- Paperback: 415 pages
- Publisher: Stillpoint Press; 2nd edition (Dec 1995)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0964765004
- ISBN-13: 978-0964765009
- Product Dimensions: 23.3 x 16 x 2.1 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 879,316 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change
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Product Description
Product Description
"Classic Returns!....In this expanded edition of the 1978 original, Conway and Siegelman continue their study of the altering of the American psyche, which has led to the rise of religious cults, super Christian sects, private citizen militias, and other phenomena that dominate today's headlines. Probably more timely now than when first published, this is an important title for academic and public libraries." - Library Journal "Their book is judicious, sensible, well-researched and very frightening." - New York Times Book Review "It is a book of investigative reporting at its best." - New York Post "What Woodward and Bernstein were to Watergate, Conway and Siegelman may well be to the cults." - United Press International "Credible and chilling . . . The second edition of SNAPPING is as important a resource in understanding spreading societal chaos as the first edition was in explaining the chaos of cults." - Minneapolis Star-Tribune "Important. . . . this book provides a tool to exercise judgment, monitor incoming information, and interpret what has become an increasingly intrusive battle for our minds. . . . At its core, it is language that holds the key to our mental health or to our destruction. What George Orwell's 'Animal Farm' is to literature, 'SNAPPING' is to non-fiction." - Albuquerque Journal "In a prophetic vein. . . . SNAPPING is not only fascinating and frightening reading, it is also extremely well-written. . . . The escalating pattern of cult fanaticism and religious-political terror that the authors call a 'death spiral' seems to be widening. If we do nothing to understand and ultimately reverse that pattern, it will pull more and more innocent people into its vortex." - Cleveland Jewish News "For anyone threatened with snapping, this book is a dispassionate, valuable study of an often frightening phenomenon." - People "There is no doubt that Conway and Siegelman are opening the door on areas of human understanding that have never been examined and that are in urgent need of study." - New Society "SNAPPING is an exciting and responsible and original piece of research that has taught this old poop amazing new ways to think about the human mind." - Kurt Vonnegut "SNAPPING is by far the best and most scientific treatment of the cult problem yet published. For the scientist, politician, clergy or parent, it is valuable and wonderfully readable." - John G. Clark, M.D. Asst. Clinical Professor of Psychiatry Harvard Medical School "Conway and Siegelman . . . place cultic behavior in the wider context of the communication revolution of our time. . . Indeed, SNAPPING unfolds as a traveling detective investigation. . . . they very capably trace and analyze the course of the phenomenon and . . . contribute greatly to our understanding of it." - The Cult Observer "Conway and Siegelman are onto something important. . . . SNAPPING is a fascinating book with frightening implications." - Edward T. Hall, author of The Silent Language "[The] classic book on cults, still the best book ever. . . . Believe me, folks, these are the real experts." - Geraldo Rivera
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
An interesting account of crazy gurus and mind altering cults, packed full of actual instances of people "snapping", and of the processes that might cause someone to fall into that abyss. I found the book fascinating but also quite negative and dark about spiritual things, perhaps deservedly so when you see the nature of these groups. The only light of optimism in the book being an interview with carl rogers, where he encourages spiritual processes which are balanced and allow complete freedom to those involved (or something to that effect). The book sent me into a kinda spin, overwhelming me with the sight of the empty abyss once more, and i'd advise people who might have been involved in mind altering groups to go lightly, and not to be consummed by the negativity. All that said, "snapping" is a fascinating read, of the strange beliefs that become believeable when the mind is pushed over the edge of reason, my particular favourite bit being about the moonies belief in sleep demons, those curious beings that overshadow people, and how their followers wore themselves down trying to resist the temptation of sleepiness. I think the ideas in the book are well thought out and researched, although it becomes a little implausible when the authors try to equate scientific formulae to the methods of brainwashing and cult hierarchies.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
14 reviews
50 of 53 people found the following review helpful
cults, personality change, and information disease
30 Jun 2000
Format:Paperback
This book provides an analysis of the techniques used by cults and certain "self help" agencies to alter the personality of the client. It presents a model, using catastrophe theory, in which the person is driven to a snapping point. After this snap, the personality is drastically changed, and often it requires another snap to rectify the situation. The theory presented here is very interesting. The cases discussed include those annoying cults and "self help" groups which roam college campuses (and its good to see that the authors do not bend to political correctness and include some of the more popular groups). In addition, the effects of stress are discussed in industrial settings. And, the governments royal botch-job at Waco is examined. Personally, I consider some of the "cult deprogrammers" as heroes who have tried to uphold a person's fundamental right to freedom of thought, against the sway of politicians. The only problem I have with this book is that there never is made a distinction between genuine religious conversion and cult conversion (snapping). I do not know how such a distinction could be made, but perhaps it would be an interesting area for further research.
33 of 34 people found the following review helpful
One of the most important books of our time
7 Jan 1999
Format:Paperback
Understanding this book gives the reader the ability to comprehend why so many people who get into cults will stay despite obvious absurdities associated with the cult experience. The authors demonstrate that the ecstatic/illumination experience so often treasured by spiritual seekers may only be energy releases associated with the mind dealing with high stress. But when that sense of release occurs, people become wide-open to reprogramming. I gave this book to a friend who had a daughter in college who was actively being recruited by one of the more well-known cults, he gave it to her, and she in turn dropped all contact with the followers of the cult. She could see that the ecstatic experience that the cult followers were praising as a reward for all of their hard work and suffering was simply a psychological event.
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful
An essential and enlightening book, for everyone to read!
3 July 1999
Format:Paperback
This is an excellently reasearched book. All people should be familiar with this information. For people who have been "snapped" in the past, it is healing. For those being enticed to snap, it can be a savior from doing so. For those with friends or loved ones that have snapped it gives insight. For others it gives awareness. My challenge to all therapist is to become educated and/or to further research this phenomenon in great depth.
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