In the Beauty of the Lilies

In the Beauty of the Lilies is a 1996 novel by John Updike. Beginning in 1910 and ending in 1990, it covers four generations of the Wilmot family, tying its fortunes to both the decline of the Christian faith and the rise of Hollywood in twentieth century America. The fourth section of the novel is a fictional account of the Branch Dividians and the events of the Waco siege recounted through the eyes of a man who had joined the cult two years previously.