Jonestown books? Or books on former congressman Leo Ryan?

[MissJacksonCA]

I was looking online for books on Jim Jones and could only find several under thirty dollars after that they were like from 130 dollars ...has anyone read any books on Jonestown and/or Jim Jones that they could reccomend?

I watched a show on Jim Jones last night and was astonished... even though I had heard of him and the tragedy that occurred I never realized how the beginning of his church began and was quite startled to see something that started off as a good thing and then turned so dark and evil. I mean the way they created their own little city was astonishing and how eveyone had their general job on the compound to help keep it going was inspirational. Unfortunatly they worked like slaves and were held against their will and by the end were entirely brainwashed with little hope for overcoming the influence of this nutball. I'm intrigued by a man who could bring together so many people of different races at a time of such racial tension. And of course how his influence over them eventually led to such a massive murder-suicide.

[Terran]

There was nothing surprising about anything that happened there

[coma]

I cant remember a specific book, but try the library. I read a book that was excellent on cults and dictators/leaders with cults of personality. I cant remember the name.

[capncnut]

I saw a documentary on that guy once and remember it being a powerful experience. The way that whole affair panned out in the end was terrible and they played tapes of the forced suicides; Jim ranting about "giving yourself up to God" as the followers wailed in the background. There was also a lot of 'clearing up' footage and it wasn't dissimilar to watching the bodies of the holocaust victims on the Discovery Channel. Crazy stuff!

[MissJacksonCA]

I've been to the local libraries here and they're more about letting people rent cd's dvd's and use free computers. I'm afarid the tax bracket of the neighborhood I live in and around doesn't leave much room for books on Jonestown on the upside they have a great selection of childrens and teen books which hopefully the local kids take advantage of. I figure they should let go of the security guards at the library and replace them with newer books for the adults in town who read.

[coma]

I've been to the local libraries here and they're more about letting people rent cd's dvd's and use free computers. I'm afarid the tax bracket of the neighborhood I live in and around doesn't leave much room for books on Jonestown on the upside they have a great selection of childrens and teen books which hopefully the local kids take advantage of. I figure they should let go of the security guards at the library and replace them with newer books for the adults in town who read.
Security in the Library?!?! WIERD.
Here you can reserve books that are at other branch libraries and they deliever them, to your branch. I have lived other cities and have always had that service when I asked for it, so you might be able to do that too.
I have 2 local branches and they both suck BAD. So the reserve comes in handy

[MissJacksonCA]

The selection is sub par the books they have aren't available. Yeah Charleston made it into the top ten of most dangerous cities. My boss was murdered. Local restaurants are robbed at gun point (and we're talking swanky places too). A friend's girlfriend was shot in front of him before then nearly being shot and then the gunman killed himself. Gunfire here is a regular thing and literally affects everyone. Its a pity its such a beautiful place.

[Debbieangel]

I was looking online for books on Jim Jones and could only find several under thirty dollars after that they were like from 130 dollars ...has anyone read any books on Jonestown and/or Jim Jones that they could reccomend?

I watched a show on Jim Jones last night and was astonished... even though I had heard of him and the tragedy that occurred I never realized how the beginning of his church began and was quite startled to see something that started off as a good thing and then turned so dark and evil. I mean the way they created their own little city was astonishing and how eveyone had their general job on the compound to help keep it going was inspirational. Unfortunatly they worked like slaves and were held against their will and by the end were entirely brainwashed with little hope for overcoming the influence of this nutball. I'm intrigued by a man who could bring together so many people of different races at a time of such racial tension. And of course how his influence over them eventually led to such a massive murder-suicide.

What I have seen about the man on tv only..he was a very charismatic and was very good at isolating people... thats why I have always taught my kids if you are going to talk to anyone about the Bible.."KNOW your Bible" or dont talk , cause their are cults out there that will twist it how they want it for "their" own good!
Anyway, did you try googling Jim Jones?

[MissJacksonCA]

I did try googling him and wasn't satisfied with the websites that they sent me most of them were religous takes on his religon and not entirely objective on what he was attempting to acheive. However i'm trying to get ahold of archived magazines like Newsweek that published stories on him and the massacre in Guyana and speak to Jackie Spier.

[Bongholio]

2 things
don't drink the kool aid
move along

[MissJacksonCA]

The man inspired people to create a utopian society where everyone worked together and reaped the rewards of hard labor and devotion equally. He took people from all woks of life and they worked together and thrived. Then of course he poisoned everything but i'm in awe of what they acheived in Guyana before he moved there.

[Bongholio]

in the process of creating my own personal guyana
gotta do what you gotta do
"serf's had it better!"