World's Worst Cults

Some individuals have such a magnetic personality that they can attract a hugely devoted following, ignoring the misdeeds of their leader and even committing evil on their behalf. With religious, spiritual or philosophical beliefs to guide them, cults can lead to some of the disturbing events of the modern era. Filled with shadowy rituals and sinister hierarchies and led by masterful manipulators, they can easily become the site of unthinkable horror—and it is only after the leader is brought down that those caught deep inside truly understand what was going on. This book explores the cases of some of the most horrifying cults ever to have existed, including: The Family, led by Charles Manson, a cult of death and destruction which terrorized Los Angeles in the 1960s. The Branch Davidians, led by David Koresh, a doomsday cult that ended in a tragic shootout with the authorities. The Peoples Temple, led by the Reverend Jim Jones, who orchestrated a mass murder-suicide after convincing his followers to relocate to a remote commune in the Guyana jungle. Aum Shinrikyo, founded by Shoko Asahara, which carried out a number of terrorist attacks in Japan in the late 20th century.