The legacy of a self-proclaimed Messiah. The rise of extremist patriot groups and militias, including those who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, has inspired several new books about the Branch Davidians, a sect that many right-wing groups believe was exterminated at the hands of the tyrannical U.S. government. Drawing on sources that include FBI files and eyewitness testimony, Talty focuses his thoroughly researched history on the troubled and troubling life of Vernon Wayne Howell (1959-1993), better known as the Branch Davidians' leader David Koresh. Howell grew up among Seventh-day Adventists in a small town in East Texas, raised in part by his grandmother while his 14-year-old mother worked at one menial job after another. His childhood was marked by cruelty: He was bullied by other kids, whipped by his frustrated mother and her new husband, and sexually molested. He hated school but loved church; most of all, he loved the Bible. He claimed to have visions and to hear God. "As one local writer said, saying God talked to you was like saying the Avon lady rang your doorbell that morning," writes Talty. "It happened to someone every day." The author follows his subject's search for acceptance, by the Adventists, Southern Baptists, and by girls he fell madly in love with. One after another, they rejected him, fed up with his religious proclamations, egotism, and need to control every aspect of their lives. As one girlfriend put it, "His visions were curiously tailored to what he wanted." In 1981, Howell's fortunes changed after he insinuated himself into a leadership role among the Branch Davidians; in 1990, he changed his name to reflect his status as their savior. Talty recounts in vivid detail his rise among unquestioning followers; his apocalyptic prophecy that led them to amass weapons; and the ill-conceived government surveillance that ended in a deadly raid. A dark chronicle of hubris and violence. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In this thoroughly researched work of narrative nonfiction, journalist Talty (The Good Assassin, 2020) offers an in-depth portrait of Vernon Wayne Howell, more commonly known as David Koresh, leader of the Branch Davidians. As a child, Howell was bullied by just about everyone, but he especially suffered at the hands of his family, including whippings and sexual abuse. His one respite was church, where he fully immersed himself in Bible study and ultimately claimed he could talk to God. Charming and manipulative, Howell found his people in the Branch Davidians, a Seventh Day Adventist offshoot, and soon became their leader. Changing his name, Koresh preached of the coming war with Babylon, stockpiled guns, and took on several wives, some underage. As rumors grew of physical abuse, violence, and illegal weapons, the ATF attempted the infamous raid that went horribly wrong, resulting in a weeks-long standoff and deadly fire. Talty weaves a compelling portrait of Koresh and the mishandled government confrontation and makes a clear case for Waco being a catalyst for the rise of anti-government militia groups.

In this searing account, journalist Talty (The Black Hand) paints a detailed portrait of David Koresh, the leader of the Branch Davidian cult. From his unwed teen mother's religious obsession to his stepfather's physical and mental abuse, Koresh, born Vernon Wayne Howell in 1959, struggled through life, exhibiting both mental and learning disabilities. Searching for love and purpose through religion and sex, he stumbled into the Branch Davidian sect in Waco, Tex., and worked his way from being something of a rather pathetic lost sheep to an egotistical prophet spouting delusions about angels and God. As his power grew, so did his derangement until he demanded more and more from his followers; he sexually abused underage girls and denied adults food and the right to marry. By 1990, some had broken free and left the cult, while Koresh armed the true believers that remained at his Mount Carmel compound. Talty makes a solid case that Koresh alternated between delusions of grandeur and possibly knowing he was insane, and that the tragic outcome of the government standoff with the Davidians in 1993 was aided by the media circus surrounding it and the conflict between the ATF and the FBI. This well-researched and enlightening book is un-put-downable. Agent: Susan Canavan, Waxman Agency. (Apr.)