UNHOLY SENSATIONS A Story of Sex, Scandal, and California's First Cult Scare

Mitch Crawford narrates this nonfiction account of the Fountain Grove utopian community in California in the late 1800s. Run by minister, spiritualist, and poet Thomas Lake Harris, the community went through a large public scandal involving gender, race, and sexual mores. As a result, it was dubbed the first "cult"--and Harris the first "cult leader." Crawford narrates with a scholarly air and just enough emotion to make the story compelling. He portrays Harris as imperial, yet firmly believing in his claims and powers as a mystic who converses with celestial beings. Crawford brings sympathy to the character of Alzire Chevaillier, who was Harris's loudest critic. He skillfully portrays her against a backdrop of criticism of her gender and her stance on the community. L.M.G. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2025]