Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers' Favorite

As children grow, they adopt their view of the world from their surroundings. By the time we reach adulthood, most of us learn to form our own opinions but are these factual or accurate? In What You Don't Know Can Kill You by Meghan Hansen, we learn the good and bad sides of how the human mind can be persuaded, coerced and sometimes even hypnotized to hold certain beliefs. Sometimes for good but also to incite hatred and bias. These methods of mind control have been used throughout history, but how did these notorious dictators manage to brainwash others to perform unthinkable actions? Are there certain types of people that are more prone to becoming victims of mind control? The strategies used by Hitler, Jim Jones, David Koresh, Donald Trump, and even ISIS are broken down and examined for any similarities. We discover if they shared any personality traits or patterns of behavior, so we might spot the warnings signs for ourselves and not become one more victim in the history books of dictatorship. Joseph Goebbels: “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."

What You Don't Know Can Kill You by Meghan Hansen is a spine-chilling read and a well-researched look into the psyche of the human mind. I think many of us would not believe we are susceptible to mind control, but it is shocking to learn the tactics used throughout history to gain such horrendous results. The similarities of behavior, personality traits and the wording of certain speeches are a must-read for anyone. I was especially moved by the speech given by Jim Jones. This is an extremely detailed in-depth examination of the methods used to manipulate people. The revelations are not only a warning not to take any information at face value but also an invaluable insight into mind control in general. The references for further reading were a great addition. The subject matter of this book will stay with me for a long time. I think it is impossible not to question your belief system once you have read this. A book that will hopefully bring people closer together and not divide certain groups in our society because of malicious intentions.