Excellent reporting and provides a clear timeline (which I feel isn't often very clear) of NXIVM's activities with lots of coverage of what was revealExcellent reporting and provides a clear timeline (which I feel isn't often very clear) of NXIVM's activities with lots of coverage of what was revealed during the trial....more
Cults are fascinating. High control groups seem so easy to fall into and so hard to get out of that I gobble up the stories of former members like canCults are fascinating. High control groups seem so easy to fall into and so hard to get out of that I gobble up the stories of former members like candy. NXIVM captured my attention from the minute I heard about it. I've watched the shows, listened to so many podcasts, and I can't get enough. At this point I think I could tell you every detail because I've heard them all so many times (every source overlaps and shares many of the same details).
Toni Natalie is NXIVM's Lucifer. Literally. Her perspective is fascinating since she was there at the beginning when it was Keith just living with his "business partners" to save money.
HOW DID THIS GUY DO IT? He's a schlub, background noise, no one would notice him on the street. But he had 100s of women entangled with him.
FASCINATING. Humans will do anything to be better humans, even things they have NO DESIRE to do, like Keith....more
I was interested in this one because I saw a trailer for the show. I didn't get around to reading it until early 2023 because it was a Christmas gift I was interested in this one because I saw a trailer for the show. I didn't get around to reading it until early 2023 because it was a Christmas gift and I guess I didn't realize that TV shows CAN be deleted if they're not successful.
THE SHOW ISN'T AVAILABLE ANYMORE, Y'ALL.
So I read the book to watch the show and now I can't watch the show.
This book is pretty predictable, I didn't want it to be. Ramona is great. Maya is fucking fierce. But other than that...these people are awful...as most of us are.
Still going to read the next one because I have it, but hopefully (view spoiler)[something more happens to Kevin. Like prison. Or a really bad concussion. Fear isn't enough. (hide spoiler)]...more
Its interesting that I read this a couple of weeks after watching that hated-by-scholars "documentary" by thThere's so much to know about everything.
Its interesting that I read this a couple of weeks after watching that hated-by-scholars "documentary" by that journalist, Ancient Apocalypse. That guy, Hancock, is convinced that some ancient race traveled the world and built all the great temples.
THESE two are actual in academia, one an anthropologist and the other an archeologist. They discuss several of the temples highlighted in the documentary. Scholarly work is great, but often in these fields they seem unwilling to explore ideas that don't fall within the world paradigm first developed by privileged white men. In this book (and in the documentary), the authors ARE willing to go against the grain and discuss other possibilities. (For the record, I don't buy into Hancock's theory, but I do find his exploration of the ancient temples worthy of attention.)
One idea in this book that I appreciated is their willingness to discuss the importance of WOMEN in ancient societies. Do you know how difficult it is to find ANYTHING "reputable" about women in ancient times. You know, before we became permanent second class citizens thanks to war-loving men and a bastardization of Christian teachings (yeah, yeah, it happened before that, I know). The few people that have been willing to explore matrilineal or matriarchal societies are scoffed at or cast aside in academia. ANYONE willing to propose a theory that goes against what has been historically accepted is dismissed. SO STUPID.
History changes -- we get a new understanding, there's some new uncovered piece of information, there's SOMETHING that challenges the status quo. The unwillingness of academicians (and you know, governments & societies) to change seems like one of our biggest failures as a people today.
Spending time with these paper girls was a great start to the new year. They're fierce and loyal, ride or dies, and I hope they stick together.Spending time with these paper girls was a great start to the new year. They're fierce and loyal, ride or dies, and I hope they stick together....more
Wonderful. Beautiful community, tight family, baby mama drama, and a serious love of hockey. I will never forget that fairness is not one of the SevenWonderful. Beautiful community, tight family, baby mama drama, and a serious love of hockey. I will never forget that fairness is not one of the Seven Grandfather teachings. ...more
When I started this series, I just followed the order of the bundle I purchased. I'm glad I did BUT when I came to this book I had NO IDEA what it hadWhen I started this series, I just followed the order of the bundle I purchased. I'm glad I did BUT when I came to this book I had NO IDEA what it had to do with the Pattern. Despite that, it's really interesting. ...more
Once upon a time there were two high school seniors that checked this book out of their local public library multiple times and neither ever completedOnce upon a time there were two high school seniors that checked this book out of their local public library multiple times and neither ever completed the novel. One day in early fall, the twentieth anniversary edition re-appeared on shelves at Target and one of those former students now nearing 40 bought a copy.
She slowly made her descent into the darkness of the house while trying to stop falling into her own darkness
Because the darkness, that's inside all of us.
I was one of those high school students. The further I got into the novel, there were parts that came back to me. I must have made it much further into the novel than I thought all those years ago; however, I'm certain I was far too young to understand a tenth of the references made throughout. I KNOW I would have been annoyed by how often I needed to look stuff up because I knew nothing about it -- after a lifetime of learning, all those referenced world events actually meant something.
The letters from the mom, those I have NO memory of and they are by far (to me) the most haunting aspect of this entire crazy novel. ...more
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