Manhattan Cult Story

My Unbelievable True Story of Sex, Crimes, Chaos, and Survival

By: Spencer Schneider

Narrated by: Austin Rising

Right under the noses of neighbors, clients, spouses, children, and friends, a secret society, simply called School—a cult of snared Manhattan professionals—has been led by the charismatic, sociopathic, and dangerous leader Sharon Gans for decades. Spencer Schneider was recruited in the eighties, and he stayed for more than twenty-three years as his life disintegrated, his self-esteem eroded, and he lined the pockets of Gans and her cult.

Cult members met twice weekly, though they never acknowledged one another outside of meetings or gatherings. In the name of inner development, they endured the horrors of mental, sexual, and physical abuse, forced labor, arranged marriages, swindled inheritances and savings, and systematic terrorizing. Some of them broke the law. All for Gans.

“During those years,” Schneider writes, “my world was School. That’s what it’s like when you’re in a cult, even one that preys on and caters to New York’s educated elite. This is my story of how I got entangled in School and how I got out.”

At its core, Manhattan Cult Story is a cautionary tale of how hundreds of well-educated, savvy, and prosperous New Yorkers became fervent followers of a brilliant but demented cult leader who posed as a teacher of ancient knowledge. It’s about double-lives, the power of group psychology, and how easy it is to be radicalized—all too relevant in today's atmosphere of conspiracy and ideologue worship.

©2022 Spencer Schneider (P)2022 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Clickbait subtitle but well written

Unbelievable is correct. This story delivers zero sex, zero crimes, and zero chaos. The author tries to convince the reader of his heterosexuality, by the end of the book, I am still unconvinced. Arsenic and Old Lace (1943) is more salacious and contains much more crime. Sharon Gans is the most likeable character, and she is a self centered control freak, all other characters are weak willed dupes. Yuppie cult run by an aged hippie narcissist. Fairly well written with a capable narrator, though Austin Rising sounds like a pseudonym.

Brilliant and very scary

This is absolutely amazing. The storyline is captivating, everything is meticulously explained and vocabulary used is really fitting. Very hectic and intense story! Staggering to think this is happening in our day and age.

A cult hijacks Gurdjieff and Ouspenky

Unfortunate hardworking educated lad gets taken over by a cult faking Gurdjieffian philosophy. All the more regrettable because the early incarnation of that group (i.e. Alex Horn in the 60's and 70's) though unforgivably brutal, seem to have taught Gurdjieffian philosophy very well

Fascinating

This is a very well written, fascinating and cautionary story about how much we are all susceptible if we find ourselves unsatisfied for a moment in life.

Says more about the Members than The Cult.

Many years ago I was moved by Keith Jarrett’s take on the Music of Gurdjieff and became fascinated by the Man and his Teachings. Since Schneider’s Cult was in some way based on that Philosophy and also because it was based in the New York City I had left in the Seventies, I thought I’d learn a little more about it.

I had never heard of School and knew nothing about it but, like all Cults, it reeked of Mind Control, Manipulation, and Danger. Listening to Rising’s excellent narration, I came away with a couple of troublesome thoughts: The first was how unbelievable was the history of Narcissism and Sociopathy demonstrated over twenty-plus years by Sharon Gans, the Demented Cult Leader. And Second, the constant descriptions of the Members as Well-Educated, Successful, and Prosperous, Manhattan Elites, suckered out of Time and Treasure for countless pointless nights of “Classes”, “Retreats”, and “Exercises”!

The First point is easily understood in 2023 after eight years suffering under the influence of just such a Self-Centered Narcissistic Sociopath, who shall go Nameless. Lawyers, Generals, Politicians, and Media Stars all fell under his sway!

What troubles me more is the notion that an Ivy League Education, and an Elite, Upper Class upbringing and Lifestyle offers no protection from dedicating a Life to slavish devotion to a Set of Fantasy Beliefs so ridiculously transparent to anyone with a Fifth Grade education and Ten years of Life Experience.

I assumed that this book would fill me with trepidation that Cults and their Followers would constitute a danger to me, my Family, and my Country. Instead it overwhelmed me with a mixture of Pity and Concern that even “The 1%” could be so weak and, excuse my bluntness, stupid. The Book could have been shortened to two sentences: “Oh Poor Me!” and “Will someone tell me how to be Happy?”.

Is it our Media (Looking at You, Oprah and Dr.Phil), our Educational System, (K-12 & “Higher Ed”), or our Mental Health Institutions that could produce Sheep capable of being fleeced out of their Lives by such nonsense?

Manhattan Cult Story did scare me but not in the way I expected, but it did issue a Wake-Up Call. For that I’ll give it Three Stars, with Four for Narration.
***!

This story is true.

One of my closest friends was in this cult and before this book ever came out…I heard her tell many of the exact same stories. She is still traumatized from many of the events that took place.

Devoured the whole thing in 1.5 days

I think this book has a solid chronological explanation of how people end up in some cults, why they stay and how they get out. The narrators voice for the cult leader is scrumptious and I love it. If you have a history of sexual assault, there are parts that may be triggering (almost always in reference to the past).

it's very sad but good

I feel so sad he missed so much time with his family. I also wished he'd talked more about the rebonding with them. and also how things affected his son too. but regardless he's brave to tell his story. glad he finally got out.

Salacious title but doesn't deliver

The performance of this book is excellent. The content, however... I read a lot about cults and I can usually feel where the victims are coming from, but I find it hard to find empathy for a bunch of upper middle class white people who got scammed into a racist, homophobic cult by a deluded narcissist. I am also baffled by how often the narrator tries to convince us that he's totally ultra mega straight? It's bizarre. And unconvincing - there's no shame in bisexuality dude.

Just goes to show

That ANYONE can get sucked into a cult. I discovered Spencer and his book on Roberts Blevins' "Life After MLM" podcast. The parallels between the"School" cult and multi level marketing companies were easy to make. I likened Sharon to the whacked out DeAnne Stidham of LuLaRoe infamy. Happy to know Spencer is out, doing well, and telling his story. If you're in a MLM company, you're also in a cult, and you too can get out.