Cult Following
The Extreme Sects That Capture Our Imaginations?and Take Over Our Lives
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"A must-read."--Publishers Weekly
From weird history expert J. W. Ocker, an eye-popping compendium of the 30 most infamous, audacious, and dangerous cults in history.
Everything you've ever wanted to know about history's most notorious cults--and the psychology of the people who join them--is packed into this accessible, engaging volume. Walk in the footsteps of those who were lured into sinister groups from Heaven's Gate to NXIVM. Contents also include:
- Los Narcosatánicos: This group of drug traffickers in 1980s Mexico committed human sacrifice and believed their leader had magic powers.
- Breatharianism: Breatharians believe that humans can live on air alone, and their founder claimed to have gone without food for seventeen years.
- Ordo Templi Orientis: Members of this mystical cult attempted to conceive and give birth to the Antichrist through sexual rituals.
- Rajneesh Movement: This spiritual commune committed the largest bioterrorism attack in American history when they contaminated local salad bars with salmonella.
Ocker brings his trademark curiosity and wonder to the subject of cults and the terrifying way they attract followers, demonstrating the elasticity of belief, the desperateness of belonging, and the tragedy of trust.
About this Author
J. W. (Jason) Ocker is an Edgar Award winning travel writer, horror novelist, and blogger. His previous nonfiction books include Poe-Land,The New England Grimpendium and The New York Grimpendium, A Season with the Witch, the New York Times-reviewed Cursed Objects, and The United States of Cryptids. He is the creator of the blog and podcast OTIS: Odd Things I've Seen (oddthingsiveseen.com).
Reviews
"A must-read for those with a taste for cult narratives."--Publishers Weekly
Praise for The United States of Cryptids
"A deliciously nerdy chronicle that celebrates thinking about life beyond."--Vice
"Thoughtful and well-researched...a worthy addition to any cryptid enthusiast's library."--AIPT Comics
"[Ocker's] breezy storytelling talents make for enjoyable reading."--Booklist
"Essential reading for anyone with an interest in unexplained mysteries, folklore, mythology, and the supernatural. An inherently fascinating, impressively informative, truly exceptional, and unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library Cryptid collections."--Midwest Book Review
"I love folklore, so naturally, I also love cryptids, since they're basically the scary story versions of modern folklore. Which is precisely what I enjoyed about The United States of Cryptids."--BoingBoing
Praise for Cursed Objects
"This book is so fun that I couldn't put it down. It reminded me that life is short, death is nigh and a little humor can help us seize the day just as well as a memento mori."--The New York Times
"A visual feast of a book...this eye-catching miscellany is perfect for anyone who wants a treasure chest of weird trivia to peruse."--Bustle
"Well researched....The entry about the Black Aggie statue in Druid Ridge Cemetery in Pikesville, Maryland, is especially chilling....The only question that remains is, who is courageous enough to brave the myriad scary (and true) stories within?"--Memphis Flyer
"I loved J. W. Ocker's Cursed Objects! This cabinet of cursed curiosities is insanely entertaining and dangerously informative, but be forewarned: you may be cursed with reading it late into the night once you open it."--Lisa Morton, author of Calling the Spirits: A History of Seances and Ghosts: A Haunted History
"A deliciously scary and entertaining look into the spooky stuff of nightmares. Through rich histories, adorably macabre illustrations, and a modicum of hilarity, this book will entrance readers until the last page--if you survive that long!"--Lydia Kang, author of Quackery
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