Emily Paulson's favorite nonfiction books about cults, scams, and schemes
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Emily Paulson's favorite nonfiction books about cults, scams, and schemes
Picked by
Emily Paulson
What did I love about each book?
List by
Emily Paulson
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Why am I passionate about this?
I spent 7 years in a commercial cult. I was indoctrinated into, rose to the top of, and finally escaped from a multilevel marketing company. When I started my exit, I wondered how I had become so brainwashed, which led me to do research into coercive control. I started to understand that different types of authoritarian control; behavior, information, thought, and emotional, drove me further into the cult and away from my outside friends and family. I read as many cult books and watched as many documentaries as I could find, and became fascinated with uncovering why people find themselves in the same situation I was in.
I wrote
Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing
By
Emily Paulson
What is my book about?
Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing is the eye-opening, funny, and dangerous personal story…
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The books I picked & why
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism
By
Amanda Montell
Why I love this book
Amanda is a language whiz, and does an amazing job showing how cultism is a spectrum; that we are all victims of undue influence.<br>She talks about the language that communities and organizations use as the key to gaining undue influence over people, and that this influence pervades everything from startups to skincare to workout programs.<br>It’s well researched and fascinating to read, and will make you question your strong affiliations to the most basic things.
What is this book about?
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism
By
Amanda Montell
Why should I read it?
authors picked
Cultish<br>as one of their favorite books, and they share<br>why you should read it.
What is this book about?
The author of the widely praised Wordslut analyzes the social science of cult influence: how cultish groups from Jonestown and Scientology to SoulCycle and social media gurus use language as the ultimate form of power.
What makes "cults" so intriguing and frightening? What makes them powerful? The reason why so many of us binge Manson documentaries by the dozen and fall down rabbit holes researching suburban moms gone QAnon is because we're looking for a satisfying explanation for what causes people to join-and more importantly, stay in-extreme groups. We secretly want to know: could it happen to me? Amanda Montell's…
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Cults
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Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult that Bound My Life
By
Sarah Edmondson
Kristine Gasbarre
Why I love this book
I watched The Vow documentary and was hooked.<br>I immediately wanted to know more about Sarah Edmondson’s experience in the NXIVM cult, so of course I bought this book. She does a great job telling the truth about her indoctrination and shows a great deal of empathy for others in the organization.<br>It really drives home the point that nobody joins a cult, they join what they think is a good thing, and you can so plainly see how impact and intention don’t always match in organizations like these. Anyone can fall victim to these scams!
What is this book about?
Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult that Bound My Life
By
Sarah Edmondson
Kristine Gasbarre
Why should I read it?
authors picked
Scarred<br>as one of their favorite books, and they share<br>why you should read it.
What is this book about?
As seen in the HBO docuseries THE VOW: The shocking and subversive memoir of a 12-year-NXIVM-member-turned-whistleblower, and her inspiring true story of abuse, escape, and redemption.
"Master, would you brand me? It would be an honor."
Scarred follows actress Sarah Edmondson's account of her recruitment into the NXIVM cult founded by Keith Raniere and the 12 years she spent within the organization, during which she enrolled over 2,000 members. This book also chronicles her breaking point and her harrowing fight to get out, help others, and heal.
* Sarah Edmondson is a Canadian actress and playwright who…
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