I enjoyed listening to this in audiobook format, although I might have had a bit of a harder time reading it, as I generally have an issue reading nonfiction books on complex topics like this that have a nonlinear storytelling.

This is a great overview on how language is one of the key tools used in cults and cultish movements to draw in, influence, and control members - which can be used positively in some communities that help us connect and participate in healthy activities, but can easily be misused to trick people into things spanning from spending loads of money on questionable products all the way to group suicide. It also debunks myths that only the weak and/or less intelligent are susceptible to this type of use of language, but rather extreme optimists.

As a person who grew up in a religious home and then grew beyond those beliefs to become a scientist, I learned some interesting and useful things on this topic and was able to recognize some of the cultish language techniques applied in modern day religions as well. It's a deep enough introduction for me on this topic as someone who is not a linguist nor a social scientist, so it was a read fully worth my time.