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parach01's review against another edition
3.0
Bought the Audible version for a road trip. Probably would have enjoyed reading the book more than listening to it. There were parts where I found it difficult to pay attention. Overall, I thought the story was very well written and researched. There were a lot of details that I had never heard or were not familiar with that were revealed during the course of the story. I'd be curious to read more articles that looked at the intersections of systemic racism and oppression during this era and how those factors also played a role in encouraging membership, the move to Guyana and the deaths.
nataliesos's review against another edition
5.0
This book takes me into the minds of the followers of Jim Jones and really helps me understand the seemingly unanswerable question of how Jonestown happened? The book reads more like a novel rather than non-fiction, which I enjoyed and does a really good job of laying out the entire progression of Jim Jones's life. You can understand his progression from a man genuinely committed to socialist ideals and integration into the monster he is remembered for. Well written, and a book I will continue to recommend.
isaacfrederick's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
tishapol's review against another edition
1.0
I really tried to like this one because these kind of stories I gravitate toward but I just couldn’t with this one.
suzannetronier's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating and thorough story of a man raised to believe he was god who then behaved as if he were one-a terrible, vengeful god who could turn on the charm when he wanted to and one who mastered the art of the con. Above all, he wanted to be worshiped and admired, and not unlike our current president, he would say anything to achieve that. He toyed with the idea of mass suicide as a statement for several years grooming followers to both accept it and to trust him with their lives. The time he chose to enact it was right when he felt the world closing in on him in the form of bad press and lawsuits. His blaze of glory involved taking 900 people with him, 300 of them infants and children. Perhaps the greatest example ever of the advice to beware false prophets.