Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivors's Story of Life and Death in the Peoples Temple Deborah Layton Aurum Press Ltd 1999 An extraordinary and moving autobiography. Layton was a member of The Peoples Temple for many years and spent several months in Jonestown, making a dramatic escape on May 12 1978 six months before the tragic events of November 18 unfolded, during which she correctly predicted that Jones would instigate a mass death. (this is recorded in her well known affidavit, made that same day to American embassy staff). In many ways the strength of this book is it's portrait of her inner turmoil as much as the events she was involved in. Particularly tragic is the involvement of her family in The Peoples Temple. Layton also had access to Temple finances, personally distributing funds across Swiss bank accounts. Her account of life in Jonestown does conflict with some other testimony, particularly that of Odell Rhodes, and inevitably one is left with many more questions. Though Layton's book probably comes as close as is humanly and historically possible to the darkness that Jonestown has become.   Essential reading: An Extract is available on Deborah Layton's website. Jonestown: The Secret Life of Jim Jones Jim Hougan: Lobster Journal June 1999 An extensive view of Jonestown and a portrait of Jones. Exploring Jones' CIA connections and other nefarious plots that surrounded him.The author states that at least 700 of the 914 dead were murdered having been forcibly injected with cynanide. The Guyana Massacre: The Eyewitness Account Charles E Krause Berkley Books 1978 First hand eye witness account of the murders of Congressman Leo Ryan and others at Port Kaituma Airstrip. Washington Post Journalist Krause was also with Ryan in Jonestown both on November 17 and 18. He was also the first Journalist allowed into Jonestown after the deaths. He interviewed Odell Rhodes who escaped into the Jungle as the 'white Night' ritual was taking place on November 18. Ultimately Krause's book offers little understanding of the events he became a part of. It does provide an immediate and compelling descriptions of the events leading up to the deaths, including interviews with some of the Jonestown community. The book postulates 'Jones' - mind control- over - Jonestown - residents' as an explanation for their deaths. (though Krause seems unsure, even unconvinced of his thesis, and the chapter on the psychology and the culture of mind control was not even written by Krause.) Salvation and Suicide David Chidester Indiana University Press 1988 Structural and sociological study of Jim Jones' theology and the Peoples Temple. Heavily reliant on Jones spoken sermons - to the exclusion of any other perspective that could be offered by Jonestown Residents. Nevertheless an illuminating and careful study that aims to contextualise the People Temple as a legitimate theology with it's inherent merits and flaws. Jones is portrayed as an iconic figure, almost as an oracle for the People's Temple theology. The book fails to address the accusations of coercion and menace that pervaded the 'stories' around the temple. Though it does carefully catalogue the systematic demonisation of Jones and the Temple after the deaths of November 18. Awake in a Nightmare Ethan Feinsod W.W.Norton and Company 1981 Also titled as Jonestown: the only eyewitness account This book traces the life of Jonestown through the eyes of Peoples Temple Member, Odell Rhodes. Rhodes was one of only seven Jonestown residents who were in Jonestown at the beginning of the suicide ritual and survived.(Odell Rhodes, Stanley Clayton, Mike Prokes, Tim Carter, Mike Carter, Hyacinth Thrush and Grover Davis). Often in his own words Rhodes life is traced from his army career to his time living on the streets with a drug and alcohol addiction. Then as a reformed and happier individual living in San Francisco with the Peoples Temple. The Temple's 'interception' in his life clearly demonstrates the dramatic effect The Temple exerted on its members. Rhodes recalls all but the last few months at Jonestown with fondness. His and Feinsod's perspective on events humanise both the The People temples members and the events that formed the trajectory and eventual fate of the community. This is a unique perspective, offering simple and compelling insights not available to any of the other studies of The People's Temple. The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project; or Jonestown as it came to be known is dealt with in detail. Feinsod charts its inception as an enthusiastic and largely successful self sustaining community. To its demise as an authoritarian and paranoid compound over a period of about two years. This decline is mirrored (and to a large extent, created) by Jones' own descent into delusional paranoia. Rhodes witnessed many if not most of the deaths before escaping into the jungle. His version of events is in direct contrast to many of the current conspiracy driven accounts of the Jonestown deaths. For anyone studying the The Peoples Temple or Jim Jones this book is essential reading. The Peoples Temple 1978 - 84 An R&D Group 28 product A pamphlet containing all of the press clippings from The Times Publishing Company Limited from 1978 to 1984. a useful indicator of how the media generally reacted to deaths at Jonestown. Perhaps of more interest would be a publication that contrasts the media's view of Jonestown from the early seventies to after seventy eight. Six Years With God: Life Inside Rev.Jim Jones' Peoples Temple Jeannie Mills: A&W Publishers, 1979 Written by ex member and a Concerned Relative, it catalogues the Mill's experience in the Peoples Temple in San Francisco. Outlines Jones' financial misdemeanours and human abuses. Mill's went on to found the Human Freedom Centre, essentially an anti cult deprogramming centre. Snake Dance: Unravelling The Mysteries of Jonestown Laurie Efrein Kahalas: Red Robin Press 1998 Personal perspective on Jones and the Peoples Temple. The author was a member of the Temple from 1971. A very sympathetic, even protective account of Jonestown. The murders of the congressman are alleged to be the work of a military squad - rather than members of the Temple. Contains detailed insights into the Temple and Jones. Hearing The Voices of Jonestown Mary McCormick Maaga: Syracuse University Press 1998 A revisionist history of the Peoples Temple, which appraises much of the other material on the subject and proposes an interpretation which takes into account the role and power of the women who were part of Jones' inner circle. The author also suggests that these individuals had considerable power of many of Jones decisions, including initiating the suicide ritual. Gone From The Promised Land: Jonestown in American Cultural History John R.Hall: Transaction Publishers 1989 Comprehensive cultural study of the Peoples Temple, which cites all of the crucial events, and the chronology of the Peoples Temple. The author also incises and explains the construction of popular myths around Jonestown. Particularly the role that the media played in the events - lead by both the Concerned Relatives and the Peoples Temple's publicity campaigns against each other. The Strongest Poison Mark Lane: New York 1980 A Sympathetic History of Jonestown: The Moore Family Involvement in Peoples Temple Rebecca Moore: Lewiston 1985 Raven:The Untold Story of the Rev Jim Jones and His People Tim Reiterman with John Jacobs: E.P Dutton 1982 Making Sense of the Jonestown Suicides: A Sociological History of Peoples Temple Judith Mary Weghtman: New York 1983 Faith in Fakes:the Suicides of the Temple p95-103 Umberto Eco: Vintage 1998 When Time Shall Be No More: Prophecy Belief in Modern American Culture Paul Boyer: Belknap Press, Harvard University Press 1992 A theory of Cognitive Dissonance Leon Festinger: Row, Peterson 1957 When Prophecy Fails: A Social and Psychological Study of a Modern Group that Predicted the Destruction of the World Leon Festinger, Henry Rieken and Stanley Schachter: Harper and Row 1956 Cosmic Suicide: The Tragedy and Transcendence of Heaven's Gate Rodney Perkins and Forrest Jackson: The Pentaradial Press, Texas 1997 The End of Time: Faith and Fear in the Shadow of the Millennium Damian Thomson: Sinclair Stevenson, 1996 Messengers of Deception: UFO contacts and Cults Jacques Vallee: And/Or Press 1979 The End of the World as We Know It: Faith, Fatalism and Apocalypse in America Daniel Wojcik:New York, New York University Press 1997 Spying in Guru Land; Inside Britains Cults William Shaw: Fourth Estate Ltd 1994