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Bezig met laden... Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor's Story of Life and Death in the People's Temple (1998)door Deborah Layton
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Meld je aan bij LibraryThing om erachter te komen of je dit boek goed zult vinden. Op dit moment geen Discussie gesprekken over dit boek. 4 stars: Very good From the back cover: "In Seductive Poison, Layton writes about the Peoples Temple as it has never been written about before; with the keen hindsight and insider perspective of a former high level member. Layton had been a member for 7 years when she left Peoples Temple headquarters in San Francisco, CA for Jonestown, Guyana, the promised land nestled deep in the South American jungle. It was a place where devoted Peoples Temple members believed they could escape racism and persecution from the press and the government in the US, and leave peacefully in socialist utopia. When she arrived, however, Layton saw that something was seriously wrong. The settlement was surrounded by armed guards, food was scarce, and members were forced to work long hours and follow rigid codes of behavior. Jones, who was becoming increasingly delusional and dictatorial, constantly spoke of a revolutionary mass suicide [and had practices for this event weekly ] and Layton knew only too well that he had enough control over the minds of Jonestown residents to carry it out. When he finally did, in Nov 1978, the news that over nine hundred Americans had swallowed cyanide laced punch on a commune in South America shocked the world. But just six months before, Layton had narrowly escaped from Jonestown and returned to the US with warnings of impending disaster. In a 37 point affadavit ... Layton predicted the Jonestown tragedy with eerie accuracy. ----------- I found this book to be disturbing and fascinating. It's a bit of a train wreck, because of course you know how it will end. Because Layton was close to Jones, often in his inner circle, you saw first hand just how manipulative he was. For myself, the section that most typified this, went roughly as follows: Layton and the entire congregation were told of the sins of another female member (also inner circle). How she had "thrown herself" at Jones, and wanted sexual relations with him. The congregation completely and thoroughly ostracized her at an all night verbal abuse session. A few months later, there is an outing by bus. Jones rapes Layton, and lays on her the regular manipulations about how "it's for her own good". Soon thereafter, Layton is the brunt of an all night ostracization session... after which she saw the other person and there were unspoken words of understanding between them. Even after the rape, Layton openly struggles with her feelings, that perhaps she did in fact "deserve it". Once they went to Guyana, the conditions became much much worse, clearly in the realm of physical abuse. One woman no longer wanted to be Jones' concubine, so he kept her in a drug induced coma until the suicides. A sick, sick person-- but interesting to read about that cult personality. Layton's own escape was harrowing, and read like something out of a spy novel, with embassy officials helping her, near captures, and finally, safety in an airplane headed back to the US. A very good read. geen besprekingen | voeg een bespreking toe
Biography & Autobiography.
Nonfiction.
HTML:Told by a former high-level member of the Peoples Temple and Jonestown survivor, Seductive Poison is the "truly unforgettable" (Kirkus Review) story of how one woman was seduced by one of the most notorious cults in recent memory and how she found her way back to sanity. From Waco to Heaven's Gate, the past decade has seen its share of cult tragedies. But none has been quite so dramatic or compelling as the Jonestown massacre of 1978, in which the Reverend Jim Jones and 913 of his disciples perished. Deborah Layton had been a member of the Peoples Temple for seven years when she departed for Jonestown, Guyana, the promised land nestled deep in the South American jungle. When she arrived, however, Layton saw that something was seriously wrong. Jones constantly spoke of a revolutionary mass suicide, and Layton knew only too well that he had enough control over the minds of the Jonestown residents to carry it out. But her pleas for help—and her sworn affidavit to the U.S. government—fell on skeptical ears. In this very personal account, Layton opens up the shadowy world of cults and shows how anyone can fall under their spell. Seductive Poison is both an unflinching historical document and a riveting story of intrigue, power, and murder. PRAISE: "A suspenseful tale of escape that reads like a satisfying thriller, Layton's account is the most important personal testimony to emerge from the Jonestown tragedy." —The Chicago Tribune "A fascinating account of a debacle that continues to resonate" —Entertainment Weekly "Layton is scrupulous and honest... A terrific read... a page turner to rival the best spy thriller." —The Evening Standard UK "Even teens unfamiliar with Jonestown will find this a powerful memoir." —Booklist "A chilling account... Truly unforgettable" —Kirkus Review (starred review) "Seductive Poison is an absolutely riveting story, told as memoir but with the pulse-pounding suspense of a murder mystery. I read Layton's account non-stop through the night, unable to let go, struck by the realization that this is not simply an account of a bygone tragedy. It has great relevance to many of the terrible events we see unfolding today, for this is a story about those who seek a better world and are then inextricably caught in a plan to end it. This is a universal tale about ideology gone awry." —Amy Tan "Cults are multiplying and growing in this country. Why do apparently normal people surrender in body and soul to a charismatic egomaniac? Deborah Layton knows. This haunting book, written with candor and passion reads like a thriller. I could not put it down." —Isabel Allende "Shattering." —The Boston Globe "Vividly written and powerfully told." —Librarby Journal "An emotionally articulate and gripping account." —The Nation . Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
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Google Books — Bezig met laden... GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)289.9Religions Christian denominations Other Christian sects Minor Christian SectsLC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde:
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Also, as I walked through my office building today, I saw someone had left out a pile of cookies on their desk and it reminded me of when Debbie ate someone's sandwich at her job after she left Jonestown. That was a great moment. ( )