True-crime fans should stick to the podcast.
A collection of origin stories of real-life villains.
“Everyone wants to believe in something or someone: a higher ideal, a god on earth, a voice from heaven, an intelligence beyond our own.” So begins Cutler, founder of Parcast Studios, writing with the assistance of former New Yorker editor Conley. Though “this appetite for belief” often leads to “great things,” it can also be used by charismatic leaders to exploit others for their own desires and delusions. In a book based on the popular eponymous podcast, Cutler offers an introduction into the fascinating world of cult leaders, ranging from notorious masterminds like Charles Manson, Jim Jones, David Koresh, and Marshall Applewhite to lesser-known figures such as Credonia Mwerinde, a high priestess in Uganda who was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people in the name of her cult, the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God. The author seeks to understand the psychology of these leaders, how they wielded their manipulation tactics, and how the landscape of their particular sociopolitical milieu played a role in their crimes. The book is well researched and well organized. Cutler begins by chronicling each cult leader’s upbringing and how they obtained their followers, then goes into detail about their crimes. Though often informative, much of the text reads like a podcast script: “Being a cult leader is a dangerous game, but judging from historical accounts, once one discovers the knack for it, it’s hard to stop the manipulations that give ultimate power over this life and the next until it’s far too late.” Cutler shows how this lust for power is what often leads to the demise of a cult leader’s followers, but his exploration leads to few new resolutions or revelations about cults in general. This makes the book a tantalizing read for true-crime neophytes but a slog for well-established readers of the genre.
True-crime fans should stick to the podcast.Pub Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-9821-3354-2
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.
Greed, depravity, and serial murder in 1920s Oklahoma.
During that time, enrolled members of the Osage Indian nation were among the wealthiest people per capita in the world. The rich oil fields beneath their reservation brought millions of dollars into the tribe annually, distributed to tribal members holding "headrights" that could not be bought or sold but only inherited. This vast wealth attracted the attention of unscrupulous whites who found ways to divert it to themselves by marrying Osage women or by having Osage declared legally incompetent so the whites could fleece them through the administration of their estates. For some, however, these deceptive tactics were not enough, and a plague of violent death—by shooting, poison, orchestrated automobile accident, and bombing—began to decimate the Osage in what they came to call the "Reign of Terror." Corrupt and incompetent law enforcement and judicial systems ensured that the perpetrators were never found or punished until the young J. Edgar Hoover saw cracking these cases as a means of burnishing the reputation of the newly professionalized FBI. Bestselling New Yorkerstaff writer Grann (The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession, 2010, etc.) follows Special Agent Tom White and his assistants as they track the killers of one extended Osage family through a closed local culture of greed, bigotry, and lies in pursuit of protection for the survivors and justice for the dead. But he doesn't stop there; relying almost entirely on primary and unpublished sources, the author goes on to expose a web of conspiracy and corruption that extended far wider than even the FBI ever suspected. This page-turner surges forward with the pacing of a true-crime thriller, elevated by Grann's crisp and evocative prose and enhanced by dozens of period photographs.
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.Pub Date: April 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-385-53424-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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