Review by Elvis Best -- The Cult Next Door
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Elvis Best
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Review by Elvis Best -- The Cult Next Door
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Cult Next Door" by Elizabeth R. Burchard, Judith L. Carlone.]
The Cult Next Door, written by Elizabeth R. Burchard and Judith L. Carlone, is a memoir that chronicles one woman’s journey into an exploitative cult and the special friendship that deeply affected her life. From the beginning of the book, Elizabeth describes her childhood up to her teenage years. She also describes her relationship with her parents, their subsequent divorce, and the impact it had on her.
Elizabeth had a bad relationship with her mother, Rachel, and was almost always maltreated and punished for trivial reasons. Her father, on the other hand, was kind and showered her with lots of love. But a series of unfortunate events turned Elizabeth’s world upside down and left her empty, depressed, and desperate for affection. That was when she met George, a guru who promised her everything she had ever wanted.
Over the course of two decades, Elizabeth empties all her bank accounts and gives her money and soul to George, almost to the point of bankruptcy, all in search of this peace and prosperity that only this guru can provide. Desperate and lost, Elizabeth meets Judith, who slowly attempts to save her from George’s brainwashing. But will she succeed? You have to read the book to find out.
Reading The Cult Next Door, I recognized a piece of myself in Elizabeth. We are all searching for love, peace, prosperity, etc., and when we meet someone who promises us all of these things, we let our guards down and offer them everything we have. The most alluring of all promises is that of eternal life, and I see people give up their families and social lives in search of this elusive reward.
I appreciate Elizabeth's strength in sharing her story with the world. Indeed, she has changed my perspective on life and has made me realize how susceptible we all are to being exploited. Another thing I learned from this book is that we should always have an open mind. Believing in only one doctrine and closing our minds to everything else will make us vulnerable and an easy target for exploitation.
All cults have one thing in common: they are set up to enrich one individual or a set of individuals while impoverishing their members. It is rather pathetic that we believe the answers to our problems are in the hands of some guru or spiritual leader. Granted, some situations are out of our hands, but the truth is that no one can save you but yourself. The Cult Next Door has taught me a lot of things, and I am grateful that I had the chance to read it.
Considering the aforementioned points, I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. There was nothing to dislike about it, and I believe it was exceptionally edited, as I found no errors in it. Also, there were a few vulgar words and some erotic scenes. Lastly, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading memoirs.
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The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Cult Next Door, written by Elizabeth R. Burchard and Judith L. Carlone, is a memoir that chronicles one woman’s journey into an exploitative cult and the special friendship that deeply affected her life. From the beginning of the book, Elizabeth describes her childhood up to her teenage years. She also describes her relationship with her parents, their subsequent divorce, and the impact it had on her.
Elizabeth had a bad relationship with her mother, Rachel, and was almost always maltreated and punished for trivial reasons. Her father, on the other hand, was kind and showered her with lots of love. But a series of unfortunate events turned Elizabeth’s world upside down and left her empty, depressed, and desperate for affection. That was when she met George, a guru who promised her everything she had ever wanted.
Over the course of two decades, Elizabeth empties all her bank accounts and gives her money and soul to George, almost to the point of bankruptcy, all in search of this peace and prosperity that only this guru can provide. Desperate and lost, Elizabeth meets Judith, who slowly attempts to save her from George’s brainwashing. But will she succeed? You have to read the book to find out.
Reading The Cult Next Door, I recognized a piece of myself in Elizabeth. We are all searching for love, peace, prosperity, etc., and when we meet someone who promises us all of these things, we let our guards down and offer them everything we have. The most alluring of all promises is that of eternal life, and I see people give up their families and social lives in search of this elusive reward.
I appreciate Elizabeth's strength in sharing her story with the world. Indeed, she has changed my perspective on life and has made me realize how susceptible we all are to being exploited. Another thing I learned from this book is that we should always have an open mind. Believing in only one doctrine and closing our minds to everything else will make us vulnerable and an easy target for exploitation.
All cults have one thing in common: they are set up to enrich one individual or a set of individuals while impoverishing their members. It is rather pathetic that we believe the answers to our problems are in the hands of some guru or spiritual leader. Granted, some situations are out of our hands, but the truth is that no one can save you but yourself. The Cult Next Door has taught me a lot of things, and I am grateful that I had the chance to read it.
Considering the aforementioned points, I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. There was nothing to dislike about it, and I believe it was exceptionally edited, as I found no errors in it. Also, there were a few vulgar words and some erotic scenes. Lastly, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading memoirs.
******
The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." -Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
Latest Review: Teething Problems by Mark Fletcher
