Review of The Cult Next Door

[Akshi Porwal]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Cult Next Door" by Elizabeth R. Burchard, Judith L. Carlone.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir is a memoir of a woman who got involved in a cult and survived to tell the tale. Elizabeth and her mother come across an eccentric but charismatic man. They are immediately drawn to him and his philosophies. The book chronicles the life of Elizabeth over a period of more than two decades. Elizabeth was a young woman with a dysfunctional family when she first met the cult leader, George. George soon filled the vacuum of a role model in Elizabeth’s life. She got enamored by his charm and was quickly a part of his cult. The book also contains questions and resources for discussions.

The book explores the psychological processes that go on inside someone that joins a cult. Elizabeth R. Burchard and Judith L. Carlone have done a great job of laying the foundation of Elizabeth’s mental state before joining the cult. Her dad died at a young age, and her mother stopped caring much about anything after his death. She spent large sums of money on quacks and pseudoscience. In order to please her mother, Elizabeth joined in on her escapades. The other cult members also suffered from a lack of stability in their lives. The book is very well-organized. It is divided into periods of time. The book flows smoothly, and it is not difficult to read.

The book had no noteworthy flaw. It kept me wanting to read more and find out what happens next. The book gave heart-wrenching accounts of misdeeds like sexual assault. It can be difficult to read at these moments. Cults are one of the most fascinating social phenomena in our society, and this book gives an insider point of you on the same.

I would like to give The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir a perfect 4 out of 4 stars. The book had no apparent flaw. It had an outstanding premise that was extraordinarily executed. The book has done exceptionally well in its editing, as I could find no grammatical inaccuracies, typos, or spelling mistakes.

Anyone who is fascinated by cults is bound to enjoy this book. I would also recommend this book to anyone interested in psychology. The book gives an insight into the working of cults. We can not imagine ourselves ever being gullible enough to get sucked into the whirlpool of a cult. However, the book shows how an ordinary person can fall prey to a charismatic leader.

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The Cult Next Door
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