A Thousand Lives by Julia Scheeres

Title:  A Thousand Lives: The Untold Story of Faith, Deception, and Survival at Jonestown

Author: Julia Scheeres

We’ve all heard various forms of the phrase “Don’t drink the Cool-Aid” but how is it possible for one man to convince 913 people to willingly drink poison?

Julia Scheeres interviews survivors & family members and uses diaries, letters and tapes collected by the FBI after the massacre to reveal the bizarre and disturbing life of Jim Jones as he falls into substance abuse and mental illness.  “A Thousand Lives” chronicles the events that led up to the tragic deaths in November 1978.

Review by:  Jannelle