SKU: 20809846844

The Allure of Immortality: An American Cult, a Florida Swamp, and a Renegade Prophet

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The Allure of Immortality: An American Cult, a Florida Swamp, and a Renegade ProphetWall Street Journal's Five Best Books About Cults For five days in December 1908 the body of Cyrus Teed lay in a bathtub at a beach house just south of Fort Myers, Florida. His followers, the Koreshans, waited for signs that he was coming back to life. They watched hieroglyphics emerge on his skin and observed what looked like the formation of a third arm. They saw his belly fall and rise with breath, even though his swollen tongue sealed his mouth.

Wall Street Journal's Five Best Books About Cults For five days in December 1908 the body of Cyrus Teed lay in a bathtub at a beach house just south of Fort Myers, Florida. His followers, the Koreshans, waited for signs that he was coming back to life. They watched hieroglyphics emerge on his skin and observed what looked like the formation of a third arm. They saw his belly fall and rise with breath, even though his swollen tongue sealed his mouth. As his corpse turned black, they declared that their leader was transforming into the Egyptian god Horus. Teed was a charismatic and controversial guru who at the age of 30 had been "illuminated" by an angel in his electro-alchemical laboratory. At the turn of the twentieth century, surrounded by the marvels of the Second Industrial Revolution, he proclaimed himself a prophet and led 200 people out of Chicago and into a new age. Or so he promised. The Koreshans settled in a mosquito-infested scrubland and set to building a communal utopia inside what they believed was a hollow earth--with humans living on the inside crust and the entire universe contained within. According to Teed's socialist and millennialist teachings, if his people practiced celibacy and focused their love on him, he would return after death and they would all become immortal. Was Teed a visionary or villain, savior or two-bit charlatan? Why did his promises and his theory of "cellular cosmogony" persuade so many? In The Allure of Immortality, Lyn Millner weaves the many bizarre strands of Teed's life and those of his followers into a riveting story of angels, conmen, angry husbands, yellow journalism, and ultimately, hope.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: University Press of Florida
Published: 09/10/2019
ISBN: 9780813064406
Pages: 354
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.14w x 0.79d
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SKU: 20809846844

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Amazon Woman
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
Buy it!!!! It’s great!!!
Color: Blue, Size: 5.5 Inch, Color: Blue, Size: 5.5 Inch
My dog is obsessed with this ball!!! It is very sturdy and he has fun chewing it and playing with it. I bought the biggest size for my mini Goldendoodle. Buy it!! It’s a winner!!!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2026
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Kara
Fort Morgan, US
★★★★★ 5
Great toy for both inside & outside play!
Color: Pink, Size: 3 Inch, Color: Pink, Size: 3 Inch
My Yorkies love this toy! This is my 3rd purchase of the same type of ball - the small 3" JW Pet HOL-lee ball. I bought one for my first Yorkie, she loved it, so when I got another Yorkie puppy, I bought a 2nd. They play with them so much that they sometimes get left outside. The green one was faded and started to blend it with the grass, so I bought a new one. It's great for a game of fetch, and isneasy to wash. Wish I could select a specific color, as I'd really like a purple one.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2025
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Solar Meadow
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 4
Great indoors and out.
Color: Blue, Size: 4.5 Inch
This is a great toy if your dog likes balls. While it's not my dog's favorite (he favors small squeaky animals) it is safe indoors, soft on floor, walls and furniture and something durable for fetching.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2026
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MGW
Fort Morgan, US
★★★★★ 5
Terrific for fetch, would not hold up to unmonitored chewing
Color: Colors May Vary, Size: 5.5 Inch
Fabulous for playing fetch. Young crazy-dog enjoys it! Would not hold up to using as a chew toy - we remove it when not playing with the dog.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2026
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Lg
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 3
Gave my dog an allergic reaction
Color: Blue, Size: 4.5 Inch
I have one that has lasted 2 years of hard play, very durable. However, this newest one in the teal color gave my dog an allergic reaction. Her face and eyes swelled up within 1/2 of playing with it. So I threw it out. I have had no issues with the green one that I bought yesterday ago.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2026

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