Skip to main content

Jonestown 60%

Incredible power over his "parishioners."  they break into two groups.  The socialists--educated and interested in the political mission of the church.  The poor and elderly who benefit from the good works of the church (which are real) but who also turn over their Social Security checks.  All members turn over all money.

Jones now has numerous sexual partners among church leaders, mainly women but some men. A "gang of eight" objects to his philandering and to the lack of blacks in any leadership roles.  they are forced out.  An Examiner expose hurts the church for a while, but Jones somehow shrugs it off.  Cruelty:  a sex offender has his penis swatted a number of times (yikes!). A woman at a leadership meeting is forced to strip naked, is told she lusts after JJ but that he finds her repulsive, and then has to sit through the rest of the meeting naked.  She doesn't leave the Chuch or even object.

Communication with Guyana.  Guyana wants Americans on their soil to discourage Venezuala from military action against Guyana.  Guyana is English speaking, so Jones likes it.  Weird both-sides-using-one-another set up.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin . . . finished

 Follows Sadie and Sam (Mazer) from childhood to mid-thirties when both are feeling old and a bit out of it in the gaming world.  Characters are well-rounded, develop throughout the novel in interesting way.  Plot is involved but sensible.  Not a single, "Oh, come on!" moment.  The book could have been faster paced. Odd, since the main topic is video games which are not for their speed of engagement and Gabrielle Zevin clearly knows her video games. Recommended by Michael Connelly in an interview.  He also has Bosch pick up the book in his novel, Resurrection Walk, as Bosch tails a possible witness to a crime as she moves through a bookstore. Sadie and Sam do not get together at the end, which is good.   Marx killed by homophobic nutcase who really wants to kill Sam, but Sam isn't there. Marx is father of Sadie's child. 

Happy Valley Season 4

 Weakest.  Tommy is in prison.  His son, Ryan, is now 17.  Catherine the cop's sister, Clare, takes Ryan to visit Tommy in prison, without telling Catherine.  Not good.  Sisters have a break when Catherine finds out.   Plot two:  PE teacher, abusive to wife.  She is getting drugs from local Indian/Pakistani pharmacist. Husband finds out and has wife arrested!  Pharmacist worried . . . plots to kill husband.  Wife agrees, then changes her mind.  Pharmacist in a rage kills her. (All a bit of a stretch, as he is a mild mannered family man.) Tommy escapes from his court hearing, hides out, gets in touch with Ryan.  Plan is to go to Marabella, Spain together.  Tommy's "helpers" get worried about Tommy and decide to do him in.  Instead, he kills them . . . and is knifed himself.  He returns to Catherine's house, looks through a photo album showing Catherine took good care of Ryan, and decides not to kill her....