Review by Andrea80 -- The Cult Next Door
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Andrea80
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Review by Andrea80 -- The Cult Next Door
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Cult Next Door" by Elizabeth R. Burchard, Judith L. Carlone.]
4 out of 4 stars
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The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir by Elizabeth R. Burchard and Judith L. Carlone is the true story of Elizabeth’s life in a New Age cult and her struggle to freedom. Elizabeth experienced devastating loss early in her life which left her emotionally vulnerable and desperate for recognition and guidance. Driven mostly by her susceptible mom, they turned to charlatans and weirdos to find a higher purpose in life and both ended up in George’s “care”. Starting with biofeedback therapy sessions that turned into a full-blown cult, George Sharkman claimed to have a special energy that would help the group in their mission for higher truth. Elizabeth ended up trapped for a mind-boggling 20 years that revolved solely around the urges of the cult leader. All aspects of her life were controlled by the bizarre cult doctrine including romantic relationships, her business, her health, and financial situation.
Finally, Elizabeth met Judith who would be instrumental for her journey out of the group. A powerful passage from the book describes the process of escaping from the connections to the cult: “Like Gulliver tied down on the beach by the Lilliputians, a multitude of threads held me captive, bonds fashioned from my limitless concessions to George’s will. (…) We were marionettes George had painstakingly threaded. But while he jerked the others’ strings, I was now steadfastly disconnecting mine.”
The book was very thought-provoking for me. The authors do a good job in describing the characteristics of a cult: the absolute focus on the cult leader, the manipulative techniques of the cult leader, and the sexual and financial exploitation of the group members. Though hard to fully understand how one can so completely lose their sense of self, I recognized human traits that make this story real and believable for me. The power of group thinking and the feeling of belonging play a strong role. I also thought a lot about people I know that prefer to be told what to do instead of making their own decisions.
One thing that becomes very clear from reading the book is what a psychopath George Sharkman was. He figured out how to manipulate and exploit the group members without them recognizing what was going on. People on the outside easily picked up on his evil energy and ironically, his own wife did not want anything to do with the group. The only thing I did not like about the book was the cover design which is obviously not a deal breaker at all.
I give this book an overall rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The book was professionally edited. Although a tough topic, I enjoyed reading this book. I could deeply empathize with Elizabeth and felt a great sense of relief when she was finally able to break out and become her own self. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the complicated psychology of human interaction.
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The Cult Next Door
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4 out of 4 stars
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The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir by Elizabeth R. Burchard and Judith L. Carlone is the true story of Elizabeth’s life in a New Age cult and her struggle to freedom. Elizabeth experienced devastating loss early in her life which left her emotionally vulnerable and desperate for recognition and guidance. Driven mostly by her susceptible mom, they turned to charlatans and weirdos to find a higher purpose in life and both ended up in George’s “care”. Starting with biofeedback therapy sessions that turned into a full-blown cult, George Sharkman claimed to have a special energy that would help the group in their mission for higher truth. Elizabeth ended up trapped for a mind-boggling 20 years that revolved solely around the urges of the cult leader. All aspects of her life were controlled by the bizarre cult doctrine including romantic relationships, her business, her health, and financial situation.
Finally, Elizabeth met Judith who would be instrumental for her journey out of the group. A powerful passage from the book describes the process of escaping from the connections to the cult: “Like Gulliver tied down on the beach by the Lilliputians, a multitude of threads held me captive, bonds fashioned from my limitless concessions to George’s will. (…) We were marionettes George had painstakingly threaded. But while he jerked the others’ strings, I was now steadfastly disconnecting mine.”
The book was very thought-provoking for me. The authors do a good job in describing the characteristics of a cult: the absolute focus on the cult leader, the manipulative techniques of the cult leader, and the sexual and financial exploitation of the group members. Though hard to fully understand how one can so completely lose their sense of self, I recognized human traits that make this story real and believable for me. The power of group thinking and the feeling of belonging play a strong role. I also thought a lot about people I know that prefer to be told what to do instead of making their own decisions.
One thing that becomes very clear from reading the book is what a psychopath George Sharkman was. He figured out how to manipulate and exploit the group members without them recognizing what was going on. People on the outside easily picked up on his evil energy and ironically, his own wife did not want anything to do with the group. The only thing I did not like about the book was the cover design which is obviously not a deal breaker at all.
I give this book an overall rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The book was professionally edited. Although a tough topic, I enjoyed reading this book. I could deeply empathize with Elizabeth and felt a great sense of relief when she was finally able to break out and become her own self. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the complicated psychology of human interaction.
******
The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Andrea80's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress by Gustavo Kinrys, MD
