Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor's Story of Life and Death in the People's Temple
by Deborah Layton
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Book Summary Information
Author: Deborah LaytonEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1999-11-09
ISBN: 0385489846
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: Anchor
Book Reviews of Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor's Story of Life and Death in the People's Temple
Book Review: Seductive Poison by Deborah Layton
Summary: 5 Stars
In recent times, literally hundreds of books have been published relating to the widespread growth and influence of the differrent religious cults that have appeared during the last hundred or so years. Many but by no means all of these books have been written by ex cult members whose lives have been negatively affected by their time in the cult, and the majority are written with the intention of warning readers to avoid becoming embroiled in any such organisation.
Whilst all these books have value, perhaps more to the writers than the readers in some cases, there are a few that, despite referring to a particular religious group, provide an insight into how all such groups operate, as well as serving as a warning to all those contemplating joining one,
One of these is Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor's Story Of Life And Death In The People's Temple, by Deborah Layton. Deborah was personally recruited by the groups leader, the Reverend Jim Jones, in 1970, and rose to a position of trust in the cult before her eventual escape from Jonestown, the compound in the Guyanese jungle where Jones had led his followers, in April 1978, a few months before 913 members of People's Temple, acting on the instructions of their deranged leader, committed mass murder/suicide.
In Seductive Poison Deborah provides a vivid, no holds barred account of what life in a religious cult was really like, from how she joined as an impressionable teenager who was made to feel important by Jones to her disillusionment when arriving at Jonestown in December 1977 and, once having escaped Jones' clutches despite the desperate attempts of some of his members to prevent her leaving from Georgetown airport, to her realisation that Jones was really a lying, hypocritical, adulterous charlatan rather than the Messianic figure he purported to be. Her account of some of the rituals that took place are very revealing, in particular the terrifying "White Night" suicide drills that Jones regularly subjected his members to in Jonestown. Her account of the difficulty she had in reintegrating back into society is also revealing, and should provide ample warning to anyone thinking about becoming involved in a religious group to thoroughly investigate it before making such a commitment.
Seductive Poison is now recommended reading for students about to enter college in some areas of the UK, but adults of any age would benefit from reading this book, whether they are current or exiting cult members, have family in a cult, or are merely interested in knowing what all the fuss about cults is about. With thousands of cults now operating throughout the world and actively seeking converts, it provides a timely warning for anyone approached by such a group to tread very carefully before making any kind of commitment.
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