Contemporary non-Christian and para-Christian cults and sects Books
Band of Light Media Limited Trance Mission
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£18.95
Band of Light Media Limited From Here to Infinity
Book Synopsis
£14.95
Mandrake of Oxford Dionysian Spirit
Book SynopsisFor many people Dionysos is an obscure Greek god of wine and theatre. For others he is so much more. The Dionysian Spirit examines, in an easy and accessible form, the essence of what Dionysos is all about, both as a deity and as a cultural and social force. It looks at the relation of Dionysos with his opposite number Apollo. The twin gifts of Apollos and Dionysos are ekstasis (ecstasy) and entheos (enthusiasm) and have informed and enlivened our lives and cultures from ancient times right to the present day and beyond. The Dionysian Spirit like the art of a good party has always been with us and now, in many ways, we need it more than ever.
£13.50
Scribe Publications Beautiful Revolutionary
Book SynopsisThe thrilling new novel, inspired by the events at Jonestown in the 1970s. It’s the summer of 1968, and Evelyn Lynden is a woman at war with herself. Minister’s daughter. Atheist. Independent woman. Frustrated wife. Bitch with a bleeding heart. Following her conscientious-objector husband Lenny to the rural Eden of Evergreen Valley, California, Evelyn wants to be happy with their new life. Yet she finds herself disillusioned with Lenny’s passive ways — and anxious for a saviour. Enter the Reverend Jim Jones, the dynamic leader of a new revolutionary church … Meticulously researched and masterfully written, Beautiful Revolutionary explores the allure of the real-life charismatic leader who would destroy so many. It follows Evelyn as she is pulled into Jones’s orbit — an orbit it would prove impossible for her to leave.Trade Review‘Woollett has wisely chosen to forgo the fetishism of death and Jim Jones that is so often the focus of this tragedy. With Beautiful Revolutionary, Woollett has created an utterly intoxicating portrait of the lives of those seeking to build something new in a world that seemed to be losing its mind. Although we know what awaits us, Woollett masterfully weaves a suspenseful and complex story about people — of their dreams, beliefs, ideals, and lives all coming to a horrific end — in a way that is uniquely hers. Woollett is electric.’ -- Sarah Schmidt, author of See What I Have Done‘Laura Woollett’s imaginative retelling of the Jonestown tragedy does what only fiction can do — endows Jim Jones and his inner circle with a sense of humanity. She formulates answers to unknowable questions — how could otherwise sane people be pulled into Jones’s web of evil? What happened that last, tragic day? A lyrical and sharply rendered tale of innocence lost and ideals betrayed.’ -- Julia Scheeres, author of A Thousand Lives: The Untold Story of Jonestown‘Expertly done.’ * Daily Mail *‘Beautiful Revolutionary suggests that the cult members are victims of Jones because they are victims of the time, swept up in the moment, fired by the rhetoric of revolution.’ -- Xan Brooks * The Guardian *‘She reclaims victims’ narratives from sensationalist head-lines and re-educates her readers through sharp, expertly crafted fiction … Her economy of language is striking; certain chapters are a page in length yet relay a multitude. The “revolutionary suicide” that froze Jonestown in popular culture is injected into every carefully composed sentence in which Woollett conflates violence with joy.’ -- Anna Joyce * Irish Times *‘[D]ramatic and intriguing, the quality of Woollett’s prose is the most enjoyable aspect of this novel … Reading Beautiful Revolutionary, it is easy to imagine how so many people could have been captivated and controlled by a man such as Jones … [A]n excellent work of literary historical fiction.’ 4.5 STARS * Books+Publishing *‘In this rich and skilled reimagining, Woollett joins the sprawling, doomed, and endlessly fascinating juggernaut of the Peoples Temple as it careens from fraught, idealistic inception in late-sixties California to desperately tragic demise in Guyana a decade later. Equal parts earth and ecstasy, pulsing with life, this book takes us deep within the lives of Jones’s followers and the unfurling of their inevitable, dark drama. Climb aboard, and hold on tight.’ -- Peggy Frew, author of Hope Farm‘Beautiful Revolutionary is some of the most exciting fiction I’ve encountered. It fearlessly explores the human elements that attracted masses to the Peoples Temple and to Jim Jones — fear, lust, the need to be loved, and the urge to feel a part of something larger than the self. This story cuts close to the bone, unrelenting and irrefutably true, over and over. Laura Elizabeth Woollett is an immense talent, and this is a bracing — and necessary — read.’ -- Kayla Rae Whitaker, author of The Animators‘Meticulously researched … Woollett’s prose is arresting—vivid without being flowery, subtle but still affecting. While the plot is dramatic and intriguing, the quality of Woollett’s prose is the most enjoyable aspect of this novel … This is an excellent work of literary historical fiction.’ * Books+Publishing *‘Woollett's writing makes this story an electricity storm. The clouds are weed smoke and the lightning charging through that haze is pure sexual energy. I'm almost half-way through and feel wholly transported. The world is both real and surreal; these characters alien and freakishly familiar to me. Completely gripping, and dripping with detail never overdone.’ -- Bri Lee, author of Eggshell Skull‘Beautiful Revolutionary has had me completely mesmerised – it has been so long since I’ve been so utterly engrossed and absorbed in a novel. The shifts in perspective are masterfully handled and offer a fascinating and nuanced portrait of Jim Jones’ Peoples Temple. I do love cult novels and this is one of the best of them. The tension build to the inevitable conclusion is incredibly well done. I have nothing but love for this book, five beautiful stars. It's my number one Australian novel of the year.’ -- Jaclyn Crupi, Bookseller at Hill of Content Bookstore‘She has taken years of extensive research, including interviews with surviving members of the Jones cult, then bent these facts into fictional shape … She follows Joan Didion, another sharp-eyed observer of the Californian scene in the ’60s and ’70s – another writer who appreciated how genuine human impulses could be harnessed and warped by the wrong kind of leader.’ * The Saturday Paper *‘In order to write Beautiful Revolutionary, Laura Elizabeth Woollett spent years researching the Jonestown massacre. She interviewed surviving members of the People’s Temple and the families of those who died, creating an in-depth portrait of an era and one of its most extreme manifestations … perfect for fans of Emma Cline’s The Girls and The Family by Chris Johnston and Rosie Jones.’‘It’s easy to see why Woollett is one of Australia’s leading young writers. The characters and observations are incisive and gripping, and prose masterful and electric.’ * Good Reading *‘[The] highlight of this book is Woollett’s prose style, which beautifully conveys the details of what is going on while at the same time wielding a less is more touch and power of suggestion, to maximise the psychological and physical tension of the story … Beautiful Revolutionary is part twisted love story, part dark, noirish, crime novel. I recommend it.’ * Pulp Curry *‘Laura Elizabeth Woollett has embarked on a brave quest with Beautiful Revolutionary — and the risk has paid off, with her historically rich and breathtakingly entertaining story about one female hippie searching for life’s meaning in all the wrong places.’ * Better Reading *‘A beautifully-written and certainly compelling novel.’ * The Lifted Brow *‘The book is the author’s interpretive fictional account, overlaid on a well-researched framework of fact and first-person description … Her writing is thought-provoking and at times luminous.’ -- Rosa Shiels * Stuff, 'Books of the week September 1, 2018’ *‘Absolutely mesmerising. I didn’t want this to end … This story is meticulously researched and gets into your heart and mind and remains there for quite some time …[Woollett’s] a master of character and atmosphere.’ * Sam Still Reading *‘Laura Elizabeth Woollett’s Beautiful Revolutionary grabs attention from the beginning, not with narrative hooks but with the sheer penetration of its prose. Woollett’s debut novel is an imaginative refiguring of the Jonestown massacre story … a truly exciting writer.’ -- Ed Wright * Weekend Australian *‘Woollett’s novel is brimming with historical detail and her depiction of Jonestown is impressive … A well-written account, it raises important questions about the desire for faith, especially in a time of crisis, and the dangerous appeal of a powerful personality dressed up as a revolutionary.’ -- Anna MacDonald * Australian Book Review *‘A deeply intelligent telling of a deeply disturbing sideshow of history.’ -- John Purcell * Booktopia *‘It’s a novel that benefits from deep research worn lightly, and from Laura Elizabeth Woollett’s sensitivity to the perversity of human character and behaviour.’ * The Saturday Age *‘Woollett is considered Australia's foremost expert on Jonestown, and her novel is a riveting tale of love, obsession and devotion. If you loved The Girls or Netflix's Wild Wild Country, this one's for you.’ * Elle *‘A rich portrait of a highly mythologised historical incident. The passion that the author has had for her research shines through … for readers who appreciate a well-written, well-researched novel that approaches things from different angles.’ -- Emily Paull * The AU Review *‘Woollett reclaims victims’ narratives from sensationalist headlines and re-educates her readers through sharp, expertly crafted fiction.’ -- Anne Joyce * Irish Times *‘[T]raverses the uneasy terrain between historical fiction and all that cannot be known about the inner lives of real people. History blends with mythology … [D]evastating … Weighty and disquieting.’ * Kirkus *‘Woollett turns a dark chapter in U.S. history into a deeply human, satisfying read for fans of Emma Cline’s The Girls.’ * Booklist *‘Woollett achieves psychologically complex portraits of her two protagonists — minister’s daughter Evelyn and conscientious objector Lenny — as they are indoctrinated into a degrading system of punishment and reward that delivers dire consequences for their marriage and sense of selfhood. Wry and incisive, but also imbued with great empathy for the trauma Jones wrought, Beautiful Revolutionary compels the reader to consider the conditions and compromises that allow groupthink to overpower individual responsibility and agency.’ -- Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Fiction, Judges’ Comments
£11.69
Faithbuilders Publishing Why I Left the Moonies: How One Former Member of
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£8.54
Castle Quay Books Mormon Crisis: Anatomy of a Failing Religion
£15.00
Rivercrest Publishing Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion
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£16.46
Secant Publishing Dragged into the Light
Book SynopsisOhio housewife Sherry Shriner grew to prominence as a social media cult leader, flourishing in the era of conspiracy theories and the 9/11 Truther movement. She preached the virtues of mysterious orgone energy and Christian prayer as defensive shields against the forces of darkness, including: Lucifer and his demons; reptilian shapeshifters masquerading as human elites; the New World Order; cell phone towers; even hostile UFOs that flamed out over her home, visible only as shooting stars. Amazingly, she built a coterie of passionate devotees. The more outrageous the lie, the more fervent their belief. In 2017, she told follower Steven Mineo that his girlfriend, Barbara Rogers, was a witch who would kill him. A month later, Steven was dead, and Barbara was in jail charged with his murder. Steven's death proved Sherry's divinity to her followers, but in reality, he was just the latest casualty in a string of online trolling attacks that had left an earlier believer dead of suicide and still more cast into the outer darkness of cyberspace.
£23.79
Illumify Media Group Rescued and Redeemed
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£13.59
Skyhorse Publishing Manhattan Cult Story: My Unbelievable True Story
Book Synopsis“We were invisible. We had to be. We took an oath of absolute secrecy. We never even told our immediate families who we were. We went about our lives in New York City. Just like you. We were your accountants, money managers, lawyers, executive recruiters, doctors. We owned your child’s private school and sold you your brownstone. But you’d never guess our secret lives, how we lived in a kind of silent terror and fervor. There were hundreds of us.” Right under the noses of neighbors, clients, spouses, children, and friends, a secret society, simply called School—a cult of snared Manhattan professionals—has been led by the charismatic, sociopathic and dangerous leader Sharon Gans for decades. Spencer Schneider was recruited in the eighties and he stayed for more than twenty-three years as his life disintegrated, his self-esteem eroded, and he lined the pockets of Gans and her cult.Cult members met twice weekly, though they never acknowledged one another outside of meetings or gatherings. In the name of inner development, they endured the horrors of mental, sexual, and physical abuse, forced labor, arranged marriages, swindled inheritances and savings, and systematic terrorizing. Some of them broke the law. All for Gans.“During those years,” Schneider writes, “my world was School. That’s what it’s like when you’re in a cult, even one that preys on and caters to New York’s educated elite. This is my story of how I got entangled in School and how I got out.” At its core, Manhattan Cult Story is a cautionary tale of how hundreds of well-educated, savvy, and prosperous New Yorkers became fervent followers of a brilliant but demented cult leader who posed as a teacher of ancient knowledge. It’s about double-lives, the power of group psychology, and how easy it is to be radicalized—all too relevant in today's atmosphere of conspiracy and ideologue worship. Trade ReviewAdvance Praise for Manhattan Cult Story “An extremely valuable, cogent addition to the cult memoir canon. Schneider pens his haunting story not only with vividness and vulnerability but also with an eye to humanizing the cult experience and helping survivors of such abuse—and all of us, really—understand (and forgive) behavior that seems inexplicable.” —Amanda Montell, author of Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism “Captivating and veracious, Schneider has written a book I’ve long been waiting for, a lionhearted, soul-searching tale that flips the script of cult memoir, revealing that no one is immune to the siren call of belonging, and that any feet, no matter how well-shod, can stumble down the slippery slope of radicalism. Manhattan Cult Story is a book America desperately needs.” —Shawna Kay Rodenberg, the author of “Kin: A Memoir” “Schneider delivers this scintillating story on a silver platter, offering a meticulous exploration of the seductive hook of meaning and fulfillment which cults and demagogues so readily promise to their faithful. His book will be powerfully healing for those who have been lured, educational for those who haven’t, and insightful for voyeurs into the delicious details of a secret world. Manhattan Cult Story is a vibrant, cohesive template, of how the sticky tendrils of coercive control operate.” —Sarah Edmondson, author of Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life “An intense and chilling account of an egregious underground cult of young New York City professionals, one of the most secretive groups I’ve encountered. In this outstanding book, Schneider not only exposes the destructive nature of this cult but eloquently reveals how, sadly, anyone can be drawn into one. Aside from a cautionary tale, this is also the story of unlikely survival, liberation, and hope. An important contribution to the literature on cults.” —Dr. Steven Hassan, author of Combating Cult Mind Control and The Cult of Trump“It takes courage to share the stories of how we were dupped, but even one voice can break the silence and expose the perpetrators. Schneider speaks out about his experiences in a manipulative and abusive cult, not hidden on some compound in Texas, but thriving among the educated elite of NYC. This sinister cult lures people with what they long for––community, belonging, higher purpose, and elitism––but ultimately demands full obedience and control of their life. Think it couldn’t happen to you?” —Faith Jones, author of Sex Cult Nun “If the psychology of cults and cult leaders hold even a minor fascination, I heartily endorse Spencer Schneider's debut memoir of a little-known Manhattan underworld. As Schneider peels back the curtain, he brings the reader along on his journey of self-discovery. It's a story of friendship and connection, of brainwashing and trauma, and his attempt to make himself whole in the years since his daring exit.” —Amanda M. Fairbanks, author of The Lost Boys of Montauk: The True Story of the Wind Blown, Four Men Who Vanished at Sea, and the Survivors They Left Behind “No genre is more popular today than true-crime, and nonfiction stories about cults, from NXIVM to Rajneeshism, captivate us with a particular intensity. But what Schneider has done is different, and probably without parallel: He has written a highly intelligent, highly detailed, and extraordinarily compelling account from a follower's perspective. With dispassionate clarity, he takes the reader by the hand and leads them step by step down the ladder of his own subjugation. This book is an act of great bravery, and students of the cult experience owe him a debt of gratitude for it.” —Bess Rattray, publisher of EAST Magazine “This penetrating and often painful personal account written by a cult survivor details the inner workings of a secretive cult that preyed upon sophisticated, educated, and affluent New Yorkers. Spencer Schneider’s twenty years of experience in ‘The Work,’ led by former actress turned philosopher queen Sharon Gans, demonstrates how anyone can be tricked and trapped by a deceptive cult, even those among us that seem too smart and accomplished to be taken in. This book is a deep dive into a hidden cult’s world of sexual and financial exploitation, manipulation, isolation, and personal destruction. Schneider spares no one including himself. Riveting and insightful.” ––Rick Alan Ross, author of Cults Inside and Out: How People Get in and Can Get Out “Written with candor, self-knowledge, and good humor, this account of Spencer Schneider's long captivity by a group of pseudo-mystic predators is first a reminder of the perils of surrendering your skepticism and finally a tale of self-liberation from the illusions any of us might create. Manhattan Cult Story pulled me in and threw away the key.” —Mike DeCapite, author of Jacket Weather “Manhattan Cult Story is a study of human psychology, group behavior, adulation, and domination, and about how a community that at first nourishes you can come to feed on you. It is a must read for anyone interested in cults, swindlers, and charlatans but also in the human yearning for deeper meaning, love and community. The lessons of this astonishing book resonate long after the reading.” —Spencer Wolff, author of The Fire in His Wake “Manhattan Cult Story is one of those gripping tales of personal struggle and perseverance you simply cannot put down.” —Andy Ostroy, director of HBO’s Adrienne “Intelligent, witty, and utterly terrifying. An intimate look at the breakdown of everyday individuals through systematic methods of coercion and manipulation...for the unspoken and sole purpose of lining the twisted leader’s pockets and boosting her ego. Spencer’s heartfelt account of his experiences shows how cults can and do exist all around us and are, unknowingly to most, made up of typical people you pass by every single day. Let Spencer’s published voice be the first of many sincere survivors who come forward to shed light on this darkest of secret groups” —Kacey, Host of The Cult Vault Podcast “This is a gripping story about being pulled into a cult that was masked as an enrichment course, a heartbreaking tale of manipulation, power, and greed. Spencer Schneider’s well-crafted narrative is masterfully told through the lens of time, healing, and introspection. I couldn’t get enough!” —Frances Badalamenti, author of the novels I Don’t Blame You and Salad Days "An uncommon story. It cuts a different swath through the usual cult narrative ...Schneider's tale is subtler and more insidious and he tells it with a straightforward honesty, full well knowing that [readers] might snap-judge him. That is a very brave endeavor indeed..."--East Hampton Star
£15.00
Gallery Books Captive: A Mother's Crusade to Save Her Daughter
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£14.44
Simon & Schuster Cults: Inside the World's Most Notorious Groups
Book SynopsisMystery. Manipulation. Murder. Cults are associated with all of these. But what really goes on inside them? More specifically, what goes on inside the minds of cult leaders and the people who join them? Based on the hit podcast Cults, this is essential reading for any true crime fan. Cults prey on the very attributes that make us human: our desire to belong, to find a deeper meaning in life, to live everyday with divine purpose. Their existence creates a sense that any one of us, at any time, could step off the cliff’s edge and fall into that daunting abyss of manipulation and unhinged dedication to a misplaced cause. Perhaps it’s this mindset that keeps us so utterly obsessed and desperate to learn more, or it’s that the stories are so bizarre and unsettling that we are simply in awe of the mechanics that make these infamous groups tick. The premier storytelling podcast studio Parcast has been focusing on unearthing these mechanics—the cult leaders and followers, and the world and culture that gave birth to both. Parcast’s work in analyzing dozens of case studies has revealed patterns: distinct ways that cult leaders from different generations resemble one another. What links the ten notorious figures profiled in Cults are as disturbing as they are stunning—from Manson to Applewhite, Koresh to Raël, the stories woven here are both spellbinding and disturbing. Cults is more than just a compilation of grisly biographies, however. In these pages, Parcast’s founder Max Cutler and national bestselling author Kevin Conley look closely at the lives of some of the most disreputable cult figures and tell the stories of their rise to power and fall from grace, sanity, and decency. Beyond that, it is a study of humanity, an unflinching look at what happens when the most vulnerable recesses of the mind are manipulated and how the things we hold most sacred can be twisted into the lowest form of malevolence.Trade Review"Utterly addictive." —The New York Times Book Review“Chilling….Cutler insightfully explores what attracts people to cults and the psychology of their leaders.” —Publishers Weekly“Shocking… Cutler's focus is both narrative, detailing the story of the leader's upbringing and the cult's rise and fall, and also probing: Cults is interested in motivations and, to the extent possible, diagnoses… Not for the faint of heart but absolutely for the true-crime junkie, Cults is packed with details and unafraid to posit theories to explain these superlatively weird and scary stories.” —Shelf Awareness“Chilling accounts of the infamous, from Manson to Jones to Koresh and names that we may have forgotten...goes beyond the headlines into the very souls and psyches of...notorious cult leaders and their manipulated victims....Fans of Cutler’s (and similar) podcasts and true-crime aficionados will appreciate this enthralling exhibition." —Booklist“An introduction into the fascinating world of cult leaders….Well researched and well organized.” —Kirkus Reviews
£22.49
Gallery Books A Billion Years: My Escape from a Life in the
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£23.19
Simon & Schuster A Billion Years: My Escape from a Life in the
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£16.14
Kohlhammer Die Religiose Positionierung Der Dinge: Zur
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£48.95
Brill Schoningh Pfarreien Im Wandel: Pastoralkonzepte,
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£107.35
Ediciones Akal Endemoniados en Galicia hoy
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£23.11
New Era Publications International APS The Scientology Handbook
Book SynopsisThe Scientology Handbook offers tools to overcome problems and achieve a more fulfilling and happier life. For no matter the situation, something "can" be done about it. Life's everyday difficulties and challenges can be overwhelming. Whether it's a failed marriage, trouble raising a child, problems on the job or simply the desire to achieve your goals, where do you turn for help? Scientology has answers. What's more, it provides an exact technology with step-by-step procedures anyone can apply to handle life's difficulties and to better conditions for yourself and those around you.This book offers an introduction to basic Scientology principles -- tools you can use to improve any aspect of life.
£56.25
New Era Publications International APS Science of Survival
Book SynopsisThe book is written around the "Chart of Human Evaluation" - a chart that makes it possible to predict how reliable or trustworthy a person will be. This is essential knowledge for anyone, be it to chose his personal friends and relationships, or be to select personnel for a job. The book further covers methods of improving a person's IQ, emotional tone and abilities through further developments from Dianetics.
£24.00
New Era Publications International APS Handbook for Preclears
Book SynopsisHandbook for Preclears follows L. Ron Hubbard's book "Self Analysis". Both books contain easy to do methods of discovering your own mind, and increasing a person's ability to utilize considerably more of his mental potential. Discover why behavior patterns become so solidly fixed; why habits seemingly can't be broken; how decisions long ago have more power over a person than his decisions today; and why a person keeps past negative experiences in the present.
£20.00
New Era Publications International APS Scientology: The Fundamentals of Thought: The
Book SynopsisImagine an age where the predictability of science and the wisdom of religion combine. Scientology is called a spiritual technology for a reason. Scientology provides tools to assist you to find your own answers to your questions about existence, your own truth about your life and you. The word Scientology comes from: Scio (Latin) 'knowing, in the fullest sense of the word', logos (Greek) 'study of'. Thus Scientology means 'knowing how to know'. Although modern life seems to pose an infinitely complex array of problems, Scientology maintains that the solutions to those problems are basically simple and within every man's reach. Difficulties with communication and interpersonal relationships, nagging insecurities, self-doubt and despair each man innately possesses the potential to be free of these and many other concerns. This book was designated by L. Ron Hubbard as the Book One of Scientology. It gives the basic philosophical principles of Scientology, and shows practical application how to improve conditions in life. It covers concepts like the relation of mind body and spirit, it gives you the analysis of what understanding consists of and how understanding can be mended or achieved, and all other essential concepts of this amazing study, merging science and spirituality.
£16.00
Thorndike Press Large Print Waco: David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and a
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£33.24
