The autobiography Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor’s Story of Life and Death in the Peoples Temple written by Deborah Layton offers a unique look into the daily life of a member of the Peoples Temple. Layton describes events that would not have otherwise been known because of the tragic ending of the Peoples Temple. This book is an important piece of literature because it shows a different side to the infamous cult. Layton starts out by recounting her childhood and teenage years. She was the youngest of four siblings and grew up in California. As she entered high school she got into trouble and was sent away to boarding school in England. There she met Mark Blakey, who would later become her husband. When she returned to California for break, her older brother Larry persuaded her to visit his church with him. His church was no other than the Peoples Temple. There she met the leader Jim Jones. From the moment they met, Jones latched onto her and decided that he wanted her to join the cult. After some persuasion she finally entered the Temple at age 18. Then Layton describes in detail the everyday workings of the Temple in California. These include lengthy services in which Jones would preach for hours on end, and trips to Southern California to bring people to their cause. Layton soon discovered that all was not well in the Temple. She recounts different stories of abuse, blackmail, and strange behavior from Jones. Eventually the Peoples Temple has to move to Guyana in South America to a place called Jonestown. Jim Jones proclaims it to be the promised land. It would “protect” them from the CIA that was hunting them down. When Layton gets there, the outlook is grim. People are starving, working long hours, and receiving weird punishments. She decides that she needs to leave, but how can someone leave when they are trapped in the middle of the jungle without a passport or money? Layton does a great job of creating a book that reads like fiction but is actually non-fiction. Her simple diction induces a conversational tone and an easy read. This book is important to read because it reminds readers that people don’t willingly join a cult. They join churches and movements that they believe to be bettering the world. In reality they sign away their lives to a sadistic leader who has no respect for them. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a unique reading experience that can only be made by a former cult member revealing the dark secrets of their past lives.
Layton starts out by recounting her childhood and teenage years. She was the youngest of four siblings and grew up in California. As she entered high school she got into trouble and was sent away to boarding school in England. There she met Mark Blakey, who would later become her husband. When she returned to California for break, her older brother Larry persuaded her to visit his church with him. His church was no other than the Peoples Temple. There she met the leader Jim Jones. From the moment they met, Jones latched onto her and decided that he wanted her to join the cult. After some persuasion she finally entered the Temple at age 18.
Then Layton describes in detail the everyday workings of the Temple in California. These include lengthy services in which Jones would preach for hours on end, and trips to Southern California to bring people to their cause. Layton soon discovered that all was not well in the Temple. She recounts different stories of abuse, blackmail, and strange behavior from Jones. Eventually the Peoples Temple has to move to Guyana in South America to a place called Jonestown. Jim Jones proclaims it to be the promised land. It would “protect” them from the CIA that was hunting them down. When Layton gets there, the outlook is grim. People are starving, working long hours, and receiving weird punishments. She decides that she needs to leave, but how can someone leave when they are trapped in the middle of the jungle without a passport or money?
Layton does a great job of creating a book that reads like fiction but is actually
non-fiction. Her simple diction induces a conversational tone and an easy read. This book is important to read because it reminds readers that people don’t willingly join a cult. They join churches and movements that they believe to be bettering the world. In reality they sign away their lives to a sadistic leader who has no respect for them. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a unique reading experience that can only be made by a former cult member revealing the dark secrets of their past lives.