The Penguin Book of Cults
$29.64
- Paperback
320 pages
- Release Date
8 September 2026
Summary
A chilling documentary history of the most notorious cults of the past two thousand years, from the Celtic druids whose ritual sacrifices inspired the folk horror film The Wicker Man all the way up to the Peoples Temple and Heaven’s Gate.
The word “cult” conjures images of people in thrall to a charismatic leader who extracts obedience through lies and threats, and of apocalyptic prophecies, ritual sacrifices, sexual perversion, and mass suicide. The Penguin Book of Cults…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780143138693 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 0143138693 |
| Author: | Joseph P. Laycock |
| Publisher: | Penguin Books Ltd |
| Imprint: | Penguin Classics |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 320 |
| Release Date: | 8 September 2026 |
| Weight: | 204g |
| Dimensions: | 13mm x 130mm x 195mm |
Critics Review
“Penguin’s exquisitely curated series of anthologies takes a turn for the sinister with this collection gathering the best of 2,000 years’ worth of writing about cults… . You’re not likely to find a more comprehensive study of cults anywhere.” —The Seattle Times
Joseph P. Laycock
Joseph P. Laycock (editor) is an associate professor of religious studies at Texas State University; coeditor of Nova Religio, the premier journal for the study of new religious movements; the author of several books about new religious movements, possession and exorcism, and moral panic; and the editor of The Penguin Book of Exorcisms. He has written for Quartz and The New Republic and been featured on the television documentary series Mysteries Decoded and The History Channel’s Holy Marvels with Dennis Quaid and The UnXplained with William Shatner.
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