Meticulously researched and very well-written. Also, infuriating. The ATF and later the FBI simply did a terrible job on handling this from the start. What's worse is that there were so many missed opportunities that could have resulted in a much much much better outcome if only the people in charge weren't so worried about politics and so blind to viewpoints that differed from their own. Complete hubris and incompetence.

One question that I had in the past was answered for me. After reading this book, I 100% believe that Koresh wasn't a con man, but that he believed everything that came out of his mouth. On the other hand, he was also a disgusting pervert who sexually abused young girls so there's that. ( )

First sentence: Just before dawn on Sunday, February 28, 1993, an eighty-vehicle caravan departed Fort Hood Army base outside Killeen, Texas, heading northeast toward Waco, sixty-five miles away.

Premise/plot: Nonfiction book...about...you guessed it: Waco, David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. (Also the ATF, FBI, law enforcement, CPS, and "government" in general). The story isn't simple nor straightforward. (Perhaps it was naive of me to expect it to be.) The prologue starts moments before the initial raid in late February 1993. The prologue ends on a cliffhanger. It takes hundreds--literally--of pages to get back to that point in time. (That may annoy some readers.)

So this book seeks to provide context, context, and more context. Context on the Seventh Day Adventists. Context on the Davidians. Context on the Branch Davidians. Context on when this sect of a sect of a sect moves to Texas, just outside Waco. Context on about eighty plus years of leadership and ministry of the Branch Davidians. Context on Vernon Wayne Howell (who changed his name to David Koresh). Context on his joining the Branch Davidians in the late 70s/early 80s. His becoming 'the Lamb' and re-visioning things in the 80s and 90s. But also context/history of the ATF and other cooperating government forces. Journalists covering this story over the year. So I'd say about 85% of this one is all background context. Covering decades of history. Is it all necessary to have a basic understanding of the raid????? (I don't know. Some context, for sure, is helpful. This is extreme, in my opinion).

My thoughts: This book is SLOW. Slower than I thought it would be. I expected a bit more action and drama. It's not that action and drama weren't there. It's just that the action-y bits come very late in the game after a lot of history. I almost think I'd be more interested--maintained interest/engagement--if it was a documentary. A documentary with a narrator would be a good fit for me.

All things considered, this one does have a lot of information. I expected it to have a position, to take a side. It presents both sides. It doesn't take sides. It purposefully doesn't take sides. Even when one of the sides features very disturbing, incredibly disturbing, how can you not be seriously disturbed information. (I will NOT spell out the specifics.) So it was odd that this one went out of its way to stay neutral. To say maybe the government was 100% wrong. Maybe the Branch Davidians were 100% right. Maybe the world would be a better place if the government hadn't decided to interfere. Maybe Waco was the start of a terrible trend of terrorism. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. ( )

Waco by Jeff Guinn is a 2023 Simon & Schuster publication.

There have been other books published on this subject, and I have been tempted to read one or the other of them over the years but could never decide how trustworthy they might be- so I passed over them. But when I saw Jeff Guinn had been brave enough to tackle this highly volatile topic, I knew I’d be in good hands.
After twenty years, and many attempts to manage my own emotions about the ‘legacy of rage’, (which I am in full agreement with the author about that), I had forgotten how chaotic the situation was back then. I had forgotten just what it was the Branch Davidians believed and how Koresh touted himself as Christ. The portrait of him painted here is disgusting, vile and beyond chilling.

The first- hand accounts from all angles- surviving Brand Davidians, ATF agents, FBI, and deep research into David Koresh’s life and his psychological make up, the powerful influence he had over his followers, and the mounting tension that culminated in the fiery climax of a seven week siege is riveting, but extremely disturbing on many levels.

Guinn’s deep dive is well organized and as always, he sticks to facts, not opinions. My only quibble is that the segments on how Waco is linked to current day cult behavior and certain hardcore cultures, didn’t get the same in-depth attention as the other portions of the book did. It was a connection I wish more people could see and understand.

Overall, I think this must have been a challenging book for Guinn, as even today, there is a murkiness surrounding all that really happened in April 1993, and there will never be any pat answers to those remaining questions.

But, Guinn’s experience in the study of cult leaders is evident as he gives us a much clearer image of Koresh, the mindset of the government agencies involved, and lays out all the various blunders that helped to create a long lasting distrust and paranoia, giving rise to influential conspiracy theorists, and helping to escalate a dangerous culture that has imbedded itself into our country in truly terrifying ways, and shows no signs of slowing down.

4 stars ( )