Book Review of
Waco
Twenty-five years ago, the FBI staged a deadly raid on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco. Texas. David Thibodeau survived to tell the story.
When he first met the man who called himself David Koresh, David Thibodeau was a drummer in a local a rock band. Though he had never been religious in the slightest, Thibodeau gradually became a follower and moved to the Branch Davidian compound in Waco. He remained there until April 19, 1993, when the compound was stormed and burned to the ground after a 51-day standoff with government authorities.
In this compelling account — now with an updated epilogue that revisits remaining survivors–Thibodeau explores why so many people came to believe that Koresh was divinely inspired. We meet the men, women, and children of Mt. Carmel. We get inside the day-to-day life of the community. We also understand Thibodeau’s brutally honest assessment of the United States government’s actions. The result is a memoir that reads like a thriller, with each page taking us closer to the eventual inferno.
Lynn's Review
If you remember the news stories and headlines about Waco, Texas, and the Branch Davidians and wanted to know more the book Waco by David Thibodeau is a great read. The author was one of the few people that survived the Branch Davidian compound and he shares a story that takes you behind the scenes.
My husband and I read Waco: A Survivor’s Story at the same time because we knew it would make for great conversation. What happened in Waco Texas with David Koresh and his followers happened when my husband and I were dating. I remember talking about the events as we watched them unfold in the news. So this book was a great book for us to read at the same time.
This book is a tough read simply because it is a touch topic with a tragic ending. So much of what happened could have been prevented by both sides. You know the ending and it is not good.
This is also a fascinating look into people and what makes them follow someone like David Koresh.
My kids, and those younger than I am, really have no clue about what happened with the Branch Davidian. Waco by David Thibodeau would be a good way for them to learn some of the histories of the event. I will say that because of the topic of this book I would not give this one to young teens to read. I would say this is an older teen and up book.