I loved that this was broken up the way that it was so I was able to read it in chunks at a time. I learned about a few new cults I had maybe heard of but hadn't dived into them, and quite a few I didn't even know about! I always find cults so interesting.

Cult Following by J. W. Ocker was a wild ride and I will definitely need to purchase a hard copy for my personal library!

As a lover of all things Culty I was very into this title! Been looking to read more non-fiction and this one was perfect for me. I learned a lot and I liked the formatting of the book very much. My students will be extremely into this title, because they love learning about true-crime cases and urban legends.

Cult Following by J. D. Ocker
Another audiobook I raced through (this one courtesy of Blackstone Publishing and Libro.fm), Cult Following is a non-fiction look at some of the most notorious and weird cults in history from the Branch Davidians to the Breatherians. The book explores not only the history and legacy of the cults, but how it is that they can lure in smart, normal people. Some of them are bizarre, others are truly horrifying (if you can think of a trigger warning, it probably applies here) but all are fascinating in their own right.

Cult Following is an interesting and accessible monograph by J.W. Ocker on cults; what they are, how they function, and how they impact individuals and society, Released 10th Sept 2024 by Quirk Books, it's 272 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This book delivers precisely what it promises. It's an in-depth look at cults, how they form and operate, and a precis/overview. Surprisingly and gratifyingly, the emphasis isn't primarily on religious cults (though there's a necessary aspect of salvation/belonging which is fundamentally necessary to a cult to attract and hold followers - the author goes into detail in the book). A general foreword with background leads into specific short chapters on individual cults arranged thematically: the search for truth (koreshan unity, chen tao, ordo templi orentis, +), protection (people's temple, manson family, ant hill kids, +), purpose (fandom +), salvation (branch davidians, synanon, +), and betterment (ho no hana sanpogyo, breatharianism, heaven's gate, NXIVM, +). It's a broad spectrum, spanning a long time period, and lots of different cultures. It's fascinating to see the common threads binding humans seeking a "better way" and the people who exploit it.

It's written in completely layman accessible language, and is not rigorously annotated; there are no chapter notes. The author/publisher have included an abbreviated bibliography for further reading. The language throughout is neither prurient nor outré. There are no photographs or questionable graphic content. It's typeset simply, in high contrast black, white, and some highlighted red text. There is no index in the book.

The unabridged audio format has a run time of 8 hours 17 minutes and is read by Kimberly Wetherell. She has a strong, professionally trained, well modulated neutral American accent in this read. She does a good job with the sometimes surprising text and reads with engagement. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

Four stars. It would be a good choice for nonfiction and current history fans, possibly a buddy read or book club alternate selection.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

A great anthology of cults and the reasons people join them. There were some very unknown cults on there that were very interesting to explore, however if you know about cults then there's a lot of info already pretty well known to the public. I would definitely recommend this to someone who was dipping a toe into learning about cults but since it is a brief overview of around 20 different ones, you only skim the surface of them. Possibly disappointing for a reader looking for a deep dive.

This book does a brief dive into a wide range of cults. It was fascinating to learn a little bit about each. But I found myself wishing the author selected a few and did a deep dive into them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

A captivating collection of stories based on the occult.

This book was a wild ride!

You've probably heard "Don't drink the Kool-Aid" or seen photos of Charles Manson and his iconic swastika tattoo, but if you're under a certain age, you probably don't have the full scoop (or even if you just didn't follow the news at the time). Well, this book will certainly give it to you and more. While this book was at times a bit flippant for my taste, especially about some of the more horrific tragedies, it was a fascinating overview of some of the most famous cults within the last century. Those cults you've only heard about in passing, but never had a chance to really look into.

Where this book really shines, at least in my opinion, is the "why" aspect. The backbone of this book is an examination of why people join or are coerced into joining these groups. After all, don't they know better or are they just stupid? Short answer: no. Anyone can be influenced into joining a cult if you are in a dark enough place, because that's really what it's all about. Cults prey on vulnerable people and that's why they become such insidious traps.

This book certainly wasn't a light and breezy read, but it certainly was a great introduction to the entire concept of this phenomenon. Proceed with caution because it can get really heavy, really fast, but I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Quirk Books and NetGalley for a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really interesting look into a lot of different cults. While it covers the usual suspects (People's Temple, Heaven's Gate, etc), it also touches on a lot of cults that I was unaware of.

I really enjoy reading stories based on cults. I find them fascinating on how the leaders have the abilities to persuade other people to believe in their path. I loved this collection of notorious cults. I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Quirk Books for this ARC.

This book is a wonderful addition to the plethora of literature about cults. The book is divided into sections based on what exactly draws people to cults. The search for "The truth" "Salvation" etc. It was very well researched and covered well known cults such as Jonestown among other lesser known cults. I think anyone interested in weird history, cults, or human behavior would enjoy this.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e galley of this book.

Ocker is one of my favorite authors when it comes to books like this, and "Cult Following" did not disappoint.

I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley,

So many different cults. Some I have heard of and others were new. I enjoyed the red color scheme.

4 stars

I'm fascinated by all things cult, so I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Cult Following by J.W. Ocker. The book was packed full of information about both well known and lesser known cults, and I couldn't put it down.

If it’s about a cult, I want to read it!

I am fascinated by all things cults. From why people join them to how they’re successful to what they believe in to what their goals are. You name it, I want to know it.

Ocker has managed to cover a wide variety of cults within this collection. They’re broken down by groups with similarities and then each cult has details about everything from their origins to what happened to them to in some cases where they are today. I thought Ocker did a great job of giving just enough information without diving into the epics of each cult. It gives readers an opportunity to learn more while also fueling the interest in further research.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to know more about cults!

Easy to read and interesting, I was glad to see a blend of cults that are well known and those that maybe very few people have heard of. This style makes it hard to keep them all straight, but I'm not mad at it overall.

Having read several books by J. W. Ocker I knew I was in for a treat. The writing is always tongue-in-cheek and is as entertaining as it is educational.
I enjoyed the small insights into the various cults and the eventual outcome of their membership.
The bite-sized information was far more useful to give an overall view without things getting messy and edging into gratuitous territory.
There were more than a few subtle digs at religion being the flipside of a cult which was uncomfortable to read, especially the quote:
"The imperceptible delineation between a cult and a religion might just be the level of success."
Eminently enjoyable and perfect for a little true crime reading, I would recommend this to anyone.

This was a wild freaking ride. J.W. Ocker packs this book full of information about some very infamous cults and so not so infamous, but no less dangerous cults. While at times it does poke fun at them, it is a small dive into what makes people join cults of any kind, what drives people to start these cults, and how while not all are dangerous, they aren't exactly healthy either. This was well put together, none of the chapters run into each other, and you can tell that Ocker did a ton of research as he put this book together. It however not a book you marathon in just a couple of settings because personally, it weighed on me as read. Some of these chapters are heavy and I needed to take a lot of breaks. But, it was well worth it because this was a solid book and an interesting read.

“Do not Drink the Koolaid!”

Another fascinating trip into the bizarre. In this case the bizarre world of cults. This is a collection of 30 of the most infamous cults in history. From Manson to Heaven’s Gates and so many in-between. It is definitely an odd book to enjoy, however I did! It is well written and fast paced. There was no room for boredom and I found it unputdownable. The book explores the attraction and the impact of each cult. And as one would suspect they mostly end horribly. I would define it as provocative, gripping and I definitely recommend it!

Thank you to the publisher and the author for this ARC!