Deadly Cults

Snow primarily relied on published material for reference, but also includes quotes from witnesses and experts. The book includes nine chapters and is structured by type of group. Snow discusses how individuals are led to conform to the "rules" of the groups, and a chapter of the book includes advice on how to avoid joining them. Deadly Cults received a positive review in Booklist, and a reviewer for Library Journal said it "belongs in all public libraries".

Contents

In the book's nine chapters, Snow presents case studies of controversial groups and movements and outlines how individuals are led to follow the "rules" of these organizations. The chapters are structured by the types of groups, such as "Religious Cults", "Occult Cults", "Millennial Cults", "New Age Cults", "UFO Cults", "Doomsday Cults", and "Suicide Cults". Snow primarily relies on published material for references as opposed to first-hand reporting. The majority of the book's references are secondary sources including magazines and newspaper articles, though Snow does also include quotes from experts and witnesses.

Groups including the Branch Davidians, Church Universal and Triumphant, the Church of Satan, the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments, the Peoples Temple, Heaven's Gate, and the Unification Church are discussed in the book. Snow recounts results from a study of 353 former members of 48 cults in the United States, who recounted experiences after leaving their respective groups. After leaving the groups, 23 percent of former members stated they had attempted suicide, 63 percent had suicidal ideation, and 93 percent had experienced anxiety attacks. Snow devotes a chapter to deprogramming and advice on how individuals can avoid joining these groups from the outset.