
Disturbing and intriguing story, but the writing was so disorganized that it greatly took away from the desire to read this book. The timelines and characters being discussed did not follow any particular pattern and went back & forth. As such I kept putting it down and started several other books in between. The people affected in this story is a tragedy. If nothing else, this book did shed light on their plight, I just wish it flowed better.
August 3, 2018
I wanted to read this before I watched the doco, but it was so disorganised and all over the place. I struggled through 25% and then got a refund 😞
Read
March 12, 2020I BOUGHT THIS BOOK ABOUT THIS WEIRD LOLSTRALIAN CULT AND IT'S JUST SO BADLY WRITTEN. I'M SO DISAPPOINTED.
I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT. IT WAS SUPER DULL AND RAMBLING.
I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT. IT WAS SUPER DULL AND RAMBLING.
Read
May 18, 2018The Family is remarkably clear-sighted. The writers have a gift for temperate yet compelling prose that unflinchingly reveals the delusions and unreflective righteousness of much of what emerged from the counterculture. In this book, the best of what journalism should be – honest, unsentimental, incisive – is combined with the craft and storytelling skills of born writers.
Christos Tsiolkas
Harrowing but humane. An extraordinary story, impeccably researched.
Martin McKenzie-Murray
Immaculately researched ... This important book looks at how (and asks why) these abuses happened, defying the cult’s motto: “unseen, unheard, unknown”.
Readings
It’s a remarkable [story]: hair-raising, unfathomable and deeply disturbing.
Irish Independent
A powerful work of investigative journalism ... pieced together in exacting detail.
Reading Matters
[A] compelling account of one of Australia’s most notorious cults … The authors trace the extraordinary life of a woman who operated ‘‘at the edges of human belief’’.
The Saturday Age
Everyone loves a good cult story. And they don't come much better. This is the gripping story behind one of the strangest, most fascinating episodes in Australian history.
GQ
Christos Tsiolkas
Harrowing but humane. An extraordinary story, impeccably researched.
Martin McKenzie-Murray
Immaculately researched ... This important book looks at how (and asks why) these abuses happened, defying the cult’s motto: “unseen, unheard, unknown”.
Readings
It’s a remarkable [story]: hair-raising, unfathomable and deeply disturbing.
Irish Independent
A powerful work of investigative journalism ... pieced together in exacting detail.
Reading Matters
[A] compelling account of one of Australia’s most notorious cults … The authors trace the extraordinary life of a woman who operated ‘‘at the edges of human belief’’.
The Saturday Age
Everyone loves a good cult story. And they don't come much better. This is the gripping story behind one of the strangest, most fascinating episodes in Australian history.
GQ
December 7, 2019
3.5 stars. This was an in depth account of the havoc wreaked by the now deceased Anne Hamilton-Byrne on many vulnerable individuals, including children. It is still hard to comprehend how she managed to recruit so many educated professional people into her cult, and get them to do her bidding. Though the story was well told, my only gripe was that there should have been some type of glossary or family tree at the beginning of this, as it got confusing as to who was who whenever somebody new was introduced throughout the chapters. This would have strengthened this book overall.
August 21, 2023
Trigger warnings: child abuse, drug use, forced drug use, mental health, death, cult, violence, bullying.
I've known little bits and pieces about The Family for years - and I have no idea why tbh - so I was hoping that this would give me a better insight into what actually went on and how the children in particular were impacted. And, like, YES? Technically, it gave me that?? But it felt like it focused far more on Anne Hamilton-Byrne and how she was eventually arrested and where she is now over the experiences of the children she controlled. And on the one hand, I understand that they don't have to speak about their experiences. But it felt like it focused more on the perpetrator than the victims, and that's not the way I like my true crime.
I've known little bits and pieces about The Family for years - and I have no idea why tbh - so I was hoping that this would give me a better insight into what actually went on and how the children in particular were impacted. And, like, YES? Technically, it gave me that?? But it felt like it focused far more on Anne Hamilton-Byrne and how she was eventually arrested and where she is now over the experiences of the children she controlled. And on the one hand, I understand that they don't have to speak about their experiences. But it felt like it focused more on the perpetrator than the victims, and that's not the way I like my true crime.
April 26, 2017
I can't believe this all actually happened. Just extraordinary.
December 27, 2025
Poorly organized and such an enormous cast of characters that it’s nearly impossible to keep everyone straight.
March 25, 2020
The Family is the story of the notorious religious cult based in the mountain ranges surrounding the city of Melbourne, Australia. It began as a combination of yoga classes and the followings of Indian gurus by Anne Hamilton-Byrne who over time began to rubbish the ideals of the gurus and started to believe that she was Jesus Christ revisited – or so she says.
Unfortunately there is not a lot that can be believed that comes from Anne’s mouth – to put it simply she became a power hungry, self -obsessed cult leader and The family were her following. As with most cults there is a form of brainwashing and this is how Anne excelled. She gathered adult followers and played on their weaknesses of self doubt, relationship breakdowns, the loss of a loved one or simply a lost soul. She became their saviour and began to manipulate them to bring them into a cult where they agreed, at times, to divorce and marry a new partner, bare children and give them to Anne or adopt abandoned children from major hospitals under false names complete with false documentation provided by Anne.
The adults all lived relatively close to each other in a group of streets in the mountain top town of Ferny Creek. The Family also had halls and congregation centres here but unlike some other cults, they were relatively free to come and go. There was no big wire-fenced commune and most held regular day jobs.
The children were sent to a camp called Upton situated near the inland Eildon lake a couple of hundred kilometres away. There they were ‘looked after’ by some women from the cult that they children called Aunties. These Aunties were more or less a strict group of women, not afraid to meter out any punishments deemed fit by Anne or her Husband Bill. It was from this camp that some of the young girls escaped leading to what would eventually be the downfall of the Family.
The book goes into detail of the happenings and beliefs of the cult to show the unkind and harsh conditions the kids had to endure, and some of the adults as well. However, the bulk of the book focuses on the investigation into the Family and bringing those responsible to justice while setting free the children and getting them the help they needed. Anne and Bill’s pull on the children cannot be underestimated as even after all of the abuse at their hands many of the children still believed she was the messiah and they denounced the others that turned to give statements to police.
A very in depth and well researched insight into the inner workings of a cult and the deluded nature of its leader. Perhaps not as far reaching as Scientology or Jonestown but the Family still exists in a smaller version today although the days of Anne and Bill Hamilton-Byrne are long gone.
Unfortunately there is not a lot that can be believed that comes from Anne’s mouth – to put it simply she became a power hungry, self -obsessed cult leader and The family were her following. As with most cults there is a form of brainwashing and this is how Anne excelled. She gathered adult followers and played on their weaknesses of self doubt, relationship breakdowns, the loss of a loved one or simply a lost soul. She became their saviour and began to manipulate them to bring them into a cult where they agreed, at times, to divorce and marry a new partner, bare children and give them to Anne or adopt abandoned children from major hospitals under false names complete with false documentation provided by Anne.
The adults all lived relatively close to each other in a group of streets in the mountain top town of Ferny Creek. The Family also had halls and congregation centres here but unlike some other cults, they were relatively free to come and go. There was no big wire-fenced commune and most held regular day jobs.
The children were sent to a camp called Upton situated near the inland Eildon lake a couple of hundred kilometres away. There they were ‘looked after’ by some women from the cult that they children called Aunties. These Aunties were more or less a strict group of women, not afraid to meter out any punishments deemed fit by Anne or her Husband Bill. It was from this camp that some of the young girls escaped leading to what would eventually be the downfall of the Family.
The book goes into detail of the happenings and beliefs of the cult to show the unkind and harsh conditions the kids had to endure, and some of the adults as well. However, the bulk of the book focuses on the investigation into the Family and bringing those responsible to justice while setting free the children and getting them the help they needed. Anne and Bill’s pull on the children cannot be underestimated as even after all of the abuse at their hands many of the children still believed she was the messiah and they denounced the others that turned to give statements to police.
A very in depth and well researched insight into the inner workings of a cult and the deluded nature of its leader. Perhaps not as far reaching as Scientology or Jonestown but the Family still exists in a smaller version today although the days of Anne and Bill Hamilton-Byrne are long gone.
May 8, 2019
If you are like me and had never heard of the family before, then this book is your absolute go to guide.
"The Family" by Chris Johnston and Rosie Jones, is a thorough investigation into Ann Hamilton-Byrne, a cult leader and messiah in her own mind, who initiated what later became known as The Family, a cult in the Eildon area of Victoria, Australia. Adopting children in shady deals and accumulating wealth from her stronghold of followers, Anne created a group of people who believed she was the second coming of Jesus Christ, of property and land assets accumulating today in 10 million dollars and of a group of children, whose hair was forcibly bleached blonde and who had to dress the same for Anne to continue her illusion. This book follows those children in their escape from Anne's clutches and the police's dogged pursuit to bring any sort of justice to those whose lives Anne destroyed.
In the beginning, these chapters seemed strangely set up to me, with the escape from Uptop (The cults home for the children) ending the second chapter. I had expected, like so many movies and books before, that this would be a climatic moment, better saved for the end of the book.
How wrong I was.
This book does something unique by putting the escape in the early chapters of the book. It means that there is no "Happily Ever After" that we have become so accustomed to in such plots. Instead, it shines a light on what TRULY happens after these children escaped their captivity and truthfully, what happens after is in some ways, just as bad as the cult itself.
This book shows the real truth of what happens when a child raised in captivity is released and what happens to them for the long years after that release. It also pursued the police's dogged and excruciating study of this case in an attempt to convict Anne for all the wrongdoings that had occurred in the family.
One of the characters in the book states that no one is just a victim or just evil, that Anne blurred the lines for all those involved and this book strongly encapsulates that blurring.
Who is good and who is bad?
And perhaps, more importantly, how do these people so tied up as they were, forgive this person as they did?
A stunning look into the police work that surrounded the Family as well as the intricate workings of the cult itself.
It was an incredible read and I would highly recommend this to anyone into true crime or autobiography or even someone who might remember these events as they took place.
5/5 stars does not do this book justice.
"The Family" by Chris Johnston and Rosie Jones, is a thorough investigation into Ann Hamilton-Byrne, a cult leader and messiah in her own mind, who initiated what later became known as The Family, a cult in the Eildon area of Victoria, Australia. Adopting children in shady deals and accumulating wealth from her stronghold of followers, Anne created a group of people who believed she was the second coming of Jesus Christ, of property and land assets accumulating today in 10 million dollars and of a group of children, whose hair was forcibly bleached blonde and who had to dress the same for Anne to continue her illusion. This book follows those children in their escape from Anne's clutches and the police's dogged pursuit to bring any sort of justice to those whose lives Anne destroyed.
In the beginning, these chapters seemed strangely set up to me, with the escape from Uptop (The cults home for the children) ending the second chapter. I had expected, like so many movies and books before, that this would be a climatic moment, better saved for the end of the book.
How wrong I was.
This book does something unique by putting the escape in the early chapters of the book. It means that there is no "Happily Ever After" that we have become so accustomed to in such plots. Instead, it shines a light on what TRULY happens after these children escaped their captivity and truthfully, what happens after is in some ways, just as bad as the cult itself.
This book shows the real truth of what happens when a child raised in captivity is released and what happens to them for the long years after that release. It also pursued the police's dogged and excruciating study of this case in an attempt to convict Anne for all the wrongdoings that had occurred in the family.
One of the characters in the book states that no one is just a victim or just evil, that Anne blurred the lines for all those involved and this book strongly encapsulates that blurring.
Who is good and who is bad?
And perhaps, more importantly, how do these people so tied up as they were, forgive this person as they did?
A stunning look into the police work that surrounded the Family as well as the intricate workings of the cult itself.
It was an incredible read and I would highly recommend this to anyone into true crime or autobiography or even someone who might remember these events as they took place.
5/5 stars does not do this book justice.
January 22, 2021
DNF. I wanted to like this book... I really, really did. I mean, after all it about a CULT! But this book was so hard to follow. There was no rhyme or reason to the chronology of events or introduction of characters, and the writing was really hard to follow. Kinda bummed... I never DNF books... ugh!
March 22, 2017
This book is complete mumbo jumbo. There is no proper timeline just strange accounts of random people of some whispered abuse
I dont know how you could make such a fascinating subject so incredibly boring
I did not finish this and i wasted $12 on it grrrrrr
I dont know how you could make such a fascinating subject so incredibly boring
I did not finish this and i wasted $12 on it grrrrrr
November 20, 2021
An excellent and well researched account of The Family, a Melbourne based cult led by self-proclaimed guru Anne Hamilton-Byrne. This gripping read reminds us how seemingly bright and normal people can be drawn into quasi-religious nut-baggery. Fascinating and disturbing read.
May 5, 2017
Heartbreaking.
October 16, 2023
A wonderfully written saga with information sourced directly & presented from an objective perspective.
August 5, 2024
Interesting story, but Painfully written. Very hard to follow.
June 17, 2017
I was unaware of this story, but as soon as I learned of it it took hold of me. I guess because I'm about the same age as some of the older child victims, and because my mother was also a yoga teacher who was very much into the spiritual side of things. I mean, thank goodness she didn't run away and join an ashram or anything, but I certainly had some interesting experiences during my formative years.
Anyway, the book was written chronologically with an explanation of how things started, how they escalated, and how they were allowed to continue. It was a different era, when there was less scrutiny over mental health treatments, adoptions, and international travel -- all of which contributed to this story unfolding as it did.
Although the book was well-written in terms of letting people have their own say, where possible (and where they agreed to talk to the authors) I feel the book would have benefitted from some type of reference summaries -- for example, a timeline, and, most especially, a list of all the people mentioned in the book with a brief explanation of who they were, how they were related to the sect, and what other names they were known by.
Still, it was a very comprehensive book, and I feel I have gone from zero knowledge to extensive knowledge in the small amount of time it took me to read it. (Not that it's a short book; it just kept me interested so I was able to read quickly.)
Anyway, the book was written chronologically with an explanation of how things started, how they escalated, and how they were allowed to continue. It was a different era, when there was less scrutiny over mental health treatments, adoptions, and international travel -- all of which contributed to this story unfolding as it did.
Although the book was well-written in terms of letting people have their own say, where possible (and where they agreed to talk to the authors) I feel the book would have benefitted from some type of reference summaries -- for example, a timeline, and, most especially, a list of all the people mentioned in the book with a brief explanation of who they were, how they were related to the sect, and what other names they were known by.
Still, it was a very comprehensive book, and I feel I have gone from zero knowledge to extensive knowledge in the small amount of time it took me to read it. (Not that it's a short book; it just kept me interested so I was able to read quickly.)
March 17, 2018
An extremely interesting book about an Australian cult, lead unusually by a woman. I found the connection between Anne Hamilton-Byrnes and Swami Muktananda, who was also alive at the time, particularly interesting. The book does its best to explain how Anne became a cult leader and manipulated so many people so effectively, but I was still left feeling frustrated. I guess it's a bit like any relationship between two people or a marriage - unless you're actually inside it, it's kind of hard to understand or feel what it's like from the outside. In any event, the things that the cult did which can be observed are quite intriguing in themselves - illegally adopting other people's children, using LSD and using LSD to deliberately brainwash people. Fascinating stuff.
March 22, 2018
Deeply boring analysis of a cult that appeared to start as a yoga group. Having recently finished The Road to Jonestown by Jeff Guinn, I felt that this work made the leader and her believers feel totally irrelevant. I finished Guinn's book with a disquieting knowledge that I might, too, have succumbed, but Johnston's work left me feeling nothing but derision. Yes, I felt empathy with the kids, but as a survivor of child abuse myself, the religious element felt unimportant within the overall concept.
January 14, 2020
The Family is an Australian New Age group formed in the mid-1960s under the leadership of yoga teacher Anne Hamilton-Byrne. A deluded individual, Hamilton-Byrne, claiming to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ, is responsible for so much in her time as the leader of this twisted little sect.
The manipulation of grown adults; the way she so easily convinced them to leave their partners, change careers, give up the rights to their property, the rights to their children! & so much more, boggles the mind. But the actions that these adults then took towards innocent, unsuspecting children were abhorrent and truly unforgivable.
Sham adoptions, forged documents, changes in identity, abuse in the form of LSD, beatings, starvation, drowning, along with the unwavering emotional & psychological manipulation – to her dying day Anne & her followers showed no remorse for these actions, while the children are still living with the consequences.
This novel attempts to shed light on details from inside the houses in the hills and Uptop, along with providing an insight into the multiple investigations and roadblocks along the way. And for the most part, the authors have succeeded. The reader is provided with the history of the cult and its members, along with details of the investigation that may have been previously unknown, but a lot of it felt very “surface level” and I didn’t quite get the emotional attachment I was expecting.
Unfortunately, it is also written in a way that is hard to follow. With so many names involved in a case like this, the writing and timeline need to be fluid and I found myself getting lost and confused as the narrative jumped all over the place.
One thing was clear though – the dedication showed by key detectives involved in the case. Hamilton-Byrne avoided prosecution for the majority of her crimes, partly because of the many failures to investigate adequately in the early days – a combination of sympathisers in positions of power and others simply with their heads in the sand made Anne untouchable – but those involved in Operation Forest were unwavering in their commitment to seeking justice for these children
The manipulation of grown adults; the way she so easily convinced them to leave their partners, change careers, give up the rights to their property, the rights to their children! & so much more, boggles the mind. But the actions that these adults then took towards innocent, unsuspecting children were abhorrent and truly unforgivable.
Sham adoptions, forged documents, changes in identity, abuse in the form of LSD, beatings, starvation, drowning, along with the unwavering emotional & psychological manipulation – to her dying day Anne & her followers showed no remorse for these actions, while the children are still living with the consequences.
This novel attempts to shed light on details from inside the houses in the hills and Uptop, along with providing an insight into the multiple investigations and roadblocks along the way. And for the most part, the authors have succeeded. The reader is provided with the history of the cult and its members, along with details of the investigation that may have been previously unknown, but a lot of it felt very “surface level” and I didn’t quite get the emotional attachment I was expecting.
Unfortunately, it is also written in a way that is hard to follow. With so many names involved in a case like this, the writing and timeline need to be fluid and I found myself getting lost and confused as the narrative jumped all over the place.
One thing was clear though – the dedication showed by key detectives involved in the case. Hamilton-Byrne avoided prosecution for the majority of her crimes, partly because of the many failures to investigate adequately in the early days – a combination of sympathisers in positions of power and others simply with their heads in the sand made Anne untouchable – but those involved in Operation Forest were unwavering in their commitment to seeking justice for these children
January 1, 2018
This book was about a person I find fascinating, as powerful personalities that wield influence to make otherwise good people act awfully are, well, interesting. And when in unusual skin (a good looking, relatively uneducated Australian woman) the story is guaranteed to have fascinating bits of humanity. Sadly, the clinical tone of the author and the inability of Anne to speak for herself really hobbled the potential this had.
December 31, 2017
Interesting read
I have always wondered how people can follow a person that is clearly a charlatan. It is still baffling to me how someone claiming to be God can mistreat children, scam for money and still have seemingly normal adults follow them. This story will blow your mind....
I have always wondered how people can follow a person that is clearly a charlatan. It is still baffling to me how someone claiming to be God can mistreat children, scam for money and still have seemingly normal adults follow them. This story will blow your mind....
September 19, 2020
Perhaps the cult has been very elusive and information scant, but this book appears to only skim the surface. There were lots of characters involved and it was getting chaotic trying to remember who’s who. It doesn’t describe the atrocities of the crimes very well either and it’s difficult to understand how evil Anne Hamilton-Byrne was.
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