On this page: a personal selection of nonfiction books about cults, links to notable articles and podcast episodes for understanding cults.
This selection of nonfiction books about cults came on the heels of Wild Wild Country, a Netflix docuseries about the Rajneeshpuram commune that formed in early 1980s Oregon. I’ve always been cult-curious and there is a wealth of literature about cults and extreme beliefs that we can marvel at.
The book pickings below ⬇️ are my favourite books on this topic and I obviously read every single one of them. Here are some of the best books about cults nonfiction.
Must read books about cults
Cults Inside Out
Leading cult expert Rick Alan Ross, wrote this book over the course of three decades. Ross has participated in around 500 cult interventions, provided expert court testimony, and performed cult-related work all around the world. The perfect book to help you understand the tactics the groups use for control, and some effective methods to reverse that manipulation.
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Print | eBook | Audiobook
Breaking Free
Breaking Free – a book by Rachel Jeffs, chronicles Rachels’ life story about growing up as the daughter of the leader of a “radical splinter sect of the Mormon Church” and, in 2006, a member of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List. Rachel describes her traumatic childhood and describes her escape from polygamy and the group.
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Print | eBook | Audiobook
Other Reading Lists:
By genre:
- Best Memoires and Biographies
- Best Psychology Books
- Best Investigative Journalism Books
- Best True Crime Books
By year:
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I’ll be regularly updating this roundup to include additional thrilling new offerings.
