A sharp and colorful exploration into how our nation was shaped by cults and the impact that cult-like thinking continues to have today. For fans of Cultish.

I had some frustration during the first half of the book because I could not catch hold of the through-line of this narrative. I think that part of the issue lay with how I read this first half, aka fighting to stay awake because apparently any sort of seated, comfortable reading position serves as a cue for my body to fall asleep. That being said, once the narrative finally clicked for me, I could see Borden's clear skill in how she wove together her chronicling of the different cults that have existed at various levels of prominence throughout American history. When read with a head clear of indoctrination (or at least leaning towards genuine information seeking) this book could help so many. For those desperate to understand the level of delusion of way too many currently, this book helps the reader understand how people have succumbed to cult thinking in the past which hopefully gives the aforementioned reader needed perspective. I definitely recommend this book.

It’s all the fault of the Puritans.

A lot of Americans feel like they can say that regarding many aspects of American life and culture. In Cults Like Us: Why Doomsday Thinking Drives America, Jane Borden persuasively argues the tendency toward apocalyptic thinking and behavior was thoroughly enmeshed in the “DNA” of American culture and society thanks to them.

The author begins with an introduction to the theme and a consideration of how apocalyptic expectations and thinking were major aspects and drivers of Puritan faith and practice.

The author then considered how these themes and trends pervade the stories of American cults, no matter how “religious” or “secular.” She considered the impulse to look to strongmen and the “law and order” punishment mentality in terms of Elizabeth Clare Prophet and Church Universal and Triumphant (CUT), as well as the violence even inherent in the apocalyptic parts of the Bible; she considered the desire or belief in the possibility of perfection in terms of John Humphrey Noyes and the Oneida Bible Communities; she grappled with the impetus toward rebellion and the pervasive anti-intellectualism in American thinking, often leading to conspiracy theories, in terms of Arthur Bell and Mankind United; she described the seemingly ever-present search for liberation that often ends in becoming the servant of a charismatic leader in terms of John-Roger and the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (M.S.I.A); she exposed Amway yet again for the multi-level marketing scheme it is, and how it cloaked itself in the pretense of building one’s own successful business, and how most MLMs have followed that same path; she addressed the impulse toward tribalism, exploiting the divisions in American society as seen in Dwight York and his many schemes, most prominent in terms of his United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors; and she considered how such a group can take on a life of its own and end up becoming the worst version of itself, as manifest recently in the Love Has Won group.

The author well considered her work an apocalypse: a revelation of the kinds of ways Americans are easily seduced into thinking in apocalyptic, cataclysmic terms, in ways not seen to the same degree anywhere else. The author encourages empathy, compassion, and to avoid proving overtly judgmental about those who get caught up in such things. And she confessed how this kind of thinking remains attractive for all of us because of how deeply embedded many of these themes prove in our culture and society.

I could have done without the inane attempts at jokes and attempts at breaking the fourth wall, so to speak, throughout the book. Nevertheless, a very thought provoking read regarding the tendency for Americans to fall into cultic groups, how we all might fall prey to them, and how we should consider our way forward.

Do you self identify as American? Do you hold to the so-called "American Dream" however you define it? Mind you the "American Dream" is aspirational, not reality. Do you hold that following particular rules will lead to wealth and prosperity? Or do you believe that only the "chosen" will succeed and be blessed with wealth? In Cults Like Us, Jane Borden takes these concepts and more in a deep dive into a variety of organizations and movements to try and make the case for all Americans being infected with cult-like thinking with specifics being provided..

Jane Borden opens the book with an alternative view of Columbus's reasons for discovering the New World then segueing into the Separatists/Pilgrim's voyage in 1620. She conflates the Separatists and later Puritan settlers beliefs and practices into the Protestant work ethic that some claim infects the core American values. She then uses various aspects of group psychology as placeholders to examine various cults.

The meat of the book is Jane Borden's dive into various cults and cult adjacent groups of various flavors. There is the Church Universal and Triumphant, Christian Nationalism, the Oneida Community and related communes of the 1800s, the manifest destiny myth, the various "hidden rulers" conspiracy theorists (think Deep State these days), anti-intellectualism, rural/urban identity clashes, personal growth scams such as Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (M.S.I.A) and NXIVM which had roots with Phineas P. Quimby and Mary Baker Eddy are covered in several chapters.. Amway and other multilevel marketing organizations have their own chapter. Then there is the chapter populated with us-vs-them cults such as the Nuwaubians, the Moonies, Scientology, and Heaven's Gate. The final chapter looks at compensatory control groups through the lens of Love Has Won, the American monomyth, and the Internet.

If you are looking for examples of how cults have shaped and are still shaping American culture, pick up Jane Borden's Cults Like US, but don't expect step-by-step solutions. Those you need to figure out for yourself.

Overview

Borden traces the origins of American cultism to early Puritan settlers, illustrating how apocalyptic beliefs were embedded into the country's foundation. These ideologies, she argues, have evolved over time, reemerging in different forms—from religious cults and political extremism to multi-level marketing schemes and conspiracy-driven movements. The book explores both infamous cults like the Manson Family and more subtle, everyday examples of cult-like thinking in contemporary America.

Themes and Analysis

At its core, Cults Like Us examines how cults manipulate quintessential American ideals—such as individualism, self-reliance, and ambition—to gain control over people. Borden shows how fear, shame, and the promise of belonging are used to keep individuals tethered to dangerous or exploitative systems. Her analysis also explores how modern media, social isolation, and the erosion of shared narratives contribute to the growing appeal of fringe ideologies.

Reception and Style

Borden writes with sharp wit, journalistic clarity, and a deep understanding of cultural dynamics. Her blend of personal anecdotes, historical analysis, and case studies makes the book both accessible and insightful. She manages to tackle heavy and complex topics with nuance and humor, making this a highly engaging read.

Conclusion

Cults Like Us is a powerful and necessary book that challenges readers to examine the psychological and societal factors that make cult thinking so prevalent in American life. Borden’s work is a vital contribution to ongoing conversations about power, belief, and community in a polarized era. It is a must-read for those interested in sociology, psychology, American culture, and the subtle ways manipulation can shape lives.

I've been thinking about this book a lot since I finished it. It's unsettling in its timeliness, and its angle on American history helps explain why the figure of Trump resonates so strongly with fundamentalist Christians in America. Borden's thesis is that America was and is shaped by the monomyth of one exceptional savior who will stand up for us all and make sure the righteous conquer over the wicked, and that United States history is founded on cults and is a place where cults can flourish and influence history. Borden shifts between well-known historical groups and events and their connections to cultish beliefs (such as the pilgrims who fled England due to persecution for their radical religious beliefs), and formally-recognized cults throughout American history. Some I had heard of, such as Love Has Won, and some were new to me, like the Oneida community, whose founding believed you could pass electricity from Jesus through sex with various partners. Borden's writing is occasionally sarcastic and often witty, but the lighthearted writing style is bolstered by a hefty bibliography and plenty of notes.

Cults Like Us traces the ways that cult-like doomsday theologies shape American culture, tracing back to the shared values of the Puritans shaping distinctly American ideologies. The narration is very accessibly written—the author's humor helps make the dense subject matter very digestible. I especially appreciated the sections of cult-thinking that apply most strongly to the current political moment, such as the chapters on death cults, which the author very thoughtfully links to eugenics and pronatalism. I found this book to be generally insightful for the sociological examination of cults and doomsday conspiracies, and specifically as a balm while I try to make sense of how we got here in American politics.

Cults Like Us deeply highlights the uniqueness of religious groups in the United States and how the American culture almost encourages their existence. I love reading about, listening to podcasts, and watching documentaries about fringe religious groups so this book was very much up my alley and I felt like it brought to my attention and allowed me to learn more about groups I had never heard of before. The author pulled me in from the very beginning, I think their voice was engaging and entertaining throughout. This book is incredibly timely and draws very clear parallels to current religious and political movements and groups.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a fascinating read! This book is well researched, timely, and entertaining (all things considered: it is a cult book). I loved Borden's voice and felt like the author did a wonderful job giving readers a lot of information in a digestible way. I am excited to look into more of Jane Borden's work and to share this one with friends!

Cults Like Us is a USA centered take on the things that make a cult a cult. I enjoyed that this book drew on historical details from the Puritans to the present day in order to explore this topic. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, I liked this book, found it to be unique from others that I have read, and would recommend it to anyone interested in the topic.

Let me preface this review with a confession: I studied sociology/criminology in college because I was the kid reading books about serial killers at far too young of an age due to a hyper fixation in how people behave. This interest, as macabre as it may be, blossomed into a full blown interest in all things crime adjacent, including cults. The power of persuasion found at the heart of most cults is fascinating to me. So naturally, I was intrigued by this book.

Cults Like Us offers an incredibly researched and detailed history of religious influence found within modern days cults and introduces the opinion that the Puritan influence of our very own forefathers is rooted in most cult like scenarios. There are organizations that Borden presents that I was completely unaware of, and lots of interesting intel into more infamous cults. Also, I have to add, I really enjoyed Borden’s sense of humor and pop culture references sprinkled throughout the book.

I ended up listening to most of this book. I love when an author narrates their own book, especially non fiction. I find that I retain and can process information like this more easily via audiobooks/podcasts, etc.

For fans of books like Cultish and The Age of Magical Overthinking. Cults Like Us is out now. Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for my copy; all opinions are my own.

I love reading about cults. I was so excited for this. I wanted information and research, what I got was some sort of comedy routine. The author inserted way too many jokes.

I really wanted to love this book. Really and truly I did. I love a good cult. Although I did learn a few new tidbits about some cults and learned about some that I didn't even know about, this came across as biased and pushy. This took me forever to get through and I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to DNF it. While it definitely had its moments, I wouldn't recommend it. The writing style was easy to read but other than that, it was just not my cup of tea.

This was so fun and informative. The author's humorous writing worked really well for me and I learned so much.

The only off thing was that at times the author divagated too much on things that I never heard of — because I'm not from the US, so I would get lost or loose a bit of my interest.

Cults Like Us is well researched and engages you in and insightful discussion on the characteristics of cults and how said characteristics may just apply to American life. It is an eye opening argument for critical thinking.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

Overall, I think this book had a fascinating premise and made some interesting connections between the current political space, religion and cults. This book is definitely not for those who are already overwhelmed by politics.

The connections Jane Borden is able to draw from her deep well of research on cults, American history, psychology, and religion are absolutely fascinating and more timely than ever. Some of the writing was a bit too cutesy for me given the subject matter, but overall I really appreciated how she made these complicated arguments very accessible and engaging. Each chapter draws you in with the insane story of a cult and then she showcases the parallels within the U.S. government and American psyche . It's brilliant! I really enjoyed this one!

I can't stop talking about this book. I learned so much! As a descendent of Utah Polygamous Mormons, being part of a cult is in my blood. I like that this book helped me to reframe some of that.
I love the humor as well. It is all around a wonderful book.

Author Jane Borden explores the hypothesis that cult-like participation and behavior has been around since the Puritans first landed on the east coast of America. This is a timely book but I don’ think the author realized quite how timely while writing it. Fortunately, it would all seem so bleak if there wasn’t a good dose of humor included in its pages. Looking a specific cults and the overall cult of America, this is an extremely relevant read. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy to honestly review.

In Cults Like Us, Jane Borden delivers a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of how doomsday thinking has been intricately woven into the American psyche. Drawing on historical events, cultural shifts, and contemporary examples, Borden examines how apocalyptic ideologies, once limited to fringe cults, have permeated mainstream society. With sharp insights and an engaging writing style, Borden traces the origins of these beliefs, linking them back to America's Puritan roots, and shows how they continue to shape the country's behavior today.

What makes this book particularly interesting is Borden's argument that America's individualistic culture plays a significant role in fostering a sense of anxiety and disconnection, making people more susceptible to apocalyptic narratives. By unpacking these ideologies, she sheds light on the psychological and societal forces at play, offering a fresh perspective on why doomsday thinking resonates so deeply in modern America.

The book is both intellectual and accessible, balancing historical analysis with contemporary relevance. Borden’s wit and humor make even the densest subjects easy to digest, while still challenging readers to think critically about the pervasive influence of these beliefs. Cults Like Us is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the cultural forces shaping America today and the enduring appeal of doomsday thinking.

Whether you're a history buff or someone interested in psychology, this book offers a fascinating, fresh look at how our collective fears continue to shape our worldview. A timely and captivating read.