Uncultured: A Memoir - Book Review

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Uncultured, a Memoir by Daniella Mestyanek Young , opens with a scene of violent child abuse. Secrets wheeling within secrets unfold inside the Children of God cult - childhood pregnancy to sex offenders, severe punishments for infractions of rules, pointless tasks and rapidly changing rules are some of their abuses.

A recent release, Uncultured follows the author's journey candidly through a childhood with the Children of God, to school, to the military and beyond.

The Children of God (or the 'Family') was founded by David Berg in the late 1960s. Berg was a former Christian preacher and self-proclaimed prophet. Cult members called him 'dad' or 'grandpa'. Under his leadership, people searched for peace and spirituality, but in vain. The cult was a blend of Christianity, beatings, hard labour and sex for most ages. Punishments were liberally dished out for simple infractions like foolishness or crying. Beating with paddles on bare buttocks, being banned from speaking for weeks at a time, isolation and group spankings were some of the punishments. Parents distanced themselves from the suffering of their children.



Cults don't identify themselves as 'cults'. They disregard the law and create new doctrines and rules. The more people in a group, the more they feel justified. Members are kept ignorant of the world outside their 'family'.

Uncultured is a difficult read in places and could trigger some readers with similar backgrounds.

Author Daniella is a Texan raised in Brazil. As well as surviving a sex cult she is also a TEDx speaker, a US Army veteran, loves knitting and has learned a great deal about toxic group behaviour and leadership demagoguery. Daniella's war stories will interest many readers and provide a change of pace.

Uncultured, a Memoir, is an honest and open account of the life of a brave woman and importantly raises awareness of the dangers of involvement in cults.

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