Michelle Smith (1) (1949–)

A very interesting book that tells a mortifying tale it did not intend: beware of bunk psychology. Pazder's methods have been discredited time and time again alongside Smith's "recovered memories" having been revealed to be only delusions invited by Pazder. The extremes this book details alone should be enough to prove it as a fake.

Nevertheless, Michelle Remembers is a fascinating work to study as primary source material that kickstarted the Satanic Panic, quite at home next to Mike Warnke and Bob Larson. In addition to being a window into the thoughts of contemporary sensationalists, I imagine it also serves as a good method of reviewing "what not to do" for budding psychologists. While utterly vile in it's nature, I believe it's important to preserve books such as this as a tool to better analyze modern conspiratorial beliefs, moral panics, and psychiatric practices. It's an honour to have a first edition hardback in my library.

Word of caution: The gore and torture is difficult to stomach sometimes.… (más)

This was published in 1980. In 1977, Michelle Smith recounted repressed memories (from when she was 5 years old in 1954/1955) to her psychiatrist (co-author Lawrence Pazder). This book follows that therapy. When Michelle was only 5, her unstable mother gave her away to a cult of Satanists to be abused and used in various rituals.

So, I’ve owned this since I was in high school, but I don’t think I read it back then. The first half was more interesting than the second half, when Satan appeared. The second half got much more religious, and it was less interesting to me. Now, this has since been debunked, and I found that out in the middle of reading it, but I don’t think it affected my rating (though it appears that many rated it 1 star, simply because it’s not true); I actually didn’t want that knowledge to affect how I rated the book.… (más)

‎"What was good in her life, she cherished. What was not, she endured." (From the Epilogue of 'Michelle Remembers,' p 294.) A very challenging book to read, but worth it. I believe that Michelle had the experiences she claims to have had here, though I probably interpret them somewhat differently, as my spiritual worldview understands some basic limitations on Satan's abilities and power that offer an alternative to the literality of some of her experiences. In other words, I believe her perceptions were somewhat altered by drugs, hypnosis and mind control, as well as trickery, which are typically reported by survivors of SRA, so that it is likely that she was unable to perceive the humans doing things attributed here to Satan. I do, however, believe that Satan exists and is an intelligent, discorporate being who seeks to drag us down into suffering and woe, among other things. I have no doubt she received heavenly support and assistance in her trials, or that she was indeed abused by a Satanic cult. I would be interested in an autobiographical follow-up, to see if other things have come up for her since this book was published, and/or details that could clarify some of her experiences. Her abuse was very gruesome and yet her courage, and that of all abused children, is remarkable.… (más)

This book was central to the Satanic Panic of the 1980's, and having read it, it surprises me that so many people could be carried on the wave of insanity that it helped cause and sustain. Nobody in their right mind would take these contents as fact rather than fiction, and yet so many did, and it caused such madness in this post-Renaissance world.

Even the authors eventually admitted it was all made up.

As such, the fiction is rather poorly written, and really not worth bothering with, except as a historical document. If you must purchase it, there are plenty of second-hand copies available online for a few cents. I would advise not to spend more on it than that.… (más)