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David Thibodeau

Waco: A Survivor's Story Paperback – January 2, 2018

by David Thibodeau (Author), Leon Whiteson (Author), Aviva Layton

1,104 ratings

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The basis of the celebrated Paramount Network miniseries starring Michael Shannon and Taylor Kitsch -- Waco is the critically-acclaimed, first person account of the siege by Branch Davidian survivor, David Thibodeau.

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.

Print length

400 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Hachette Books
Publication date

January 2, 2018
Dimensions

6 x 1.13 x 9.13 inches
ISBN-10

1602865736
ISBN-13

978-1602865730
Lexile measure

1160L
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"An extraordinary account of one of the most shameful episodes in recent American history. I wish that everyone in the country could read this book."
―Howard Zinn

"This book gives a rare glimpse of life at Mount Carmel and an account of how that attack contrasts with the 'official' government version. With the renewed interest in this siege, this book is recommended for public libraries."
―School Library Journal

"This narrative defies many of our media-mediated preconceptions of Koresh's followers."
―Booklist

"Thibodeau, one of only four Branch Davidians to live through the Waco disaster and not be sentenced to jail, has produced a surprisingly balanced and honest account of his time as a Branch Davidian. Neither sensationalist nor defensive, this will make satisfying reading for anyone interested in the April 1993 tragedy."
―Kirkus Review

"A disquieting portrait of a religious community and its enigmatic leader."
―Kirkus Reviews

"Honest... [about] whether the excessive force used by our government against American citizens was really necessary."―Lincoln Star Journal

About the Author

David Thibodeau was born and raised in Maine. He is one of only four Branch Davidians who survived the Waco, Texas massacre who was not sentenced to prison. Over the twenty-five years since, David has lived in Los Angeles, Austin, and currently lives in Bangor, Maine, where he continues his life as a drummer and entrepreneur.

Coauthor Leon Whiteson was a Zimbabwean architect-turned-critic and novelist. He died in 2013 at age 82. Whiteson is survived by his wife -- author Aviva Layton -- who has written the updated epilogue with David Thibodeau for this new edition.

Aviva Layton earned a BA from Sydney University, an MA from University of Montreal, and a PhD from York University, Toronto. She is the author of a novel, a biography, and several award-winning children's books, and is now a full-time literary editor.

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hachette Books; Illustrated edition (January 2, 2018)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1602865736
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1602865730
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1160L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.13 x 9.13 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #94,565 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #66 in Religious Cults (Books)
- #199 in Law Enforcement Biographies
- #547 in Murder & Mayhem True Accounts

Customer Reviews:
1,104 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		76%
4 star		14%
3 star		7%
2 star		1%
1 star		2%

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Top reviews from the United States

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L. Pate

The True Story You Probably Never Heard about Waco

Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2018

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We've heard for years, decades really, all of the bad things about David Koresh laced with loaded words like cult, compound, stockpiling, militant, rape, etc. When telling the story at the time and in the following years, the media rarely, if ever, uttered the words freedom of religion, Constitution, 1st Amendment, 2nd Amendment, 4th Amendment. And, after the OKC bombing, Waco was rarely discussed without mentioning its relation to Timothy McVeigh as if the bombing was also the fault of David Koresh and his followers.

Well this book is the other side, the human side, of what really went on before, during and after the 51 day siege at Waco. All the while Maury Povich and everyone else in the media was blaming Koresh for the deaths of all of those women and children, here are some things you were never told (at least not by the media): David Koresh invited the ATF into his home to come and inspect all of his weapons, in the weeks before the initial raid at Mt Carmel, the ATF could have easily arrested David outside of the compound, an ATF agent had been inside the compound several times and warned the ATF immediately before the raid that the people inside Mt Carmel knew they were coming.

And besides being very informative, I thought it was very well-written and interesting.

159 people found this helpful

Helpful

David Miscavige

Great Place to Start

Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2017

Verified Purchase

I wasn't going to write a review but after reading some of the two star reviews I definitely had to help offset the average star rating.

This book was very easy to read. It's written in a conversational tone which really helped it move along as I didn't feel like I was reading a research paper. It's down to earth and I highly recommend it as a starting place for people who want to educate themselves on the Davidians as people as opposed to the caricatures they were portrayed as by the media.

It's essentially an autobiography that starts well before David Thibodeau even meets David Koresh. I feel this gives you a birds-eye-view of the entire situation, or at least as close as you're going to get to an objective retelling of events by someone who was actually inside the compound during the siege. I actually came away from the book with the feeling that the reason David survived the conflagration was to write this book and tell their story.

It's about 350 pages. If you're interested in the topic and have the time you should finish it in just a few days.

Whether you agree or disagree with the group please educate yourself about the situation. Do not just accept everything the government tells you. If they would admit when they are wrong and screw up maybe we as the public would more readily trust them BUT THEY WON'T! Not everything David Koresh was going was legal (statutory rape, some illegal weapons) but the group never deserved to be suffocated with CS gas or burned alive.

204 people found this helpful

Helpful

Bradley Bevers

Highly Recommended

Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2018

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I watched the new miniseries on Waco on the Paramount network thanks to a recommendation from someone in our reading group, and picked up the two books that the show was based on. This one is from David Thibodeau's point of view, one of only 11 survivors from the disaster at Waco. Reflecting on this tragedy twenty five years later was eye opening. I was only ten when it happened and barely understood what was going on. Looking back now its almost impossible to believe that the American government held a group of citizens under a siege for 51 days and then 70 of them ended up dying. And all of this happened less than two hours from where I live now.

More than any other book I have read, this story makes me want to buy a gun safe and start buying guns soon. There is no doubt that David Koresh should have gone to jail for breaking some laws, but most of the people in the compound had zero culpability for what was happening. I won't get into the entire book, but if you haven't read anything about Waco before watch the show if you can and read this one and the next book. Thibodeau is still obviously traumatized by what happened, but the book comes across more fairly than I expected, especially the epilogue that was rewritten based on the television show coming out. My main critique is that I wish it had footnotes referencing most of the claims made to make it easier to track down the original sources when applicable. Highly recommended.

43 people found this helpful

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H

Felt more like propaganda not a memoir.

Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2019

Verified Purchase

Only read to page 58. Felt the author was more of a defender of David Koresh still trying to promote his cult like behavior. David Koresh’s visions seemed much more like schizophrenic hallucinations used to manipulate his followers. It also really bothered me that the author defended Koresh’s child bride beliefs.

42 people found this helpful

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Bajovane

Very well written and informative!

Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2018

Verified Purchase

A very powerful story - one that was way overdue for the telling. It certainly opened my eyes to how our government completely stepped way, way over the line against its own citizens. If they wanted to arrest David Koresh so badly, all they had to do was just wait until he went jogging or went to town. The raid at Mt. Carmel was completely unnecessary. The final assault (and yes, it WAS an assault) resulted in the deaths of 78 people, many of them innocent children. The government accused the Branch Davidians of mass suicide but evidence suggests otherwise. None of it ever had to happen at all. What a tragedy.

43 people found this helpful

Helpful

timothy.p.marchant

Provides a balanced view of the siege from a survivor's perspective

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2018

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I have always been fascinated with the Waco siege and try to read everything I can get my hands on when it comes to the topic. This book so far has provided an in depth look into the Branch Davidians and their beliefs along side the events that lead up to the siege. The book has definitely opened my eyes even further about the event due to new insights I have gained from reading the book. I also thought the book was very balanced due to the fact it was written from a survivor's perspective. I did not feel that any topics were white washed and were presented in a forthcoming manner. I feel this book is a must read for anyone who wants to read more about this tragic event.

42 people found this helpful

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Michael T. Leach

A great book to read. A real eye opener on what happened at WACO.

Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2018

Verified Purchase

This book is a real eye opening experience if you are the least bit interested in what actually took place in Waco, Tx from February 28, 1993 till April 19, 1993. Certainly is not the official government version that we have all been told happened.

20 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

christina s

Worth reading

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 7, 2019

Verified Purchase

Fantastic book, dispels the myths, worth reading if you want the true story of waco

3 people found this helpful

Julie

A very different view.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2021

Verified Purchase

A tough, hard hitting realisation of a perversion of the truth by the American authorities at the time, although the question of David Kiresh sexual predilection fir minors makes me feel ill having teenage daughters. A very good read whether you've seen the TV series or not.

Tim2223

Not good not bad

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 5, 2019

Verified Purchase

Good and bad
Sadly he rambles on too much, good bits interesting but we want to know about Waco not what he ate for breakfast when he was a kid. Too drawn out.

Simon

Interesting

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 29, 2019

Verified Purchase

Very interesting bought this after watching the TV series

J. Jackson

Useful

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 17, 2019

Verified Purchase

Too much repition