Review by Jane2020+ -- The Cult Next Door

Jane2020+ · Post by **Jane2020+** » 15 Jul 2018, 10:57

[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, Judith L. Carlone is a biography of Elizabeth Burchard written in form of a novel. Since her childhood, Elizabeth has been suffering from depression and overeating. After her parents break up, her father suddenly dies leaving her with her mother, Rachael, who she feels does not love her or want anybody to love her. This makes her develop an emotional problem. After trying several psychologists, they are introduced to George, Dr. Rogers' biofeedback technician. On the first visit, George captures Rachael's attention and later her daughter's with biofeedback therapy. This is where their lives change and Elizabeth's dreams of earning a degree, developing a career, marrying the love of her life, Joe, have three children and live a happy life vanishes. George becomes part of their lives, dictates their lives and becomes their God. With Rachael and Elizabeth, George continues to get more clients who he teach in Rachael's apartment every Wednesday and later every Thursday in his den which they pay hourly. Attending the scheduled meetings with George become mandatory for each member. Here, they spend most time satisfying him sexually followed by series of head shaking in the name of breaking barriers and releasing energy respectively.

Elizabeth realizes that all the women in the group have much in common: Higher education, talent, culture, limited social support, difficulty with men and fascination with George. Everything George says is right and can't be opposed. No member is allowed to do anything without George's approval. Without realizing, the women get into sexual and physical abuse through what they call "tress reduction therapy". Elizabeth remains poor as her money goes to George. George makes the group believe that any person who is not in the group, an outsiders, is a dead robot and an enemy. Therefore, a relationship with an outsider is highly condemned. To deter them from having relationships with the outsiders, George chooses for them heterosexual partners from the group and organises false weddings for the couples.

As he continues receiving cheques from his students, he gets rich as they become poorer each day. George makes them believe that each of them is God and there is no other God other than them. Elizabeth realizes that George is only manipulating them but however how much she tries to get out of the cult she finds herself staying and even recruiting other members into the cult. Maybe because George has forced them to fear him and she thinks that she cannot make it without George by her side just like other members think. Elizabeth comes into her senses when she meets Judith, her co- author. With time, Judy makes her leave the cult when she has already wasted twenty years. She has no husband, children, genuine job or a good place to call home.

Reading this book has made me know that one can engage in a cult for so many years without realising. At first, I blamed Elizabeth for knowing that George was only manipulating them yet she could not rescue herself. Instead, she continued to recruit other members into the group. Later I came to understand that getting out of a cult is not as easy as one can think. The gurus always poison their members' mind with ideologies that make them believe that getting out of the cult is the worst decision one can ever make in life. Just like George made rules that sustained his cult. I was really impressed with the way the authors give every detail of what happened including the years, seasons, dates and even the words spoken by the people who are in this book. The book being written in both first and third person point of view, include the two co- authors narrating a story about Elizabeth's life in a cult. The book is organised such that the authors write after one another and the name "Judith" is included in the headings in the parts that she wrote. This makes the reader to easily understand a change in event or the narrator. Apart from a few spelling errors that I noticed in the book, the editors did quiet well during editing. Without forgetting the book captured my attention just from the introduction to the resolution. I found it really interesting and heart moving. Therefore, I generally rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.

This book can be an eye opening to those who are going through any form of oppression similar to those that Elizabeth and others in the cult went through. After reading this book anyone going through such can rescue himself/ herself. Thus, to those who feel that they are in groups where they are manipulated, wish to quit but are not able to are likely to be helped by this book. Also, those who enjoy reading nonfiction will not regret adding this book into their book shelves. Since the book has some sexual scenes, I don't recommend it to children.

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The Cult Next Door
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