Audiobook Review: Manhattan Cult Story, My Unbelievable True Story of Sex, Crimes, Chaos and Survival, Spencer Schneider

Read by: Austin Rising 

Intriguing to learn more about ‘School’, a cult that Spencer Schneider got involved with in the ‘80’s in Manhattan. He was a part of it for 20 years. I am all for the collective conscious but, the immediate alarm bells was that they were not allowed to speak about ‘School’, or even engage or recognise each other outside of ‘School’, not even to let their spouses know. Sharon Gans, the leader, controlled everything and even encouraged affairs. It all sounds very sordid.  

It is all a bit bizarre. What I don’t understand is that he is a highly qualified lawyer, and by the sounds of it, most of the people at ‘School’, were in high profile positions, so, pretty much, one would presume to be intelligent people. Yet, they were taken for a ride for a very long time. You can hear in the narrative that Spencer Schneider is very cross, hurt by the betrayal and disillusionment of it all. He does come across quite bitter towards the end. Who wouldn’t be after 20 years of your life being dictated to by someone like Sharon. 

I also asked myself why he stuck with it so long, I suppose that's what the manipulative nature and brainwashing of a cult is all about. 

Audiobook: History of a Drowning Boy, Dennis Nilsen

This is a fascinating book. Normally serial killer books are written from a third party perspective, but this one is written from the killer, Dennis Nilsen himself. 

He killed 12 young men. He did glaze over how he was caught (Google said it was because of plumbing, the pipes in his apartment got clogged with human remains (!!) and the plumber reported it.)

It was also interesting to get detail and insight into what it is like in a prison.

All in all very very sad. 

It does sound like he did have remorse later in his life for his actions.