The Road to Jonestown
Book description
In the 1950s, a young Indianapolis minister named Jim Jones preached a curious blend of the gospel and Marxism. His congregation was racially integrated, and he was a much-lauded leader in the contemporary civil rights movement.
In this riveting narrative, Jeff Guinn examines Jones's life, from his extramarital affairs, drug…
Why read it?
2 authors picked The Road to Jonestown as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Everyone's heard of Jim Jones and the "koolaid" (it was actually the knockoff Flavor Aid), but this tells the whole story. I was riveted the whole book.
What a tragedy that a man whose organisation began by genuinely trying to do good things for society disintegrated into the cult it became. I also learned that he was recording during the time they began the final poisoning. It's online. I skimmed through it, but hearing the babies screaming in the background as they died horrific deaths was too much, and I turned it off very quickly. (Cyanide is a horrible way…
The Road to Jonestown is a solid, comprehensive account of the long road that led Jim Jones and more than 900 of his followers to take their lives in Jonestown, Guyana in 1978, by literally drinking the Kool-Aid.
What Guinn does well is show the early appeal of Jones’s church, its message of inter-racial harmony and social justice which attracted many idealistic young people as well as a substantial number of African-American followers. The book explains Jones’ repeated contacts with Father Divine and his Peace Mission movement.
Jones was a complex mix of charismatic preacher and flim-flam man – both…
From Alexander's list on cults and “high demand” groups.
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