Steven Alan Hassan's Recommended Reading List

Note: Many of the books below may no longer be in print; therefore, you may wish to consider using alternative search engines other than Amazon.com, such as Addall.com. Books are categorized by the specific group or topic they focus on, and are linked to more information on amazon.com

See also more information about Steven Hassan's own books Releasing the Bonds and Combatting Cult Mind Control.

Amway Motivational Organizations

Amway Motivational Organizations: Behind the Smoke and Mirrors by Ruth Carter

Alamo Ministries

Youth, Brainwashing, and the Extremist Cults by Ronald M. Enroth (one chapter devoted to Alamo)

The Jesus People; Old-Time Religion in the Age of Aquarius by Ronald M. Enroth (contains information on Alamo)

Andrew Cohen and Moksha Foundation/Impersonal Enlightenment Fellowship

The Mother of God by Luna Tarlo

Aum Shinrikyo

Destroying the World to Save It: Aum Shinrikyo, Apocalyptic Violence, and the New Global Terrorism by Robert Jay Lifton

Authoritarianism

The Guru Papers: Masks of Authoritarian Power by Joel Kramer and Diana Alstad

Brainwashing and Persuasion

The Psychology of Attitude Change and Social Influence by Philip Zimbardo

Influence: Science and Practice by Robert B. Cialdini

Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism by Robert Jay Lifton

When Prophecy Fails by Leon Festinger, Henry W. Riecken and Stanley Schachter

Coercive Persuasion by Edgar H. Schein

Battle for the Mind by William Sargent

Obedience to Authority by William Sargent

Buddhism

A Path with Heart by Jack Kornfield

Awakening the Buddha Within by Lama Surya Das

Buddhism Without Beliefs by Stephen Batchelor

Children of God

Heaven's Harlots: My Fifteen Years As a Sacred Prostitute in the Children of God Cult by Miriam Williams

Christian Counter Cults

Churches That Abuse by Ronald Enroth

Church Universal and Triumphant

400 Years of Imaginary Friends: A Journey Into the World of Adepts, Masters, Ascended Masters, and Their Messengers by Kenneth and Talita Paolini

Cults - General

Cults in Our Midst by Margaret Thaler Singer

Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change by Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman

The True Believer by Eric Hoffer

Story of the Jesus People by Ronald M. Enroth

est / Landmark Forum

Outrageous Betrayal: The Dark Journey from est to Exile by Steven Pressman

False Memory Syndrome

Suggestions of Abuse: True and False Memories of Childhood by Michael D. Yapko, Ph.D.

Hare Krishna

Monkey on a Stick by John Hubner and Lindsey Gruson

Betrayal of the Spirit by Nori Muster

Hypnosis for Judicial Purposes

Trance on Tria by Alan W. Scheflin, LL.M. and Jerold Lee Shaprio, Ph.D.

Investigation

Get The Facts on Anyone by Dennis King

Jonestown and People's Temple

Seductive Poison by Deborah Layton

Meditation

How to Meditate: A Guide to Self Discovery by Lawrence LeShan

Militia

Tabernacle of Hate by Kerry Noble

Gathering Storm: America's Militia Threat by James Corcoran

The Mind

How the Mind Works by Steven Pinker

Consciousness Explained by Daniel C. Dennett

Mind Control - CIA

Journey Into Madness: The True Story of Secret CIA Mind Control and Medical Abuse by Gordon Thomas

Lyndon Larouche and the New American Fascism by Dennis King

The Search for the "Machurian Candidate" by John Marks

Moonies

In the Shadow of the Moons by Nansook Hong

Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy by Frederick Clarkson (one chapter devoted to practices of Unification Church)

Psychological Issues

Information on Stanley Milgram

Books by Stanley Milgram:

Obedience to Authority by Stanley Milgram

The Man Who Shocked the World: The Life and Legacy of Stanley Milgram
Creator of the Obedience Experiments and Father of Six Degrees by Thomas Blass Ph.D.

EMDR: The Breakthourgh Therapy by Francine Shapiro, Ph.D. and Margot Silk Forrest

Crazy Therapies by Margaret Thaler Singer and Janja Lalich

The Consumer's Guide to Psychotherapy by Jack Engler, Ph.D. and Danial Goleman, Ph.D.

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation by Deborah Tannen

Making Sense of Life's Changes by William Bridges

Therapy Gone Mad by Carol Lynn Mithers

Propaganda

Age of Propaganda: The Everyday Use and Abuse of Persuasion by Anthony Pratkanis and Elliot Aronson

RAMA and Frederick Lenz

Take Me for a Ride: Coming of age in a destructive cult by Mark E. Laxer

Recovery

Captive Hearts Captive Minds: Freedom and Recovery from Cults and Abusive Relationships by Madeleine Landau Tobias and Janja Lalich

Trauma and Recovery by Judith Herman, M.D.

Religion

The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James

The World's Religions by Huston Smith

Scientology

A Piece of Blue Sky: Scientology, Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard Exposed by Jon Atack

L. Ron Hubbard: Messiah or Madman? by Bent Corydon and L. Ron Hubbard, Jr. a.k.a. Ronald DeWolf