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Hello Charlie! You crazy F (expletive has been deleted because for some crazy reason I've got a bunch of kids following my reviews) R!!!
"'How are you going to get the establishment? You can't sing to them. I tried that. I tried to save them, but they wouldn't listen. Now we got to destroy them."'
---Charlie Manson to a friend in the summer of 1969
The number of people killed by the Manson family i
***DISCLAIMER: I READ THIS BOOK UNDER THE CONSTANT INFLUENCE OF THE WHITE ALBUM BY THE BEATLES.***
Hello Charlie! You crazy F (expletive has been deleted because for some crazy reason I've got a bunch of kids following my reviews) R!!!
"'How are you going to get the establishment? You can't sing to them. I tried that. I tried to save them, but they wouldn't listen. Now we got to destroy them."'
---Charlie Manson to a friend in the summer of 1969
The number of people killed by the Manson family in the 1960s and 1970s could be as many as 35. There are still bodies missing and murders that fit the profile of The Family that were never proven for lack of evidence. For the prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi, the goal was to get Charlie Manson, along with his most fervent followers, out of circulation for a long, long time. From moment one he felt the strain of making a misstep that would give the judge or jury reasonable doubt. The most famous of these murders were the five people killed in, what is referred to as, The Tate Murders. The murder case was named for the wife of famed director Roman Polanski. Sharon Tate was not only brutally murdered, but was also eight months pregnant.
It changes the score, right? When you ruthlessly kill a pregnant woman, it isn't just murder any more; it is a heinous crime against humanity.
Bugliosi, who wrote this book, does a wonderful job laying out the evidence and also explaining our legal system pitfalls. The crimes themselves, though interesting in a ghoulish, shiver inducing way, are in a sense immaterial when compared to the feral genius of Charlie Manson.
He wasn't book smart, but he had his own brilliant way of discovering the weaknesses of most people he met and turning them into brainwashed zombie followers. He was a career inmate. He purposely committed crimes with the highest federal punishment (for instance like stealing the US Mail which has mandatory sentencing much higher than say stealing cars) to make sure he stayed in jail longer. When he was released from the prison for the last time, he begged the warden to let him stay. He understood prison, but he couldn't understand the real world.
It only makes sense that he would create his own reality.
"I may have implied on several occasions to several different people that I may have been Jesus Christ, but I haven't decided yet what I am or who I am."
Most of the people he brought into The Family were between the ages of 17 to 27, with a heavy emphasis on 17. He had a man by the name of Paul Watkins, who was a good looking lad, who would hang around areas where high school girls would be and recruit them into The Family. There was no end of young women from middle class families who had runaway from their families or wanted to. Manson offered them a haven in the desert.
Paul Watkins, the pretty boy girl recruiter. Charlie would say, "Paul I'm horny. Go get me a new girl," and Paul would go get one.
He would interview them, discovering that generally they had Daddy issues, and exploit their resentments against their parents. All he was offering was freedom and free love and plenty of drugs, but in reality he was breaking them down so that they would do what he wanted without question. He would first have sex with them. Then, have them have sex with a woman. (Don't be uptight, girl. It is all part of being free.) Then, they would over time have sex with all the men in the group. He would organize orgies in which they had to participate or face excommunication from the group. By this time, he had shattered the pillar of their moral compass and now had fresh clay to build them back up into who he needed them to be. The transformation from who they were to who he made them was truly disheartening and frightening to witness.
The Manson girls look just like the girls we all went to highschool with. So the question is, how did he turn them into killers?
These girls came from very sheltered existences. They were angry at their parents for a whole host of reasons, but probably the unifying theme was that they didn't want to be told what to do. Manson offered a delusional freedom that wasn't free at all, but actually shackled them to him and his demented visions of chaos. One of the girls said, "I've finally reached the point where I can kill my parents."
Manson became completely enamored with The White Album by The Beatles. He thought The Beatles were giving him specific instructions of what had to go down. Helter Skelter, which is the name of one of the songs on the album, became the defining words of the new world he hoped to create.
When he sent his minions out to kill the people at the Tate residency, he was hoping to start a war. He wanted to leave evidence that black people were killing white people, and then they would kill each other. The Black connections they were hoping to make were pathetically attempted, and at no time did the police think the Black Panthers or some other armed black resistance were behind the murders. The only whites who were going to survive this racial war were those living in the desert with Charlie Manson.
How do you get people to believe this stuff?
"Charlie was always preaching love. Charlie had no idea what love was. Charlie was so far from love it wasn't even funny. Death is Charlie's trip. It really is."
He had his own agenda to get even with everyone. He wanted to instill fear. He wanted to destroy the world. He wanted people to pay for the shambles of his own life.
People have made comparisons between the mesmerizing abilities of Adolf Hitler and Charlie Manson. They were both small men with large ideas about who they should be. They could both convince people to do things that any rational person should reject. Neither one of them respected life. I usually don't like comparisons to Hitler because he is often evoked in modern politics erroneously, but there are certainly some aspects about their characters and their power over people that makes the comparisons, unfortunately, very valid. At times Manson had hundreds of followers, a small army of potential assassins. All he had to do was say the word. They all wanted to make Charlie happy, and underlying all the love they felt for him was a real fear of the consequences of disappointing him.
It is scary to think about how easily Manson gained control of these young people. I'm sure there were people who spent five minutes in his presence who started looking for the nearest exit, but his ability to convince people of his own importance and power is fortunately a very unusual trait among madmen. Could another Manson come along? Absolutely! Will they find followers? Absolutely! This book was thoughtful and well researched and certainly proved to be a page turner for me, sometimes deep into the heart of darkness.
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• Woodstock – August 15th-17th
• Neil Armstrong is the first man to walk on the Moon – July 20th
• Ted Kennedy and Chappaquiddick – July 18th
• Beatles crossing Abbey Road photo taken – August 8th
• Tate-LaBianca (Manson Family) Murders – August 8th-9th
While humanity had proven its ability to produce madness, one of the most insane and well publicized is the Manson Family and their reign of terror in Southern California in the late 1960s and the legacy that still haunts us today. While I was somewhat familiar with Manson and the crimes committed by his followers, It was not until I read Helter Skelter that I realized all the facts. Believe me, if you think what you know already is horrifying, just wait until you get the whole story.
Bugliosi is one of the most famous attorneys and true crime authors of our time. The fact that he was the prosecuting attorney in the Manson trial gave him a first hand view of the proceedings. Because of this, Helter Skelter is probably the most well researched and presented true crime stories I have ever read. It even sounds like Manson was more impressed with Bugliosi than his own defense attorneys!
Now, a caveat here – if you like your true crime to be more of a retelling and less of a deep dive into the details or if you prefer a lighter/abridged story (something that might fit into an hour long show on the Investigation Discovery Channel), then this may not be the book for you. While the crimes are discussed, the majority of the book is the trial, the evidence, and interviews with the witnesses. Truly, this is not a book for the casual True Crime fan; this is only for the hardcore. I have seen some abridged copies of this book out there, perhaps they are best suited if you are not ready to commit to something this intense.
If you are ready for music, madness, and murder and want ALL the details – you must check this book out!
He's disturbing and sick.
And is his 80 + year old nasty self still married to some 20 something year old? I'm not showing pictures. I don't even want to do a review thinking some freaks are still out there and will come for us all!
And don't get me started on those crazy girls of his, well the whole crew, but still!
We are off to be charged with murder, and we don't care at all. <--- like my little jingle.
The book is filled with
So the simple fact is: this man is crazier than a sh•t house rat!
He's disturbing and sick.
And is his 80 + year old nasty self still married to some 20 something year old? I'm not showing pictures. I don't even want to do a review thinking some freaks are still out there and will come for us all!
And don't get me started on those crazy girls of his, well the whole crew, but still!
We are off to be charged with murder, and we don't care at all. <--- like my little jingle.
The book is filled with pictures of all kinds of things, some disturbing. Lets just call this disturbing and call it a day! No, I want to add some excerpts of one of the crazy heads! She was like telling all of her stuff to a lady in jail. Of course if freaked the lady prisoner out but that goes without saying.
Susan looked at her and smiled and said, "Sure." Just like that. Only the police had it wrong, she said. They had her holding the man while the boy stabbed him, which was silly, because she couldn't hold a big man like that. It was the other way round; the boy held him and she had stabbed him, four or five times. What stunned Virginia, she would later say, was that Susan described it "just like it was a perfectly natural thing to do every day of the week." Susan's conversations were not limited to murder. Subjects ranged from psychic phenomena to her experiences as a topless dancer in San Francisco. It was while there, she told Virginia, that she met "a man, this Charlie." He was the strongest man alive. He had been in prison but had never been broken. Susan said she followed his orders without question--they all did, all the kids who lived with him. He was their father, their leader, their love. It was Charlie, she said, who had given her the name Sadie Mae Glutz.Virginia asked her, "Well, did you do it?"
•••••••
She asked the big question first: Why, Sadie, why? Because, Susan replied, we "wanted to do a crime that would shock the world, that the world would have to stand up and take notice." But why the Tate house? Susan's answer was chilling in its simplicity: "It is isolated." The place had been picked at random."You know, there's a case right now, they are so far off track they don't even know what's happening."
Virginia asked, "What are you talking about?"
"That one on Benedict Canyon."
"Benedict Canyon? You don't mean Sharon Tate?"
"Yeah." With this Susan seemed to get very excited. The words came out in a rush. "You know who did it, don't you?"
"No."
"Well, you're looking at her."
Virginia gasped, "You've got to be kidding!"
Susan just smiled and said, "Huh-uh."
I mean seriously?
The book tells in detail about the day the people were found, all of the records that could be told, how they found the freaks and arrested them, how things were done to different people. It's pretty graphic and then we go through the court cases.
Anyway, if you wanted to know more about what all went down then this is the book.
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
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- Testimony of Charles Manson, November 20, 1970 (given outside the presence of the jury)
When I started Helter Skelter, it did not have an ending; by the time I finished, by an odd quirk of timing, it did. On November 19, 2017, with about a hundred pages left in my paperback chronicle of his infamous deeds, Charles Manson – cult leader, convicted murderer, synonym of charismatic depra
"My father is the jailhouse. My father is your system…I am only what you made me. I am only a reflection of you."- Testimony of Charles Manson, November 20, 1970 (given outside the presence of the jury)
When I started Helter Skelter, it did not have an ending; by the time I finished, by an odd quirk of timing, it did. On November 19, 2017, with about a hundred pages left in my paperback chronicle of his infamous deeds, Charles Manson – cult leader, convicted murderer, synonym of charismatic depravity – died of "natural causes" at the age of 83. A mundane end to a homicidally tumultuous life.
To be sure, other members of the "Manson Family" remain behind bars, serving out multiple life sentences (though with the possibility of parole). But the end of Manson feels like the closing of a final chapter. The end of something. Though he never took part in the brutal slayings that killed seven people at two different crime scenes, he is the one that will be remembered for it.
Part of the reason is Helter Skelter, written by Manson prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, with help from Curt Gentry. Originally published in 1974, Helter Skelter is said to be the number one selling true crime book in history. Certainly it stands alongside Capote's In Cold Blood as the most famous true crime writing. It casts a long shadow, which is why – spurred on by Netflix's serial-killer exploration Mindhunter – I finally got around to reading it.
It almost goes without saying, but Helter Skelter tells the well-known story of the so-called Tate-LaBianca murders committed by members of Manson's Spahn Ranch cult in August 1969. Among the victims was actress Sharon Tate (who was pregnant) and coffee heiress Abigail Folger. Manson acolytes Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Leslie Houten were eventually convicted for committing the murders. Manson was convicted for orchestrating them. All were sentenced to die, but had their sentences commuted to life when the California Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional.
Bugliosi & Gentry begin their tale with the discovery of the murders at two separate crime scenes. This, to me, is probably the strongest part of Helter Skelter. The opening line – "It was so quiet, one of the killers would later say, you could almost hear the sound of ice rattling in cocktail shakers in the homes way down the canyon" – is a classic hook. This section is detailed, objective, and presented in the third-person.
After setting the gruesome scene, Bugliosi & Gentry take us into the investigative phase. This includes the troubled biography of Charles Manson, who spent most of his pre-Tate-LaBianca life in jail (of course, he spent all of his post-Tate-LaBianca life there as well). At this point, Bugliosi begins to appear more often, and the style turns to the first-person, as he shares his knowledge, insights, and opinions. And he has plenty of opinions. He does not blunt his judgment that LAPD nearly made a botch of the investigation. It's unusual to see a prosecutor say anything negative towards law enforcement, at least in public, so Bugliosi's take was rather refreshing. Of course, based on a history of racism, corruption, and incompetence, maybe he's just going after the low-hanging fruit.
Unsurprisingly, based on Bugliosi's central involvement, the trial itself is dealt with extensively. All the ins-and-outs are covered, from pretrial motions and jury selection to witness examinations and the sentencing phase. Bugliosi & Gentry often quote the trial transcript, so that you get to see the exact interactions recorded by the court reporter. This is a thorough book. My 20th anniversary paperback weighs in at over 600 pages of text. You really feel the length during certain trial sections. The level of detail is exacting, at times witness by witness, meaning there is a lot of repetition. At times, tedium set in, as I imagine it must have set in for the actual jurors on the seven-month trial. (Bugliosi claims in Helter Skelter that this was the longest criminal trial in U.S. history. It might have been the true then; it certainly isn't now. In any event, it was lengthy).
My general rule, though, is that too much information is better than too little. I appreciated Bugliosi's unwillingness to skimp or summarize, even when that came at the expense of the pacing. What did irritate me, however, is Bugliosi & Gentry's portrayal of the central character: Bugliosi himself.
I don't like reading first-person accounts for the reason that they inherently lack objectivity. That's the case here. The underlying theme of Helter Skelter – frankly, "underlying" is putting it mildly – is that Bugliosi was always right, and everyone else was either wrong, or getting in the way. He criticizes the LAPD, the LASO, his own DA's office, the judge (at times, even though he got just about every ruling he requested), and – most of all – the defense attorneys. Bugliosi may be right in some of his judgments, but he's certainly wrong in others; of course, since he is the one telling the story, you won't see that mentioned. For instance, Bugliosi (who is generally extremely negative towards the defense attorneys) directs a lot of ire at Patricia Krenwinkel's attorney Paul Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald, who was called "legendary" by the Los Angeles Times, left his job at the Public Defender's Office in order to keep Krenwinkel as a client. Bugliosi continually criticizes Fitzgerald as ineffective, and even intimates that Krenwinkel would've walked on the LaBianca slayings had Fitzgerald done a better job. This opinion is not shared by others who watched the trial, including a member of the DA's office. You don't read any dissenting views in Helter Skelter; instead, Bugliosi & Gentry tell the story from Bugliosi's point-of-view, discounting even the possibility that there might be any other worth noting.
(In the 20th anniversary afterword, Bugliosi pulls back from his criticism of Fitzgerald, perhaps mellowed by time and reflection).
Another example of the singularity of viewpoint comes from the fact that Stephen Kay, who assisted Bugliosi, rates only six mentions, even though Kay eventually had to retry Krenwinkel, whose Bugliosi-conviction was overturned.
I read more than my share of true crime, while acknowledging that it can be a sordid genre. When done right, true crime provides a fascinating insight into the darkness and fragility of the human condition. At its worse it is simply gratuitous. There is nothing gratuitous or exploitative about Helter Skelter. It is written in a matter-of-fact style. It never rises to the level of artistry, but makes its points in the manner of a prosecutor's brief. There are times when Bugliosi, who has already proven his case to the jury, seems intent on proving his case to the reader as well. This does him credit. He does not shy away from explaining what he thought the holes in his own case were. Of course, he never lets even a smidgen of human doubt creep onto these pages, or ever acknowledges that he might have made a mistake. (In my own career doing criminal defense, the certainty of prosecutors has never ceased to amaze me).
When Manson finally died, it was front page news. It begs the question why. Why do we remember Charles Manson and his deeds? It's a tough question to answer. This wasn't an epoch-turning crime, where America "lost her innocence" (as though we ever had it). To the contrary, this took place at the height of the Vietnam war; My Lai had already occurred. No, there was no innocence to be lost. Further, despite Bugliosi's claim to the contrary, these slayings were not sui generis in their horrors. Rather, the annals of American crime are filled with equally brutal slaughters, such as the ax murders of eight people (including 6 kids) in Villisca, Iowa, in 1912.
Today, the Tate-LaBianca murders seem – in a terrible way – almost quaint. How do they compare, after all, to what has happened since? Two high schoolers go into a library and begin methodically executing their fellow students. A young man takes a high-powered rifle into an elementary school and riddles 20 children and six adults with bullets. Fifty-eight people die at a concert in Vegas; twenty-six more are murdered at a Texas church. As Tommy Lee Jones says at the start of No Country For Old Men: "The crime you see now, it's hard to even take its measure."
It's a questions Bugliosi tries to answer, a bit defensively, in the 20th anniversary afterward. His explanations, though, are not satisfactory.
The reason, I think, is that Bugliosi is the one at fault. Bugliosi created Manson the celebrity, the magnetic "Maharaja" who need only part his lips to will murder be done. This happened in two stages: at trial, and with this book.
Bugliosi the prosecutor never needed to prove "motive" in his case. Motive is not an element of murder. Nevertheless, he made it a central feature. He highlighted for the jury Manson's charm, his powers of control, and his loony ideas about a coming race war, all to prove that Manson's followers were under his sway. In doing so, he gave credence to Manson's delusions. People v. Manson became a perverse kind of show trial, in which the defendant, rather than the State, was given an extraordinary platform.
Helter Skelter continued this trend. A good story needs conflict between a protagonist and an antagonist. Bugliosi, of course, cast himself as the dragon-slaying hero. He needed a foil worthy of being conquered. Enter Manson. Bugliosi takes great delight in the narrative in showing himself verbally sparring with Manson, even daring him to take the stand. One of the results is that Manson grew in outsize proportion to his worth.
The world is full of terrible people, and Charles Manson used to be one of them. He was a bad man, and nothing more than that. Bugliosi turned him into an enduring monster. Helter Skelter is a classic, in its fashion. But it also demands of us that we look at Manson and see something more, to learn a lesson that does not exist.
Instead, we should probably think of looking away.
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Wasn't that the truth. Vincent Bugliosi (btw, isn't that the best name?) is not only a gifted author he was also the Prosecuting attorney in the Mason trail. What better person to write this book! Plus, he put Manson away for good.
"These children that come at you with knives--they are your children. You taught them. I didn't teach them. I just tried to help them stand up." -Charles Manson
How could someone who preached love, said he was J
"We're not in Wonderland anymore Alice." - Charles MansonWasn't that the truth. Vincent Bugliosi (btw, isn't that the best name?) is not only a gifted author he was also the Prosecuting attorney in the Mason trail. What better person to write this book! Plus, he put Manson away for good.
"These children that come at you with knives--they are your children. You taught them. I didn't teach them. I just tried to help them stand up." -Charles Manson
How could someone who preached love, said he was Jesus get so many to kill (possibly as many as 35 murders) for him? He knew how to pick them. He was a master manipulator, con artist who preyed upon the weak, the lost, the drug addicted, mainly the young. He knew how to suck them in, keep others out, isolate them while indoctrinating in them his beliefs and "mission". Sex, drugs, rock and roll and Manson.
This is a HUGE book which contains a LOT of information. Vincent Bugliosi lived and breathed this case. He provided detail after detail. This is a great book for True Crime fans, those interested in investigations, trials and this case. The Author even asks the question about society being interested in this case, while other serial killers have killed more on the streets of Los Angeles. Is it because of the ties with Hollywood? Was it because of the famous victims? Was it because Sharon Tate was pregnant? Was it because the world could not wrap their minds around the fact that Mason had others kill for him? Either way, Manson and his cult are intriguing and continue to interest people worldwide. But let's not forget the innocent victims robbed of their lives, the families left to grieve, the pain that was left behind. Their deaths are a tragedy.
"Since we place so much value on human life, why do we glorify, in a perverse sort of way, the extinguishment of life? The answer to that question, whatever it is, is at least a partial answer to why people continue to be fascinated by Hitler, Jack the Ripper—Manson."
― Vincent Bugliosi,
This book is shocking on many levels. Having worked in the forensic field, my mind was reeling at the mistakes made during the investigation. Hmmm...there is a bloody thumbprint on the gate, that must be how the killer(s) got out, maybe I want to preserve this print, nah, I need out of the gate, I think I'll touch the gate too -oops... how about not collecting all the blood samples, so many people who walked through the scene, etc. Thankfully, over time, things have gotten better...
This book takes the reader through the killings, the investigation, the trial. This is a heavily dense book. Again, a lot of information and detail.
For those interested, here is the Trial Summation of Prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi taken from "famous Trials" website of Professor Douglass O. Linder : https://www.famous-trials.com/manson/...
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But in all seriousness, this book is excellent. It's iconic, at this point, and honestly a historical document. Vincent Bugliosi details the murders, the investigation, the trial and the societal impact that these terrible Murders inflicted on America in the late 60's/early 70's.
So who is
WOW, what a way to start 2021 lol. First read of the year and a 5 star read at that! Also based on the...mess, let's say...that was 2020—what better way to start this year than to read about the Manson Murders??But in all seriousness, this book is excellent. It's iconic, at this point, and honestly a historical document. Vincent Bugliosi details the murders, the investigation, the trial and the societal impact that these terrible Murders inflicted on America in the late 60's/early 70's.
So who is this book for?
If you're like me and you knew about the Manson Murders—or maybe you are just familiar with Manson and his 'family' by name or association with 60's 'hippie' culture (which interestingly, hippies reject due to their non-violence!)—and you want to know more, this is the book for you. The reader of this book has to like detail, because Bugliosi gives a LOT of it. He was, after all, the prosecuting attorney for the People vs Charles Manson. So his writing is very much from the lawyer's perspective, giving descriptions like they are legal documents and describing what happened, rather than speculation or personal feelings. From time to time he does slip in his personal impressions but very carefully so as not to persuade the reader—much like we are the jury to whom he is speaking in the trial.
What I enjoyed about this book was how meticulous Bugliosi gets. I think this will turn many people away. And honestly I was surprised that this nearly 700-page book touts that it's "The #1 True Crime Bestseller of All Time" with more than 7 million copies sold. Because it's not necessarily a light or easy read, and I don't just mean because of some of the brutal subject matter. It's a dense book with a lot of information. I imagine many of those 7 million readers got part of the way through and gave up because they didn't care enough to read that much detail. I don't blame them. But I loved it.
If you only need ONE single source for the Manson Murders - this is it. However, if you've read other books about Manson, maybe watched a miniseries, documentary or listened to a podcast about it, and you feel like you know a good portion of the story, then you might find this boring. I knew just enough about it to be intrigued and want to know more, but I was by no means an expert or able to recall more than Manson's name from the 'family.' After, however, I feel like I have a super solid grasp on the what, where, how, and why of the case, and honestly don't feel the need to read or watch anything else about it.
Basically, I really enjoyed this because it's so well structured, very informative but still easy to follow, comprehensive, exciting and a good summary of what you need to know re: The Manson Murders. I also really appreciated and respected that Bugliosi took time to provide information about each of the victims of the case, not just Sharon Tate who usually gets all of the limelight. He equally weighs each victim in his story, giving no one person more page-time than the others.
It's pretty despicable and shocking what Manson and his followers did.
But perhaps the most compelling paragraph in this book is one that I will leave you with below. As it's been almost 52 years since these murders occurred, we have, unfortunately, seen a lot of carnage by the hands of everyday people in our nation. Bugliosi writes in the 1994 afterword to the book:In the twenty-five years that have elapsed since the atrocities which Charles Manson ordered and masterminded occurred, mass murder, as never before, has almost become a staple in our society. Disgruntled or demented killers flip out, go into a former place of employment, fast-food establishment, law firm, etc., and murder five to ten people or more. Such carnage no longer shocks a desensitized public when report on the evening news. But fortunately, as of this date, the singularity of Manson's evil and the particular brand of demonic murders he authored have not again been inflicted upon our nation. We can only hope that the ensuring years will be the same....more
The canyons above Hollywood and Beverly Hills play tricks with sounds. A noise clearly audible a mile away may be indistinguishable at a few hundred feet.
It was hot that night.
Before the sun rose on August 9, 1969 in Bel Air at 10050 Cielo Drive five people lay horrifically and brutally slain. Some would say that since one of the victims w
It was so quiet, one of the killers would later say, you could almost hear the sound of ice rattling in cocktail shakers in the homes way down in the canyon.The canyons above Hollywood and Beverly Hills play tricks with sounds. A noise clearly audible a mile away may be indistinguishable at a few hundred feet.
It was hot that night.
Before the sun rose on August 9, 1969 in Bel Air at 10050 Cielo Drive five people lay horrifically and brutally slain. Some would say that since one of the victims was in the final stages of pregnancy that the actual count was six. What was not in doubt was that 10050 Cielo Drive looked like a human slaughterhouse. On the front door, written in the blood of one of the victims ( later determined to be that of Sharon Tate) was the word "Pig". The Los Angeles Police Department found no evidence of sexual molestation or mutilation. There were no indications of ransacking or robbery. No apparent motive could be found.
The following night of August 10,1969 two more victims were found at 3301 Waverly Drive, both brutally slaughtered. Writing in blood appeared in three places; on the living room wall were the words "Death to Pigs", to the left of the front door was the single word "Rise" and on the refrigerator were the two words "Healter Skelter", the first of which was clearly misspelled. No obvious motive presented itself to detectives.
There had been a previous single victim of a similar vicious attack on July 31, 1969 on 964 Old Topanga Road in Malibu. One Gary Hinman, a thirty-four year old music teacher had been found stabbed to death. On the wall in the living room, not far from Hinman's body, were the words "Political Piggy" printed in the victim's blood. In this case, officers from the Los Angeles Sheriff's Office, had a suspect in custody. One Bobby Beausoleil, a young hippie musician, had been caught driving a car belonging to Hinman with blood on his shirt and trousers. Since this arrest had occurred on August 6,1969 he was in custody during the perpetration of the other two crimes, however it was possible that he had not acted alone. He had been living at an old movie ranch with a bunch of other hippies. Their leader, a guy named Charlie had apparently convinced them all that he was Jesus Christ.
Despite the obvious similarities in these crimes it would be months before the LAPD acknowledged there was a connection.
On November 18, 1969 Vincent Bugliosi, age thirty-five was handed the job of prosecuting the perpetrators of the slayings at Cielo and Waverly Drive.
During the course of his investigation and preparation for the trial Vincent Bugliosi came to believe that Charles Manson was as responsible for the killings as the people who had actually done the slaying. In fact Bugliosi was convinced that the only reason the killings had happened at all was because Manson had commanded it. Now he had to prove it.
Among the many barriers that Bugliosi had to overcome in order for justice to be served were:
Very little tangible evidence had been recovered from the crime scenes.Statements made by "family" members who were involved in the slaying had to be handled with tender gloves due to Aranda, which basically says that the prosecution may not admit into evidence any statement made by a defendant that would indict a co-defendant. Therefore any intelligence garnered through these means had to be independently corroborated in some other way before it could be introduced into evidence.
The bumblings, mishandling, lack of follow up and general apathy of the LAPD.
Absence of an obvious, believable motive. Bugliosi was certain he knew what it was but who was going to believe that Manson thought the Beatles were talking specifically to him through the lyrics of their White Album or that Helter Skelter was in essence the time when the the black people would rise up in rage against the whites and that he, Manson was the catalyst of that event.
Lack of sleep and exhaustion. There was simply not enough time to achieve everything that had to be done.
A widespread pervasive atmosphere of fear that enveloped everyone even remotely connected to this case. Not as it turned out entirely unfounded.
Witnesses, people of interest and even released suspects who fled L.A. and could either not be located or proved difficult to have returned.
Even though Charles Manson did not get his own hands dirty Bugliosi still needed to prove that the actual killers had acted on his command.
The outrageous courtroom antics of Manson, his "family" . and his attorney, all aimed at disrupting proceedings and ultimately causing a mistrial.
Lest we forget, the victims:
Sharon Tate
Her unborn, yet fully formed baby
Jay Sebring
Voytek Frykowski
Abigail Folger
Steve Parent
Leno LaBianca
Rosemary LaBianca
Gary Hinman
The bulk of this book is all about the investigation and preparation for the trials of Charles Manson and his "family" as well as the trials themselves. As such it is full of detail and as repetitious as the circumstances dictate.
Even though I thought that I possessed a good understanding of this crime prior to reading this, I was wrong. My mind is still swimming with all the things that I either misunderstood or had no knowledge of at all. I am glad therefore that the record has been set straight.
I have avoided going into the grizzly details of these horrific crimes but be forewarned that the book makes no such claim. The brutality visited upon every victim is laid out before you in graphic detail.
Sadly the world lost Vincent Bugliosi in June of last year. May he forever rest in peace.
4 horror and contrarily respect filled stars
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Bugliosi was the Deputy DA in charge of prosecuting the Manson clan for the Tate murders. He wrote the book shortly afterward and goes into vivid, graphic detail of the crimes, the scene, the testimony, the police background information. It is incredible stuff. The fact that Bugliosi was able to get a lifetime conviction for Manson, who wasn't there and never actually committed a crime, says a lot about Bugliosi's skill, the fear in America at the time and the nature of the US court system.
This is a fascinating read anytime - as relevant today as it was then - but is exceptionally good at Halloween!!
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Although everyone knows the particulars of the massacres committed by the Family, the lack of remorse, the sheer power of all the brain-washing done to the Girls of Manson's sect never fails to shock me and amaze me. How
The Book of Books about one of the most shocking crimes ever committed. Written in simple, clear, almost surgical language, it demands the reader's full attention and leads us right into the hell of one of the most evil minds to have walked this Earth, the mind of Charles Manson.Although everyone knows the particulars of the massacres committed by the Family, the lack of remorse, the sheer power of all the brain-washing done to the Girls of Manson's sect never fails to shock me and amaze me. How easy it is for a human being to turn into a beast under the influence of drugs, sex and the vague promise of a self-proclaimed ''Messiah''.
It is not an easy read. Far from it. It requires the right mentality, it requires us to stay calm and try to let ourselves unaffected as the Helter Skelter unfolds in front of our eyes...
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Today is a very big day for all of us at P Bryant Reviews Inc. As you may have seen on our blog, we are joining the Manson family.
I wanted to take this opportunity to say that we always appreciate your feedback here at P Bryant Reviews. Thank you for caring enough about us to tell us what you think!
Also, I wanted to assure you that P Bryant Reviews Inc and the team behind it are not going away. We have no plans to change the P Bryant Review exper
Exciting news - we're joining the Manson Family!Today is a very big day for all of us at P Bryant Reviews Inc. As you may have seen on our blog, we are joining the Manson family.
I wanted to take this opportunity to say that we always appreciate your feedback here at P Bryant Reviews. Thank you for caring enough about us to tell us what you think!
Also, I wanted to assure you that P Bryant Reviews Inc and the team behind it are not going away. We have no plans to change the P Bryant Review experience and we will continue to be the wonderful community we all cherish. Partnering with the Manson Family will help us focus on making our reviews an even better experience for readers.
We greatly appreciate your enthusiasm and passion for P Bryant Reviews. This is a big step for us, and we're excited to have you be a part of it! Our new parent company chairman has issued a press release from Corcoran State Prison welcoming P Bryant Reviews Inc into his family. In the press release he also explains his Aryan philosophy and why there should be a lot fewer people on the planet and how to achieve that goal. We believe this meshes completely with our own goals and will help provide an even more fun experience for review readers and book lovers moving forward.
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Charles Manson was not only an evil, little man but was extremely manipulative and cunning. He was a con man, a racist and a misogynist. He had the ability to read others from being in the prison system for years before he started the Family at Spahn Ranch which is located in the South Los Angeles area.
He would figure out the weaknesses and issues with
Good grief! Helter Skelter shocked me in many ways! I had no idea that so many people were murdered or how batshit crazy and evil the Family was.
Charles Manson was not only an evil, little man but was extremely manipulative and cunning. He was a con man, a racist and a misogynist. He had the ability to read others from being in the prison system for years before he started the Family at Spahn Ranch which is located in the South Los Angeles area.
He would figure out the weaknesses and issues with a person and manipulate that into controlling and isolating them. He took these skills along with drugs and sex to influence and control women and men coming into the Family.
I do believe that some of the women and men that came into the family were already foul to begin with and Manson just pushed them over the edge.
"You can convince anybody of anything if you just push it at them all of the time. They may not believe it 100 percent, but they will still draw opinions from it, especially if they have no other information to draw their opinions from." - Charles Manson
Was this the best true crime book that I've read? No, it's not.
Helter Skelter is not light reading nor does it lack in details. There are so many details in the investigation and trial.
I just took my time with the book. Know this going in if you decide to read this book.
I still enjoyed all of the investigation details and the prosecution's case against Manson and the Family. I was amazed at how lazy and imcompetant the LAPD was back in 1969. I'm glad they've gotten a bit better!
I'm glad I finally read Helter Skelter since it's fascinating and creepy read. I've always wanted to read this retelling of a brutal, historical period in America during the 1960s.
"Whenever people unquestioningly turn over their minds to authoritarian figures to do with as the please-whether it be in a satanic cult or some of the more fanatic offshoots of the Jesus Movement, in the right wing or the far left, or in the mind-bending cults of the new sensitivity-those potentials exist. One hopes that none of these groups will spawn other Charles Mansons. But it would be naïve to suggest that that chilling possibility does not exist." - Vincent Bugliosi
Written by prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, the reader learns the details as the police detectives do. We watch them investigate the murders, interview witnesses and follow up on leads. Bugliosi also shares his perspective on the case, which was interesting. I listened to this on audio and was riveted throughout.
But when it came time to write this revie
A classic in the true crime genre, this is a fascinating account of the Charles Manson family and the murders they committed in the summer of 1969.Written by prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, the reader learns the details as the police detectives do. We watch them investigate the murders, interview witnesses and follow up on leads. Bugliosi also shares his perspective on the case, which was interesting. I listened to this on audio and was riveted throughout.
But when it came time to write this review, I couldn't summarize the story. Charles Manson's crimes were so heinous that I was revolted trying to find the words. My apologies, but if you want a recap of his evils, you'll have to look elsewhere.
This was my first time reading this book, and I picked it up as preparation for the novel The Girls by Emma Cline, which was inspired by the Manson family. However, I was so creeped out by the true story that I might need to wait a bit before I can read the fictional version.
Recommended for fans of true crime.
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And while
Charles Manson and "his family" reigned terror throughout an affluent LA community back in 1969 after the brutal mass murder of more than seven people....an unforgettable time if you grew up in the sixties. Prosecuting Attorney, Vincent Bugliosi gives the reader a technically detailed and vividly descriptive account of the true-crime murder trial, and the motivation (view spoiler)[ (to instill fear in the establishment and cause paranoia) (hide spoiler)] behind the mind of a killer.And while all the murders were certainly atrocious and unforgivable, what the bloodthirsty animalistic Susan Atkins did, not only to an eight and a half month pregnant Sharon Tate, but the disgusting act thrust upon her own baby made me sick! (not to mention what she did on the landing inside a building)
One of my favorite BEATLE songs (I Will) is on their White Album, and after reading this unsettling story, I don't think I will ever listen to it again without thinking of the human monster who believed messages within the lyrics were being sent to him (via code) to start an inter-racial war.
It is not surprising that Helter Skelter won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best crime novel....it is truly a horror story....so read at your own risk!
Was startled and sorry to hear of Mr. Bugliosi's passing just a few days ago.....especially when CM is still above ground living off taxpayer dollars.
Vincent Bugliosi: August 18, 1934 - June 6, 1015.....A Brilliant and Brave Man! Rest in Peace.
(Thank you GR friend Susan for information regarding "Aquarius", a TV series on the Manson murders now showing On Demand)
Update: June 11, 2015
Had a marathon day of watching the entire first season of Aquarius......Yikes! Sadie (Susan Atkins) and CM were their despicable selves as depicted in the book, (although not quite as bad.....yet) and there are other characters who were disgustingly evil as well! I really did get a kick out of the vintage telephones, TV's, home decor and OMG the clothing and automobiles sure brought a smile to my face........but will there be a Season 2?
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Meticulous. I don't think there is a better way to describe this book written from the viewpoint of D.A Vincent Bugliosi who headed up the legal team during the trial. This book encompassed most of my walks for August/September. Yes, as I am wishing other walkers a great morning/evening, I listene
Oh my goodness! This is perhaps the king of true crime novels in one sense. Yet in another, it was hard to listen to the horrifying details of the crimes and the twisted philosophy of Charles Manson.Meticulous. I don't think there is a better way to describe this book written from the viewpoint of D.A Vincent Bugliosi who headed up the legal team during the trial. This book encompassed most of my walks for August/September. Yes, as I am wishing other walkers a great morning/evening, I listened to this narrative. Yeah, I am definitely strange!
The book begins with the murders, then the investigation, no surprise that there are criticisms towards police officers, then there are the interviews, the backgrounds, the grand jury, the trial, the sentencing and finally in my Audiobook Bugliosi's reflection in 1994 about the continued appeal for the Manson family or more particularly it's creator, Charles Manson. As I mentioned earlier, there's a lot of content and some of its repetitive. I daresay that our narrator, Scott Brick, agrees with some of my fellow reviewers as there are times that V.B's arrogance does come across. There even times, there was an air of condescension, specifically, in terms of the legal system in California. However, I do have to admit, I am not a practicing legal expert and how could I possibly know that anyway.
I do also come away with the continued "shaking of the head" about how susceptible men-whether police officers or lawyers fell for the "girls", especially "Sexy" Sadie. Who I believe, Bugliosi was more than a bit enamored by, perhaps not during the trial, but perhaps at lady during their first encounters. Dude, women can be just as violent as men. Then again, it was the 70's! Weren't all women believed to be delicate little flowers.
Of course, the very centre of it all is Charles Manson. What a nut! I don't have much more to say than that.
I have to say I was severely disappointed in Trent Reznor after reading this book--the author mentions in his epilogue to the book (written much later than the original publication, in 1994) that Nine Inch Nails recorded their seminal album "The Downward Spiral" in the old Tate residence. When questioned about it, Reznor claimed that his real estate agent had failed to tell him that the house had been the site of the Manson murderers, but that smacks of dishonesty to me...especially because Reznor collaborated with Marilyn Manson on projects at that time, and shortly thereafter Marilyn Manson recorded "Portrait of an American Family" at the Tate residence as well! It's also sickening that despite his ludicrous, paranoid philosophy and blatant hatred for African Americans that Charles Manson is still widely regarded by young people in the United States and the UK as some kind of pop hero--or at least he was in the early 90s, as Bugliosi demonstrated through various examples. Apparently t-shirts with his image are still widely circulated, and he profits personally from their sale (only 10 cents a shirt, but I wouldn't give him a penny considering what he has done and convinced others to do!)
It's remarkable that a sketchy little guy like Charles Manson was (and probably still is) capable of. He believed women to be good for only two things--producing offspring and serving their men--and yet he managed to convince many young women (and some men) to do anything for him. ...more
The murders committed by the Family/Manson were the most vicious and barbaric killings I have ever read. I didn't realize either that it seemed to take law enforcement a long time to figure out who committed the murders, but in an era (1969) where DNA/forensic science didn't even exist, it doesn't surprise me that they were not able to find out who did it so easily. Also VICAP (Violent Criminal Apprehension Program) didn't exist either which if it had been around in 1969, Manson and his family would have been tracked down sooner.
Charles Manson was the worst of the worst kind of criminal and just seeing pictures of him, you can see the fruit loop craziness emanating towards you. He thought that the Beatles white album had hidden messages in their songs and that he was to obey them by killing people. His followers which were considered his family worshipped the ground he walked on and that anything he said they were to obey him immediately.
The author gives a very detailed account of the crimes that Manson and the Family committed and everything that law enforcement had to endure to bring this lunatic to justice. In my opinion, Manson sat on death row way too long and they should have sent him to the electric chair long time ago. Other known killers (Bundy, Ridgeway, etc.) did not sit on death row for a long time like Manson did, but thankfully he is no longer in this world. Giving this book four stars!
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HELTER SKELTER
This book has risen instantly to equal first of my favourite, all-time, true crime books. It shares the number one spot with Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. Whereas Capote's work is more like the literary telling of a horrendous crime, Bugliosi is all about facts, no matter how gruesome. It is worth noting before I go further that the author, Vincent Bugliosi, was the public prosecutor in the case against the Manson family so this is all straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak.HELTER SKELTER - The 23rd track on The Beatles White Album, released November 22nd, 1968. To Charles Manson, Helter Skelter was the revolution, the uprising of the black man to slaughter the whites and take control. This was the reasoning behind the murders committed in 1969. Manson preached that Helter Skelter was the revolution that was about to begin. He was the second coming of Jesus and he would take his followers (known as the family) out to live in the desert while the blacks murdered the whites and assumed control in the belief that when they did the blacks would have no idea how to govern. They would then turn to him to show the way and thus he would-be ruler of the free world. Manson used these ideals to encourage members of the family to brutally murder white socialites, including Roman Polanski's then-wife Sharon Tate and her unborn child, and try to place the blame on the black man, in particular, a group called the Black Panthers, so that the whites would rise up and fight but be slaughtered. The revolution would then be complete.
Manson said that The Beatles were apostles sent to write lyrics that were messages to him, messages that told him of Helter Skelter. Other songs on The White Album that Manson drew from are Piggies, Revolution 1 and Revolution 9.
Vincent Bugliosi was the public prosecutor who went head to head with Manson and The Family. He was given the case some weeks after the murderous spree, and unfortunately, after some inept police work and several unfortunate unforeseen circumstances. This is Bugliosi's almost biographical account of the crimes and the court case and it is FASCINATING.
Charles Manson had a horrid upbringing with a Mother who couldn't care less and an unknown Father. As is so often the case with this type of offender, a trail of violence, petty crime, drugs and homelessness finally led Manson to juvenile court and later incarcerated in adult prisons. It was his last release from prison that saw one of the aforementioned unforeseen circumstances - he actually begged to be kept inside stating that prison was his life. IF ONLY!!
Making his way to California in the mid-1960s, Manson soon became a part of the drug-addled Hippie movement. Together with influences from cults and Scientology, Manson began to weave his own ideas that eventually led to the formation of The Family, with one Charles Manson as its leader, aka Jesus. What is paramount to brainwashing, Manson became loved, revered and feared by his followers. A cult based on copious amounts of sex and freedom attracted the disenchanted and as the cliche goes; Men wanted to be him and women wanted to bed him.
Nobody could have foreseen what the family would become.
Not only does Helter Skelter walk you through the bloody crimes and the court cases but it introduces so many things that most of us did not know. There were more murders than just Tate and her four friends, there were plots to kill others, crimes were committed even after the prosecutions and Manson's evil reach was astounding. This book would easily be the first true crime book that I would recommend to anyone.
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At 650+ pages, embarking on this reading experience can be daunting. Obviously the topic is unpleasant, yet the story is so compelling that you never lose interest. Bugliosi has his critics, but I'm of the opinion that there was no one b
The murders committed by the Manson Family at the Tate and LaBianca residences in 1969 are so horrific they make you want to weep. Vincent Bugliosi's true crime classic makes you feel such sorrow for the victims, more than any documentary or dramatization could.At 650+ pages, embarking on this reading experience can be daunting. Obviously the topic is unpleasant, yet the story is so compelling that you never lose interest. Bugliosi has his critics, but I'm of the opinion that there was no one better to write the definitive literary record of these events.
Helter Skelter is a hard book to recommend, because there is no enjoyment to be found here. However, if you're interested in true crime, this period in history, or even just notorious nonfiction, it is a must read.
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"You can convince anybody of anything if you just push it at them all of the time. They may not believe it 100 percent, but they will still draw opinions from it, especially if they have no other information to draw their opinions from."
Filed Under: The folk singer with the swastika tattoo seems on the up-and-up
Everyone and their mother knows the story of Charles Manson. Or at least the bullet points, because the bullet points are fucking insane. Crazy "hippie" cult l
Book Blog | Bookstagram"You can convince anybody of anything if you just push it at them all of the time. They may not believe it 100 percent, but they will still draw opinions from it, especially if they have no other information to draw their opinions from."
Filed Under: The folk singer with the swastika tattoo seems on the up-and-up
Everyone and their mother knows the story of Charles Manson. Or at least the bullet points, because the bullet points are fucking insane. Crazy "hippie" cult leader who brainwashed otherwise normal young people into brutally murdering pregnant actress Sharon Tate and her house guests in the Hollywood Hills in 1969.
Everyone knows the blurb. Everyone knows the images of Manson and his craziest moments. Everyone has seen, at some point, that image of three happy girls singing on their way to their murder trial with swastikas on their foreheads. Everyone knows that Sharon Tate was pregnant because it's those kinds of headline specifics that make your stomach turn or your jaw drop.
The famous imagines and soundbites are so robust and insane and sensational and seared into pop culture by our own doing, that it led me to believe that I knew basically everything there was to know about this case. Or that I had enough of an understanding that reading this book was going to be just to say that I'd read it. It's kind of a must for true-crime fans, in my sometimes abrasive opinion.
But I was wrong.
There is so much information to be gleaned from this book by the prosecutor who convicted Manson, Vincent Bugliosi. Helter Skelter is a broad picture of Manson's crimes, his early life and his followers that I found it utterly fascinating, even if the narrator of the audiobook sounded like he stepped right out of Fast Talking, High Trousers.
The book is told from the perspective of preparing for trial. Looking at the evidence and deciding how to use it in order to prove that Manson was guilty of murder even though he never actually physically killed anyone.
There is a lot of in-depth information about evidence and timelines, more than I ever knew before about the case. The parts of the book that focus exclusively on the night of the Tate-LaBianca murders, as they are known, are pretty graphic in an almost sterile/medical kind of way. They're the facts. It's presented plainly. This is what happened, every bloody moment, and if you're squeamish it might make you uncomfortable.
I found myself the most uncomfortable when talking about the racial motivations for much of Manson's thinking. Things he believed were spoken to him in some subliminal way through the Beatles White album. Obviously, there's a difference between what was acceptable to say between then and now, but it's also important to hear exactly what a guy like Manson was thinking and how bluntly disgusting it was. Certainly, I'm not suggesting any kind of censorship or watering down of the language, but I definitely found talking about "bl**kies" jarring.
There is even a bit of history on Charles Manson and what kind of life he had leading up to becoming a whole-ass cult leader. For instance, I wasn't aware that by the time he was 31 and forming his "Family" in California, he'd already spent 17 years of his life, collectively, in prisons. I didn't realize that at one point he was married and had a baby. Like, did you know this motherfucker was a FATHER??? Ugh.
There are parts of his life that make him seem as if he was a regular person at one point. Almost.
AHHH!
*deep breath* Okay, I'm okay. But he has a face made for creeping.
Anyway…
Manson "Family" members Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten, were all convicted of murder, and Manson of orchestrating those murders, by the time Mr. Bugliosi was finished at trial. All were given the death penalty, but in 1972, People v Anderson struck down capital punishment in California as the state's Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional. All death sentences in the state were converted to life without parole, including Manson and his family. Ironically, only months later, voters in California voted yes on Proposition 17 and the death penalty was reinstated as state law.
Personally, I'm not a supporter of the death penalty because there are just way too many instances of innocent people being on death row or actually having been executed by the state. Those innocent lives outweigh every guilty one to me. Though I do think if we could put in some kind of measurement that said if there's a confession and undeniable evidence like DNA, then the death penalty could be on the table. But the bar has to be so so so high for that.
Some people are just a waste of oxygen.
And in this case, Manson was 100% wasting oxygen by being alive.
This book is very outdated and much has happened in between when it was written and now. There is a 20th Century afterword by the author where he pulls back on some of his criticism in the book and seems to have opinions that are mellowed out by time.
That said, the only thing that I found to be negative about this book is Bugliosi's attitude. Obviously, he was the prosecutor and he had more weight on his shoulders than most of us will ever understand, but a lot of what he had to say about this crime and the subsequent trial was that everyone around him was wrong in some way, or had messed up, except for him. He has something negative to say about the LAPD, his own DAs office and even the judge.
I understand being a cocky attorney, but just the laws of averages tell me that Bugliosi couldn't have been the only person on this case that was right or doing the right thing. A little more humility would have brought a better balance to this true-crime case. I just don't like taking the deaths of other people as an opportunity to toot your own boob.
Charles Manson died on November 19, 2017, at the age of 83. It was front-page news. Every time one of his followers applies for parole, it's front-page news. People lose their fucking minds about it. Leslie Van Houten was recommended for release (for the third time) on January 31 of this year. And I, personally, think it should be granted, all things considered.
If Manson hadn't been elevated to such a pop culture figure; if his crimes hadn't been so sensationalized, no one would care about Leslie Van Houten, who has served 40 years in prison for a crime she committed at 19 after being abused and brainwashed by a fucking psycho (she wasn't involved in the Tate murders.) She's 70 years old now. What's she gonna do? Seriously.
But whatever, that's just one asshole's opinion. And I mean me. Me. I'm the asshole.
Anyway, after reading this, I do have to wonder what makes these crimes by Manson still so worthy of ink and paper and resources and attention considering the kinds of evil that happen in the world today. Why do people still lose their collective minds over a parole hearing? Why did I, at 30-something-years-old, (I wasn't even alive when this happen,) know so much about this before opening this book?
That's either a testament to Manson's craziness or the craziness of the news cycle and pop culture machine that we let ourselves get sucked up into. Maybe a combination of both.
At the end of the day, for me, I'm fascinated by cults. I am fascinated by the personal agency people willingly give up to leadership figures; how such a large portion of the population can so easily be turned into sheep who disregard critical thinking and personal responsibility, is scary to me. Religions, in my heathen opinion, have this kind of effect over people. And certainly, we are witnessing it in the U.S. when it comes to Trump and his supporters. These are just some examples. We could go on and on and on because cults and the people that join them never seem to fade away. *cough Scientology cough*
Crimes committed because "someone told me to" are endlessly fascinated to me from a psychological aspect and Manson is still one of the reigning kings of Cult Leaders, even after all these years.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 4 stars
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The Tate-LaBianca murders occurred during the summer of '69, when Charles Manson's "family" snuck into two houses by the cover of night and gruesomely slaughtered everyone there.
This is the best true crime book I've read so far. Better than In Cold Blood and more exciting than The Devil in the White City (in my opinion).
It's hard not to find references to Charles Manson in popular culture, especially on screen (hello American Horror Story: Cult), so I had a general
Solid 5 Shiver-inducing StarsThe Tate-LaBianca murders occurred during the summer of '69, when Charles Manson's "family" snuck into two houses by the cover of night and gruesomely slaughtered everyone there.
This is the best true crime book I've read so far. Better than In Cold Blood and more exciting than The Devil in the White City (in my opinion).
It's hard not to find references to Charles Manson in popular culture, especially on screen (hello American Horror Story: Cult), so I had a general knowledge of the crime before I began. Bugliosi deftly fills in the details.
The information in this book is delivered in a very clear, concise, almost clinical presentation. Vincent Bugliosi is prime to tell this story as he was the prosecutor charged with presenting the evidence of the Manson murders, laying out the facts objectively.
I learned a lot in from this book, and had no idea The Beatles were so influential on Manson. I challenge you to read this book, and NOT listen to The White Album.
The audiobook is read by a man who sounds like an old-timey radio-newcaster, and his voice superbly matched the material. At one point I was taking a hot shower while listening to the book, and broke out in a full body chill.
Manson was a curious cat, to say the least. Life was not easy, or kind to him, but he remains on another level of human. There are interesting similarities with Hitler: both were small men (Manson was 5'2''), vegetarians, and were able to convince others to kill on their behalf. Although he did not physically commit the murders, Manson was the mastermind behind them and was sentenced to death. He served nine life terms in California prisons, dying while incarcerated in 2017.
In closing, there's not much else to leave you with, other than Manson's burning words after his conviction:
"Mr. and Mrs. America—you are wrong. I am not the King of the Jews nor am I a hippie cult leader, I am what you have made of me and the mad dog devil killer fiend leper is a reflection of your society. … Whatever the outcome of this madness that you call a fair trial or Christian justice, you can know this: In my mind's eye my thoughts light fires in your cities."
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I can't explain the affect this book had on me, I was completely transfixed and couldn't think of much else while reading it but I also had many mo
This is a book I may never recover from. A true life horror story worse than any fictional horror movie/book I've ever seen or read. The story of the Manson murders is the most bizarre, baffling story that literally left me speechless, a senseless and brutal killing spree that terrorised a city and the whole world and continues to haunt people today.I can't explain the affect this book had on me, I was completely transfixed and couldn't think of much else while reading it but I also had many moments where I was so horrified I was scared to keep reading, this book chilled me to the bone. The author really shows his genius inside the courtroom as head prosecutor and in retelling the story of the infamous Tate/LaBianca murders. The background story is compelling stuff. Manson was a one of a kind evil mastermind and his kind of hold on young girls and his loyal followers was completely unnerving and disturbing. The idea that Manson is as much loathed as loved is even more unbelievable and the fact he has so many die hard admirers still to this day is concerning. I can somewhat understand the morbid fascination towards him as this book gave such a detailed insight into his brain. It's one of those books you need to read it to believe it. It's an incredible story and a masterpiece in true crime non fiction. A heavy read but absolutely riveting from start to finish.
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On 9 August 1969, seven people were found shot, stabbed and bludgeoned to death in Los Angeles. America watched in fascinated horror as the killers were tried and convicted. This book details the crimes and murders of the Manson Family, as well as the trial that followed.
This book was written by District Attorney for the Manson case, Vi
"These children that come at you with knives--they are your children. You taught them. I didn't teach them. I just tried to help them stand up." - Charles Manson.On 9 August 1969, seven people were found shot, stabbed and bludgeoned to death in Los Angeles. America watched in fascinated horror as the killers were tried and convicted. This book details the crimes and murders of the Manson Family, as well as the trial that followed.
This book was written by District Attorney for the Manson case, Vincent Bugliosi, which was one of my favourite aspects about this book. Every fact and detail of the trial is therefore more than likely accurate. The book is told chronologically beginning at the Tate murders, resulting in the trial and subsequent conviction of the Manson Family. This helped in keeping track of exactly what was going on, as there are so many key players within the Family.
Charles Manson has always fascinated me, and I found this to be a really interesting look into what he was really like, what motivated him, how he got others to do his killing for him, his beliefs surrounding Helter Skelter, how he manipulated people, how he built the Family. Given how there were so many other members of the Family involved in these crimes, it would be easy to get confused as to who was who, but Bugliosi does a really good job of reminding you as to who each person is and also develops them so well that it would almost be hard to forget!
The book is full of evidence that was found, excerpts from conversations/interviews that were taped, details of questions and answers given during the trial... the list goes on. Bugliosi also describes his trail of thought at each part, and this really gives a great insight into how lawyers think and present their case. I was literally in awe of how intelligent Bugliosi was and the skills needed to be an effective lawyer.
This was such an enjoyable reading experience, I almost didn't want it to end. Definitely one I will revisit in years to come.
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I asked myself the same question when reading about Charles Mason in Helter Skelter. Mason wasn't educated or famous; in fact, his life sucked from the very beginning, he had no guidance, and spent about 90% of his life in jail or in orphanages, foster homes, etc. But his skills in identifying with weak people (and then perfectly capitalizing on their weaknesses) allowed him to attract the following of hundreds of people with loyalty so strong they would murder for him without hesitation. Manson referred to himself as "MAN SON" and Jesus Christ, and it's impossible to ignore how much the two had in common.
Both were revolutionaries warning of change and an imminent Armageddon. Both carried incredibly unpopular messages that were very popular with a select few -- and in both cases some of the most devout followers were females. Both believed that all was one. Both said the only thing important is love. (Manson was quoted in Rolling Stone saying, "There has been no true love since the pharaohs. Except for J.C. He knew what love meant.") Both were put on trial. People have killed for both of them. I could keep going.
Similar results, as well: a hard-core following of people who are willing to kill and be murdered for their leader, and dedicate their lives to carry out their leader's message.
The biggest thing they didn't have in common is that they are actually TOTAL OPPOSITES. Manson was Christ-like in his attempt to be the Anti-Christ. Manson gained followers using sex, drugs, isolation, music, and his charismatic personality. Jesus carried only a powerful message. (And perhaps miracles. But if you don't believe in his miracles, the fact that people followed him so devoutly is even more notable.)
I think in order to gain control like Christ, Charles Manson and Hitler had, the stars really have to align. The environment has to be ripe for change. You have to be able to coerce enough weak people that you can save them. The Apocalypse is a great word to throw around. I'm trying to think... is Osama Bin Ladin like this? Or is it totally different?
Anyway, Helter Skelter is an UNBELIEVABLE story told in a captivating way. I had a nightmare the first night after reading it and I have been super-suspicious of my new neighbors, who moved in the same day. I have spent an embarrassing amount of time spying on them through the peep-hole. This is a great story for any interested in law, human nature, religion, murder, The Beatles, Hollywood, and down right fucked-up-ed-ness. That all is there. Along with creeeEEEeeeepy pictures.
Something that also carried me through the book: Charles Manson was incredibly hot. That man had some lustrous locks!
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I gave this book 2 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.
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I think with audiobooks I get on better with non-fiction, so this was the perfect book to listen to in this format. Although it took a little while for me to get into it, I soon became engrossed in the entire story, from the desperate attempts of the police to identify the killers, to the court proceedings themselves. What really struck me while listening to Helter Skelter was how completely inept the LAPD were at various points throughout the investigation - what seemed to be very unusual coincidences that would definitely warrant checking out were often ignored completely by the police on the case, which stressed me out to no end.
I really enjoyed Scott Brick's narration - although it was a little 'clinical' sounding at times, I felt that once I got into the meat of the storyline his voice was perfect: a little haunting, sometimes matter-of-fact, and at times I had to try and remember that it wasn't Vincent Bugliosi that I was listening to. I also loved the fact that this was written by Bugliosi, the chief prosecutor for the Manson trial, as I felt I was privy to a lot of very important information and details that I would have otherwise known nothing about.
If you like true crime books, and/or have any interest whatsoever in Charles Manson or the infamous Manson murders, I would highly recommend this audiobook. Although it is quite a long one (over 26 hours I believe), you always have the option to speed up the audio (;D), and either way you will soon become immersed in this despicable tale.
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Reading this was an amazing reading experience and I'll explain w
If you're interested in the Manson family or True Crime you need to read this. It is so well done and just very comprehensive and very interesting. I'm not sure when I first heard about the Manson family and the murders but once I did learn about them, I was fascinated. I'm very interested in cults, true crime stories and deeply disturbed killers but I rarely read books on those subjects because it's very hard to find a good book.Reading this was an amazing reading experience and I'll explain why-
1) the topic interested me. I was hooked from page one. Learning about Manson, his followers, their way of life, their philosophy and the psychology and reasoning behind it all was enthralling.
2) it was in chronological order for the most part. Books in chronological order just get me excited because they're so much better. They feel more organised, they're easier to follow, etc. Bugliosi didn't get caught up with making points and steer away from what he was originally saying. For example he would say something like "we interviewed X but the testimony would prove difficult in the future but more on that later" and he would stick to what he was originally saying, while staying true to the timeline. This led to Bugliosi hardly ever repeating himself.
3) it was really comprehensive because of Bugliosi himself. Who else could have written this and done as good a job? Nobody. Bugliosi was the prosecutor and he was a very good one at that too. He knew everything. I learnt so many interesting things. His perspective on the Manson family was definitely a valuable one.
4) the writing was really good. It was easy to read, it stayed on track 99% of the time. Bugliosi was a good writer, he also wrote in quite a logical unbiased way. The book was broken up into different parts and I thought the formatting was very good. I loved the quotes at the beginning of every part.
Reading this book was so interesting. It was very long but it was 100% worth it. I thought some of the afterword could have been left out but that's one tiny thing. I couldn't give this book less than 5 stars because it's a Goliath of a book. I would really recommend this!
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"Out there life was still going on. Here it had stopped."
"Autopsy reports are abrupt documents. Cold, factual, they can indicate how the victims died, and give clues as to their last hours, but nowhere in them do their subjects emerge, even briefly, as people. Each report is, in its own way, the sum total of a life, yet there are very few glimpses as to how that life was lived."
"Manson's girls had been taught that having babies and caring for men were their sole purpose in life."
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You not only ki
Point of view: You're a young woman of 17, holding a knife so tightly in your hand that your knuckles are white and worn from excitement. You babble about killing the rich "pigs" and the "blacks" and how your "leader" will lead to a revolution of genocide against black folk. As you play I-spy to pick a house, your eyes fall upon 1050 Cielo Drive. Inside, there are three friends and a heavily pregnant woman who, only that day, had started to arrange the nursery for her unborn son.You not only kill her friends, but stab the woman. For a split second your limbic system kicks in and tells you "this is wrong. Save the baby." Instead, you sloppily clean up the crime scene and move on.
Paul Richard Polanski could have survived if a caesarean had been performed within 20 minutes. Instead, you write this on the walls:
This review goes out to Gem, who is my partner in discussing crime.
Remember that time we said Ted Bundy was attractive and then we had a simultaneous realisation that that's how he got girls to like him and get killed? Ah, the summer of 2013.
Love you boo <3
Onto Helter Skelter.
About three quarters of a mile directly south and downhill from 1050 Cielo Drive, Tim Ireland was one of ten counselors supervising an overnight camp-out for some 35 children at the West Lake School For Girls. The other counselors had gone to sleep, but Ireland had volunteered to stay up through the night. At approximately 12:40 am, he heard what seemed like a long distance away, a solitary male voice. The man was screaming "Oh God no, please don't, Oh God no, don't, don't, don't. The scream lasted 10 - 15 seconds then stopped. The abrupt silence almost as chilling as the scream itself....Ireland took a circuitous route from North Ferring road, South on Benedict Canyon road and West on Sunset Boulevard to Beverley Glen and Northward back to the school. He observed nothing unusual.
Final Thoughts
After finally finishing this book, my eyes have been opened. We all believe we are immune to cults and cultist rhetoric; however, there were times where I found myself actually liking Charlie. They were small moments, but they made me afraid of myself and what any of us could become when weaved into a dark cocoon.
Bugliosi wrote a transformative book. As the defending lawyer, he could have been much more biased in his observations, but his in-depth research of not only the jaw-dropping and mesmerising court case, but a section with a bittersweet understanding and look at Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring and all the others who were brutally murdered by Charlie Manson's group, was delicately handled.
There is another element I find that clears up immense misunderstanding regarding "brainwashing" of cult members. Many people see these as victims, but the three women who aided in killing an eight-month pregnant woman showed no remorse. These people should be held as accountable as Manson himself.
Look at these stone-faced, vile women's faces.
After reading this book from the perspective of a speech therapist, I would like to delve more into how cultists convince others - I'd like to look beyond the psychology and into the words.
No one is immune to the language of cultists.
In this book - the best-selling true crime book of all time - Bugliosi lays down the facts in over 700 pages: The crime, the investigation, the trial. Bugliosi is not here to offer us captivating character studies or to reach new heights of storytelling - he is here to report from the viewpoint of a prosecutor, and in a case that disturbing and complex, that's quite a challenge. We learn about the numerous testimonies, the attempt to put together the case against Manson which had to rely entirely on circumstantial evidence, the dynamic in the courtroom between the defendants, the lawyers, the judge and the jurors - it's very detailed, but also highly fascinating, and has a lot to say about the American justice and court system in general.
And this also presents some problems: After a time, I started rooting for Bugliosi whose only aim seems to be to find out what happened (admittedly, he wrote the book, so he was in full control of the contents, but still). But then he demands the death sentence, and to convince the jury, he argues: "These defendants are not human beings, ladies and gentlemen." The thing is though: Of course the defendants were human beings, those atrocities were committed by human beings in full control of their mental capacities - this might not be easy to face, but it's a fact. To dehumanize people in order to have them killed are tactics that, to me, should have no place in any legal system. Bugliosi did get his verdict for capital punishment though, but in 1972, the Supreme Court of California ruled that the state's current death penalty laws were unconstitutional.
The Manson trial also illustrates how the media can contribute to rendering a killer a celebrity; there's a reason why today, news outlets refrain from naming and showing images of mass shooters, for instance. Manson used the media machine for his own purposes while he was on trial for mass murder - there is a "Natural Born Killers" vibe to that, and in the film (script: Quentin Tarantino), killer Mickey even mentions Manson. But while we can't change history, Tarantino is known for taking revenge in his movies: The Nazis, slave owners, and now, in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood", the Manson Family has to watch out - not the "True Story of the Manson Murders" as Bugliosi tells it, but certainly a good one.
...moreIn his books he claimed that O.J Simpson and Lee Harvey Oswald were guilty of the crimes they were accused of.
In his latest book he states that George W. Bush should be prosecuted for murder.
Bugliosi lived in Pasadena, CA.
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