Review by zulfiyya -- The Cult Next Door

[zulfiyya]

[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 is a memoir and biography about Elizabeth R Burchard's traumatic life, written by Elizabeth herself, with her best friend Judith L. Carlone. The book exposes intricate details of the psychology behind religious cults that often go ignored.

As a child, Elizabeth fell victim to narcissistic abuse leaving her with wounds in her psyche that made her susceptible to abusive relationships in adulthood. Despite being an educated, scientifically minded young woman, her psychological vulnerability attracted a monster. She was introduced to George Sharkman by the same woman who hurt her, and soon enough, he identified her weaknesses and exploited them to his advantage. Her sense of rationality became increasingly overpowered by an emotional dependency on the megalomaniac cult leader.

As someone who pretentiously scoffs at ideological extremisms of any kind, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the complexities of cults and their followers. There is more to fanatics than simply a lack of proper education. It has nothing to do with ignorance of the truth or critical thinking skills but everything to do with the emotional maturity of the fanatic. An emotionally stunted person with unresolved psychological trauma is more likely to follow irrational organizations or leaders because they provide them with a sense of emotional security. Someone less susceptible to such a fate is not smarter or more rational but simply lucky enough to have received the mental support to develop properly. This complex idea was delivered seamlessly and didn't require much afterthought to comprehend.

The book appears to have been professionally edited because I found no typos or grammar errors. An educated perspective replaced my previous misconceptions on religious cults. This was possible because the writing and organization of ideas were exceptional: Elizabeth's and Judith's author voices were comfortable and warm. Despite some difficult scenes, I felt like each lovely lady held my hand while they led me through this difficult story. Elizabeth's life events were meticulously sectioned into short, digestible chapters.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I applaud Elizabeth for her bravery and courage in living through, escaping and documenting her heartbreaking story. I also admire Judith for her patience in showing Elizabeth out of the terrible cycle of abuse she had endured all those years. This book was truly inspirational.

I would recommend this book to whoever enjoys learning about the intricacies of cults, ideologies, religions, as well as anyone with a general interest in psychology. There are frequent mentions of abuse, manipulation, and references to sexual coercion. If such themes make you uncomfortable, then you should avoid this book. This book is not suitable for children whatsoever.

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The Cult Next Door
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[Jasy95]

Great review! I normally shy away from books covering this type of topic, but your review made me feel like it could be an interesting read. I'll add it to my list!