Review by AnnaLibri -- The Cult Next Door
-
AnnaLibri
- Posts: 39
- Joined: 08 Aug 2019, 15:41
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 6
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-annalibri.html
- Latest Review: Yesterday by Samyann
Review by AnnaLibri -- The Cult Next Door
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Cult Next Door" by Elizabeth R. Burchard, Judith L. Carlone.]
3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
In The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir, Elizabeth Burchard recounts her time in a small cult based in the New York metropolitan area. When Elizabeth first meets George Sharkman at biofeedback therapy, she is a smart but depressed college student looking for guidance, and she quickly becomes enthralled with George’s lofty ideas about personal freedom and the future. At first, Elizabeth finds a sense of belonging with George and his small group of followers and believes she’s found an exciting new direction for her life. She soon realizes, however, that questioning George is not allowed and that he wants complete control over “the Group” and its members. Yet Elizabeth finds it impossible to leave, even as George’s behavior becomes increasingly self-serving and bizarre. For years, membership in the Group dictates every aspect of her existence and drains Elizabeth of her money and her self-worth. Only when a new friend extends a helping hand does Elizabeth start to think that a life away from George and the Group is possible.
Cults have long been the object of fascination and derision in our society, and this memoir offers a gripping—and often disturbing—first-hand account of what causes a person to join a cult and what causes them to stay in one. While it is easy to assume that the people who join these groups are always unintelligent and unable to think for themselves, The Cult Next Door largely dispels this myth. It is obvious that Elizabeth Burchard was—and is—a smart and capable woman, but as he did with so many others, George Sharkman exploited Elizabeth’s struggles and insecurities and convinced her that he was the solution to all her problems. For all the more strange, sensational elements of this book, that is what ultimately makes it such an unsettling read: the abusive relationship George created with his followers and how he was able to convince so many people that they were nothing without him and could not survive in this world without his leadership.
The Cult Next Door is well-written overall; Burchard manages to create a suspenseful atmosphere and make the book feel more like a novel than a dry piece of nonfiction, as memoirs sometimes are. One thing I did find disconcerting, however, was the switching between Elizabeth’s narration and that of her friend and co-author, Judith Carlone, toward the end of the book. While I was interested to see how Judith met Elizabeth and decided to help her escape from the Group, her casual, conversational tone contrasted sharply with Elizabeth’s more formal and literary one, and it made the latter part of the book feel a little messy.
While the book did help me understand better how someone can end up in a cult and how difficult it can be to break away, there was one question that remained unanswered for me by the end. Even as Elizabeth became increasingly miserable and frustrated by George’s hold on her, she still ardently encouraged friends and acquaintances to come to George’s meetings and join the Group. Although I understood why Elizabeth herself did not believe she could leave George behind, I never understood why she not only defended but promoted the Group as it made her more and more unhappy. That bothered me, and I would have liked to have seen more explanation or reflection on this issue.
I did come across some grammatical errors that a thorough editing job would have caught. It is also worth noting that The Cult Next Door contains some gruesome descriptions of the cult’s activities, as well as detailed accounts of sexual abuse. It may be an upsetting experience for some, especially those who are abuse victims themselves, so reader discretion is strongly advised.
Overall, I rate this memoir 3 out of 4 stars. Although it has its flaws, The Cult Next Door is still an absorbing read. Anyone who is interested in or studies cults will appreciate the opportunity to read an insider’s perspective on these mysterious and controversial groups. It is certainly a very different experience from reading the thoughts of an outsider.
******
The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
In The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir, Elizabeth Burchard recounts her time in a small cult based in the New York metropolitan area. When Elizabeth first meets George Sharkman at biofeedback therapy, she is a smart but depressed college student looking for guidance, and she quickly becomes enthralled with George’s lofty ideas about personal freedom and the future. At first, Elizabeth finds a sense of belonging with George and his small group of followers and believes she’s found an exciting new direction for her life. She soon realizes, however, that questioning George is not allowed and that he wants complete control over “the Group” and its members. Yet Elizabeth finds it impossible to leave, even as George’s behavior becomes increasingly self-serving and bizarre. For years, membership in the Group dictates every aspect of her existence and drains Elizabeth of her money and her self-worth. Only when a new friend extends a helping hand does Elizabeth start to think that a life away from George and the Group is possible.
Cults have long been the object of fascination and derision in our society, and this memoir offers a gripping—and often disturbing—first-hand account of what causes a person to join a cult and what causes them to stay in one. While it is easy to assume that the people who join these groups are always unintelligent and unable to think for themselves, The Cult Next Door largely dispels this myth. It is obvious that Elizabeth Burchard was—and is—a smart and capable woman, but as he did with so many others, George Sharkman exploited Elizabeth’s struggles and insecurities and convinced her that he was the solution to all her problems. For all the more strange, sensational elements of this book, that is what ultimately makes it such an unsettling read: the abusive relationship George created with his followers and how he was able to convince so many people that they were nothing without him and could not survive in this world without his leadership.
The Cult Next Door is well-written overall; Burchard manages to create a suspenseful atmosphere and make the book feel more like a novel than a dry piece of nonfiction, as memoirs sometimes are. One thing I did find disconcerting, however, was the switching between Elizabeth’s narration and that of her friend and co-author, Judith Carlone, toward the end of the book. While I was interested to see how Judith met Elizabeth and decided to help her escape from the Group, her casual, conversational tone contrasted sharply with Elizabeth’s more formal and literary one, and it made the latter part of the book feel a little messy.
While the book did help me understand better how someone can end up in a cult and how difficult it can be to break away, there was one question that remained unanswered for me by the end. Even as Elizabeth became increasingly miserable and frustrated by George’s hold on her, she still ardently encouraged friends and acquaintances to come to George’s meetings and join the Group. Although I understood why Elizabeth herself did not believe she could leave George behind, I never understood why she not only defended but promoted the Group as it made her more and more unhappy. That bothered me, and I would have liked to have seen more explanation or reflection on this issue.
I did come across some grammatical errors that a thorough editing job would have caught. It is also worth noting that The Cult Next Door contains some gruesome descriptions of the cult’s activities, as well as detailed accounts of sexual abuse. It may be an upsetting experience for some, especially those who are abuse victims themselves, so reader discretion is strongly advised.
Overall, I rate this memoir 3 out of 4 stars. Although it has its flaws, The Cult Next Door is still an absorbing read. Anyone who is interested in or studies cults will appreciate the opportunity to read an insider’s perspective on these mysterious and controversial groups. It is certainly a very different experience from reading the thoughts of an outsider.
******
The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Yesterday by Samyann
