Suicide Cult: The Inside Story of the Peoples Temple Sect and the Massacre in Guyana

by Marshall Kilduff, Ron Javers

How could the power of love be twisted into the love of power?

Rev. Jim Jones was a charismatic leader deeply involved in the search for social justice. The Peoples Temple he founded helped the sick, the needy and the helpless. Then something happened... Now the incredible saga of corruption and evil behind the sensational events in Guyana is told by a team of San Francisco Chronicle reporters uniquely qualified to reveal the inside story. The writers are Marshall Kilduff, who has been investigating Rev. Jones and Peoples Temple for over two years, and Ron Javers, ambush witness and victim. Now they explain, for the first time, how the mysterious cult grew and prospered, how Rev. Jones acquired wealth and political clout and how the path to Guyana in search of utopia ended in massacre, mass suicide - total disaster.

WHAT WENT WRONG?

This extraordinary book gives many of the answers

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Religion, True Crime, Cults, Cult Classics, Psychology

201 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Marshall Kilduff is a reporter and editor for the San Francisco Chronicle, best known for his investigative journalism about Jim Jones and the Peoples Temples in the 1970s.

Reviews

[Jonathan Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

After extensive research into The People's Temple, I read this book and was not disappointed. It was the perfect length and broke down each section into about as much information as I wanted to know. This is a story that people are drawn to and this book does it some justice. And also, there is an exciting ending.

[Ben Kindall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coming in with only a rough knowledge of what happened with Jim Jones, this book blew me away. I only knew of the mass suicide but reading everything that led up to that was fascinating, highly recommend

[Nate Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first learned about The Peoples Temple on the Netflix series "Explained". The episode focused on cults and featured footage from infamous mass suicide in Guyana.

This book includes first hand accounts on the massacre, as well as back story on the Peoples Temple leader, Jim Jones.

Its a quick read at 200 pages.

If you'd like to learn more about The Peoples Temple and Jonestown Massacre, I highly recommend this book.

[Gail Johnson, Ph.D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #7 on the research of the Jonestown November 18th, 1978 massacre. According to this book, the two authors were there when the shooting took place at the airstrip in Georgetown Guyana. My favorite part of this book is Javer's states that Jim Jones and a few ladies were supposed to survive and then smuggle themselves back to the United States.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I began this book I wasnt sure I could possibly be satisfied with it, as it is pretty short. But the last few chapters, especially the "Eyewitness Reports" taken from cassette recordings of survivors after the fact, had me captivated. I literally couldnt put this book down towards the end, for the detailed accounts. But again it is short. Also a few grammatical errors throughout.

This book was written too soon after the event for the story to be fully told. I will definately use this book as a referance though, to find more material written by the few surviving rescuers, and the 5 survivors of Jonestown as they are each listed by name, with only a short paragraph for some background on them. A good start if you planning on looking into this more. A quick but solid read.

[Sarah Rigg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a book about the Jonestown Massacre in the early 80s and I'm not 100 percent positive but pretty sure it was this one.

[Alpha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book

[Jeff Keehr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book came out shortly after the mass suicide in Guyana. Jim Jones became infamous as a nut case who led his followers to drink poisoned Kool-aid. They all died.

[Marija · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sehr sachlich und detailliert geschrieben, man bekommt einen Einblick in das Leben in Jonestown, der einem das Blut in den Adern zum Gefrieren bringt.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kilduff and Javers were both reporters for the San Francisco Chronicle and had covered the controversies surrounding Peoples Temple in the years preceding the tragedy. This book, compiled from previously written articles and the authors’ notes on Peoples Temple, was published just seven days after the tragedy. Javers was present at the Port Kaituma Airstrip massacre and was wounded before escaping into the jungle. The authors give an overview of the life of Jim Jones from his childhood, his coming to power in Indiana, and his ultimate descent into madness and death. They juxtapose the Jones biography with one of Congressman Leo Ryan. To have been published so soon after the tragedy, this study presents a surprisingly good overview of the events leading to the tragedy, the psyches of Jones and Ryan, and the workings of Peoples Temple. It is lacking in its description of the mass suicide, thanks in part to its quick publication date. The study is a good overview on Peoples Temple and Jones but is ultimately lacking in analysis. The book features several black and white photographs.

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t drink the Koolaid!
Jim Jones
“Jones saw himself as the ONLY true object of sexual desire.”
I knew he had a suicide cult, but I didn’t realize he had sex with all his followers — men, women, children — but I suppose if you’re willing to intentionally poison yourself for him, it makes sense you’d have sex with him.

[Kris Zeller · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terribly disappointed in this one. Mostly pararaphs of stated facts written with little to no flair. Also found three glaring spelling/grammar mistakes. Was looking for a more psychological explaination. Bought "Stories From Jonestown", I'll try that next.

[Benji Cossa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would like to know more. Very Intriguing how this can happen- and surprisingly common.