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The World's Most Evil Cults
From the back — How do cult leaders establish intellectual, physical, spiritual and sexual control over their followers -- and what are the ends to which this is put? Read how the charismatic megalomaniacs who lead cults often pit themselves against the rest of the world, amassing weapons ahead of an apocalyptic showdown -- sometimes going on the offensive to bring forward Armageddon. For others, the goal seems to be some form or another of mass suicide.FASCINATING CASE STUDIES Jones and the People's TempleWhy did 914 members of Jim Jones' People's Temple commit mass suicide by drinking cyanide-laced Kool-Aid in their remote jungle compound in Guyana?The Order of the Solar TempleWhy did fifty-three people in several chalets in Switzerland and Canada commit suicide simultaneously, using fire, having already killed their children?Joseph Kibwetere and the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten CommandmentsWho locked the doors and boarded up the windows before setting fire to the Movement's small, wooden church in Kanungu, Uganda, with 500 Members inside?Yahweh Ben Yahweh and the Temple of LoveWhat led Hulon Michell Jr to believe that African-Americans were the true Jews, living in the land of the "white devils" that cult members would kill as their initiantion?
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
9 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Peter Haining
331 books99 followersPeter Alexander Haining was an English journalist, author and anthologist who lived and worked in Suffolk. Born in Enfield, Middlesex, he began his career as a reporter in Essex and then moved to London where he worked on a trade magazine before joining the publishing house of New English Library.
Haining achieved the position of Editorial Director before becoming a full time writer in the early Seventies. He edited a large number of anthologies, predominantly of horror and fantasy short stories, wrote non-fiction books on a variety of topics from the Channel Tunnel to Sweeney Todd and also used the pen names "Ric Alexander" and "Richard Peyton" on a number of crime story anthologies. In the Seventies he wrote three novels, including The Hero (1973), which was optioned for filming.
In two controversial books, Haining argued that Sweeney Todd was a real historical figure who committed his crimes around 1800, was tried in December 1801, and was hanged in January 1802. However, other researchers who have tried to verify his citations find nothing in these sources to back Haining's claims. A check of the website Old Bailey at for "Associated Records 1674-1834" for an alleged trial in December 1801 and hanging of Sweeney Todd for January 1802 show no reference; in fact the only murder trial for this period is that of a Governor/Lt Col. Joseph Wall who was hanged 28 January 1802 for killing a Benjamin Armstrong 10 July 1782 in "Goree" Africa and the discharge of a Humphrey White in January 1802. Strong reservations have also been expressed regarding the reliability of another of Haining's influential non-fiction works, The Legend and Bizarre Crimes of Spring Heeled Jack.
He wrote several reference books on Doctor Who, including the 20th anniversary special Doctor Who: A Celebration Two Decades Through Time and Space (1983), and also wrote the definitive study of Sherlock Holmes on the screen, The Television Sherlock Holmes (1991) and several other television tie-ins featuring famous literary characters, including Maigret, Poirot and James Bond. Peter Haining's most recent project was a series of World War Two stories based on extensive research and personal interviews: The Jail That Went To Sea (2003), The Mystery of Rommel's Gold (2004), Where The Eagle Landed (2004), The Chianti Raiders (2005) and The Banzai Hunters (2007).
He won the British Fantasy Awards Karl Edward Wagner Award in 2001.
Haining achieved the position of Editorial Director before becoming a full time writer in the early Seventies. He edited a large number of anthologies, predominantly of horror and fantasy short stories, wrote non-fiction books on a variety of topics from the Channel Tunnel to Sweeney Todd and also used the pen names "Ric Alexander" and "Richard Peyton" on a number of crime story anthologies. In the Seventies he wrote three novels, including The Hero (1973), which was optioned for filming.
In two controversial books, Haining argued that Sweeney Todd was a real historical figure who committed his crimes around 1800, was tried in December 1801, and was hanged in January 1802. However, other researchers who have tried to verify his citations find nothing in these sources to back Haining's claims. A check of the website Old Bailey at for "Associated Records 1674-1834" for an alleged trial in December 1801 and hanging of Sweeney Todd for January 1802 show no reference; in fact the only murder trial for this period is that of a Governor/Lt Col. Joseph Wall who was hanged 28 January 1802 for killing a Benjamin Armstrong 10 July 1782 in "Goree" Africa and the discharge of a Humphrey White in January 1802. Strong reservations have also been expressed regarding the reliability of another of Haining's influential non-fiction works, The Legend and Bizarre Crimes of Spring Heeled Jack.
He wrote several reference books on Doctor Who, including the 20th anniversary special Doctor Who: A Celebration Two Decades Through Time and Space (1983), and also wrote the definitive study of Sherlock Holmes on the screen, The Television Sherlock Holmes (1991) and several other television tie-ins featuring famous literary characters, including Maigret, Poirot and James Bond. Peter Haining's most recent project was a series of World War Two stories based on extensive research and personal interviews: The Jail That Went To Sea (2003), The Mystery of Rommel's Gold (2004), Where The Eagle Landed (2004), The Chianti Raiders (2005) and The Banzai Hunters (2007).
He won the British Fantasy Awards Karl Edward Wagner Award in 2001.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 18, 2015
if you love Jerry Springer with the crazy unrealistic stories. than you will love this book so so much.
I've only started to read this book, and I am not sure if I will finish it. it's not at all what I thought it was going to be and I am not enjoying the book.
I believe the author of this book, found people who would tell him what he wanted to hear.
Then presented their stories as fact, proof that the Hollywood image of covens and Satanist are in fact true.
At one point he shares a storie form an informant about her experience.
She was reportedly interviewed than plopped right into the middle of some elaborate ritual. after witnessing a rape she was simply allowed to leave with a few words of I won't tell anyone.
Overall I have to say this is a foolish book.
I've only started to read this book, and I am not sure if I will finish it. it's not at all what I thought it was going to be and I am not enjoying the book.
I believe the author of this book, found people who would tell him what he wanted to hear.
Then presented their stories as fact, proof that the Hollywood image of covens and Satanist are in fact true.
At one point he shares a storie form an informant about her experience.
She was reportedly interviewed than plopped right into the middle of some elaborate ritual. after witnessing a rape she was simply allowed to leave with a few words of I won't tell anyone.
Overall I have to say this is a foolish book.
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May 16, 2020Kokoelma muutamien aukeamien mittaisia true-crime-tarinoita, tosielämän satuja. Kirjoitettu tomwolfemaiseen reportaasityyliin. Ei sisällä analyysejä tai laajempaa pohdintaa. Mukavaa iltaluettavaa nuorille ja aikuisille.
November 7, 2021
Trash. This guy. This "author". He may be under the impression that anyone who participates in anything other than basic white boy sex is a member of a cult.
Take your clothes off knowing full well the neighbor is looking in your window? Cult.
Riding your boyfriend's tinky winky whilst drinking wine and spilling it from the sides of your mouth, dripping down your chest? Cult.
Doggystyle? Cult.
Consensual sex between a man and a woman in any location other than your bedroom? Cult.
You like your nipple pinched? Devil worshipping cultist. Doomed.
Throw this book out and join a cult.
Take your clothes off knowing full well the neighbor is looking in your window? Cult.
Riding your boyfriend's tinky winky whilst drinking wine and spilling it from the sides of your mouth, dripping down your chest? Cult.
Doggystyle? Cult.
Consensual sex between a man and a woman in any location other than your bedroom? Cult.
You like your nipple pinched? Devil worshipping cultist. Doomed.
Throw this book out and join a cult.
March 3, 2016
I found this book interesting at the start, but I really started to struggle the the time I was three quarters of the way through. It seemed as if the author was really having a hard time to find interesting cult stories. Many of the stories seemed repetitive. There were a lot of typos in the book as well, which really turned me off, as well overuse of the dash which nearly drove me mad.
March 5, 2014
In The Rasputin Sect chapter, he wrote, "... although stories that he raped a lot of women seem ludicrous in the light of how many females were more than willing to submit to his advances."
I thought this was very naive, especially from a journalist.
I thought this was very naive, especially from a journalist.
July 18, 2019
An entertaining read, providing a broad and interesting expanse of various cults in a various countries. All these chosen stories provided a worthwhile overview and understanding of the cult leader's general motivations (disenfranchisement, narcissism etc); and of the basic elements and modus operandi of the cults they lead (cults usually present a common enemy or a devastating future event compelling immediate loyalty and action e.g. persecution and an apocalypse); and usually entails polygamy for the leader's gratification and for quick propagation of cult-growing offspring). However, there were numerous problems with Haining's prose. There were no footnotes, therefore no means of verifying accuracy; stories were brief and scant on details; and the book's layout was chaotic (no introduction or conclusion; no order or grouping according to time frame, country or cult-type). This gave a potentially promising book an overall flavour of shoddy, lazy, half-completeness.
June 4, 2021
Interesting book, slowly got more boring as the book went along, however, it's the first book that I have finished within a short amount of time recently so it must have been vaguely interesting. I enjoyed the Satanic cults at the beginning, expecting the cults to get more evil, they did not, most of them sounded like the average cult tbh, just a lot of suicide pacts, manipulation, and sexual assault/peadophelia, which is pretty normal for a lot of cults, doesn't really make them especially evil. However I am still tempted to read some of the books about cults that Haining previously published since it seems like they might be more interesting, this one seems like a bit of a money grab. I'd only recommend reading this book if you come across it in a library or a friend's or a charity shop, don't pay money for it.
July 19, 2019
A multitude of spelling and grammar mistakes spread out through detailed accounts of moments in these cults which are described as if the author was present. Since the author couldn't possibly have been there for these moments we are led to believe that it must have come from someone who was. However, it goes from these scenes into the history of the cult giving you no details on where this first-hand account came from. Although the subjects in this book were interesting I find it hard to take any stock in what is being told to me, because of the array of issues.
June 10, 2020
A few very interesting chapters but most of it is a chore to read. A lot of details seem to be merely speculation and story-telling so it's difficult to differentiate between hard facts and the author simply filling in gaps.
Absolutely riddled with spelling and grammar errors which makes it a very frustrating read. Took me a while to get through this one.
Absolutely riddled with spelling and grammar errors which makes it a very frustrating read. Took me a while to get through this one.
May 4, 2017
I liked this book, I learnt a lot, didn't have a problem with how it was written, Cheap as chips too!
October 14, 2022
How do cult leaders establish intellectual, physical, spiritual and sexual control over their followers — and what are the ends to which this is put? Read how the charismatic megalomaniacs who lead cults often pit themselves against the rest of the world, amassing weapons ahead of an apocalyptic showdown — sometimes going on the offensive to bring forward Armageddon. For others, the goal seems to be some form or another of mass suicide.
CASE STUDIES INCLUDE:
Jim Jones and the People’s Temple
Why did 914 members of Jim Jones’ People’s Temple commit mass suicide by drinking cyanide-laced Kool-Aid in their remote jungle compound in Guyana?
The Order of the Solar Temple
Why did fifty-three people in several chalets in Switzerland and Canada commit suicide simultaneously, using fire, having already killed their children?
Joseph Kibwetere and the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments
Who locked the doors and boarded up the windows before setting fire to the Movement’s small, wooden church in Kanungu, Uganda, with 500 Members inside?
Yahweh Ben Yahweh and the Temple of Love
What led Hulon Michell Jr to believe that African-Americans were the true Jews, living in the land of the “white devils” that cult members would kill as their initiation?’
I have mixed feelings about this book.
I have a real interest in cults, so I was excited to get my hands on this book. Unfortunately, as someone who has read a lot about cults previously, this book was a bit of a letdown for me.
Because I have read and watched many things about cults, this book didn’t really have anything in it that I didn’t already know. I was hoping for some more interesting or in-depth information but most of the information in this book will be familiar to anyone who has looked into cults before.
Peter Haining did a great job with the writing in this book. It was factual but not dry, and it was written in a way that was easy to understand and follow without being weighed down with numbers and statistics.
This book would be perfect for someone new to the topic of cults, as it gives you enough information to spark interest in the subject, while also giving you a look at some of the most well-known; or at least strangest, cults from history.
The Secret History Of Cults by Peter Haining is worth a read for anyone unfamiliar with cults.
Geramie Kate Barker
gemsbooknook.wordpress.com
CASE STUDIES INCLUDE:
Jim Jones and the People’s Temple
Why did 914 members of Jim Jones’ People’s Temple commit mass suicide by drinking cyanide-laced Kool-Aid in their remote jungle compound in Guyana?
The Order of the Solar Temple
Why did fifty-three people in several chalets in Switzerland and Canada commit suicide simultaneously, using fire, having already killed their children?
Joseph Kibwetere and the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments
Who locked the doors and boarded up the windows before setting fire to the Movement’s small, wooden church in Kanungu, Uganda, with 500 Members inside?
Yahweh Ben Yahweh and the Temple of Love
What led Hulon Michell Jr to believe that African-Americans were the true Jews, living in the land of the “white devils” that cult members would kill as their initiation?’
I have mixed feelings about this book.
I have a real interest in cults, so I was excited to get my hands on this book. Unfortunately, as someone who has read a lot about cults previously, this book was a bit of a letdown for me.
Because I have read and watched many things about cults, this book didn’t really have anything in it that I didn’t already know. I was hoping for some more interesting or in-depth information but most of the information in this book will be familiar to anyone who has looked into cults before.
Peter Haining did a great job with the writing in this book. It was factual but not dry, and it was written in a way that was easy to understand and follow without being weighed down with numbers and statistics.
This book would be perfect for someone new to the topic of cults, as it gives you enough information to spark interest in the subject, while also giving you a look at some of the most well-known; or at least strangest, cults from history.
The Secret History Of Cults by Peter Haining is worth a read for anyone unfamiliar with cults.
Geramie Kate Barker
gemsbooknook.wordpress.com
April 8, 2016
The author's credibility immediately became questionable when he described Charles Manson's followers being interested in "all things witchy". Being personally familiar with the subject of Manson through various media and literature accounts, this is the first I've heard of such a claim being made. Haining seems to make a lot of claims during the entirety of this book through descriptions of various cults and cult leaders that are deeply immersed in stories of sex, money, and religion.
In other words if you've read one chapter you've basically read the book.
I was disappointed to learn that this book is more of an opinion piece rather than an educational insight of cults in general. Will not be reading this again.
In other words if you've read one chapter you've basically read the book.
I was disappointed to learn that this book is more of an opinion piece rather than an educational insight of cults in general. Will not be reading this again.
October 20, 2009
Well, this book is very interesting but there's a trend. Most cults conjointly have this sexual link or some some sort of dance ritual.
So far the book is very interesting and not at all a boring read, reason I picked up this book is because I wanted to know who was Jim Jones.
But yes, I suggest that you read this book if your interested, about secret societies and just want to know what goes on.
So far the book is very interesting and not at all a boring read, reason I picked up this book is because I wanted to know who was Jim Jones.
But yes, I suggest that you read this book if your interested, about secret societies and just want to know what goes on.
August 6, 2012
This was the worst book I've read all year. I don't even really want to write a review for it. I can summarise the book for everyone in a couple of sentences: "Cults are bad. Sex is bad. They have lots of sex and blah blah blah, SATAN IS EVERYWHERE, blah blah blah, here's some incorrect information about various cults, blah blah blah I'm just talking out of my arse." It gets one star for being so ridiculous that I just had to keep reading it.
January 21, 2013
I bought it for $2 and thought it could be interesting and found that most of this book could be easily found in a google search. There was very little bizarre or secret since most of the cults were from the 20th century in its last 20 years. If you read a newspaper during that time, you basically got more information than this book.
September 23, 2014
It has been a few years since I tried reading this book and though at times it was strange and intriguing, I obviously didn't like it enough to keep reading and I am now purging myself from it and off my shelf.
October 25, 2012
there were quite a few spelling and grammar mistakes throughout the whole book and the writing was alright but the case studies were fascinating.
This felt more like a primer to give you a quick look at some of the more infamous cults around the world but there's no real depth to it.
This felt more like a primer to give you a quick look at some of the more infamous cults around the world but there's no real depth to it.
March 31, 2010
Just a meh type of book. I was hoping it would delve more deeply into cults, but it just skimmed the surface. Writing wasn't too great either, and it distracted me.
October 31, 2011
This book leads me to a...cults'world and the darkness of human believes ...CANT believe they actually had a Satanism and teenagers like me keen to join in...
January 6, 2013
An interesting read albeit a sad and depressing one.
There were far to many "typos" to validate credibility as well as no bibliography, which the English major in me revolted at.
There were far to many "typos" to validate credibility as well as no bibliography, which the English major in me revolted at.
June 13, 2013
Interesting- though I would say it lost steam for me after the first two chapters.
Horrifying acts, beliefs and astounding recounts of how cults come about.
Horrifying acts, beliefs and astounding recounts of how cults come about.
January 24, 2016
Couldn't get past page 18 as this book is so dull, boring & badly written
October 15, 2019
It takes some getting into, but there are some interesting stories here.
August 26, 2011
I thought it was very interesting. I did not realize there were so many cults.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews