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494 reviews for:
Don't Call It a Cult: The Shocking Story of Keith Raniere and the Women of Nxivm
Sarah Berman
3.97 AVERAGE
494 reviews for:
Don't Call It a Cult: The Shocking Story of Keith Raniere and the Women of Nxivm
Sarah Berman
3.97 AVERAGE
If you have seen The Vow, then this book is easy to understand. If you haven't watched any of the documentaries or haven't been following along, this book does explain well, but it feels like reporting and not telling the story.
It's full of information not mentioned in the documentaries and from what I haven't read, so I found that interesting. It was the stories about Mexico. I wished the author spent more time building the backstories, so some of the things she wrote about were vague. This is an ARC, so perhaps the author will finesse it a bit before publication.
But overall, an easy to read but quick history and downfall of NXIVM.
I received an ARC from Edelweiss and Steerforth.
It's full of information not mentioned in the documentaries and from what I haven't read, so I found that interesting. It was the stories about Mexico. I wished the author spent more time building the backstories, so some of the things she wrote about were vague. This is an ARC, so perhaps the author will finesse it a bit before publication.
But overall, an easy to read but quick history and downfall of NXIVM.
I received an ARC from Edelweiss and Steerforth.
challenging
informative
medium-paced
dark
informative
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
This was a really good listen! I’ve watched so many documentaries about NXIVM but none of them really go deep into how Raniere was able to make it happen or the ins and outs of how it grew. Definitely recommend this one!
Investigative journalist Sarah Berman has written an absolutely gripping, thorough, unflinching look at NXIVM, Keith Raniere's cult that masqueraded as a personal empowerment program before the criminal activities of Raniere and some key associates brought it all crashing down. Berman doesn't take a strictly linear approach to the narrative but smoothly guides the reader through themes and individuals' stories that illustrate Raniere and NXIVM's most insidious and disturbing practices.
Even if you've already listened to the CBC podcast and watched both documentary miniseries, Berman's book will improve your understanding of the NXIVM case immeasurably. Her attention to detail clarifies key events and interpersonal dynamics and her journalistic distance gives her what feels like a more clear-sighted view into the players. She approaches former cult members with empathy and doesn't downplay what they went through, but she also doesn't pick out heroes for us.
Even if you've already listened to the CBC podcast and watched both documentary miniseries, Berman's book will improve your understanding of the NXIVM case immeasurably. Her attention to detail clarifies key events and interpersonal dynamics and her journalistic distance gives her what feels like a more clear-sighted view into the players. She approaches former cult members with empathy and doesn't downplay what they went through, but she also doesn't pick out heroes for us.
WOW - so well-written and researched! and has a great handle on explaining so many different people and moving parts
Really interesting story, just not a writing style I personally enjoyed. Very thorough in detail and contained a lot of good information about the NXIVM cult
I've read a LOT of NXIVM stories and there were STILL things in this book that I hadn't heard about and were even more insane than I had imagined. I've usually seen or read about individual stories, but there's something about seeing it from a bird's eye view where you can see everything happening at once that really makes it clear just what a vile criminal enterprise it was and what a sadistic monster Keith Raniere is.
There are some things I thought were weak -for example the author both discussed neurolinguistic programming as a pseudoscience that doesn't remotely do what its proponents tout AND as this technique Raniere and co. successfully used to manipulate followers (how can it be both? Berman never attempts to solve this conundrum) but otherwise it's a solid read.
If you already know a lot about NXIVM, there are going to be large chunks that you probably already know, but there should also be some information you may not have run across before. If this is your first foray into NXIVM....you're in for a wild ride.
There are some things I thought were weak -for example the author both discussed neurolinguistic programming as a pseudoscience that doesn't remotely do what its proponents tout AND as this technique Raniere and co. successfully used to manipulate followers (how can it be both? Berman never attempts to solve this conundrum) but otherwise it's a solid read.
If you already know a lot about NXIVM, there are going to be large chunks that you probably already know, but there should also be some information you may not have run across before. If this is your first foray into NXIVM....you're in for a wild ride.