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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
"Believe me, if I started murdering people there'd be none of ya left." -- Charles Manson
During the 60s, Charles Manson believed himself to be Jesus Christ. He created a group of followers popularly known as "The Family" who believed in his "teachings" and adopted his beliefs. Members of the family, such as Susan Atkins (alias "Sadie") committed a variable number of murders while under Manson's influence. The Beatles song Helter Skelter was just one element Manson used to "prove" his prophecies and encourage The Family to kill others. Prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi takes readers with him through the investigation and prosecution of Manson and his followers, and he will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Just when you think the behavior of The Family cannot possibly become more bizarre, guess what? It does.
As an avid true-crime reader, I've read several books where the court proceedings drag on. The writing style can be dry and boring. It's tough to recite a transcript from a court hearing without elements of dryness! That was not the case in Bugliosi's Helter Skelter. The behavior on behalf of Mason and The Family made for some exciting and unusual courtroom drama. Can you think of another case where defendants waltzed in with the letter "X" carved into their foreheads and chanting?
Helter Skelter brings up some interesting philosophical questions. Should Susan Atkins and other members of The Family be considered guilty if they were under Manson's intense influence? Should Manson have been convicted of murder if he didn't actually kill anyone? True crime books that make us think critically about the justice system will always be relevant and timely.
I listened to the audio version of this book, and it was easy to follow. The narration was clear and concise. Highly recommended!
During the 60s, Charles Manson believed himself to be Jesus Christ. He created a group of followers popularly known as "The Family" who believed in his "teachings" and adopted his beliefs. Members of the family, such as Susan Atkins (alias "Sadie") committed a variable number of murders while under Manson's influence. The Beatles song Helter Skelter was just one element Manson used to "prove" his prophecies and encourage The Family to kill others. Prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi takes readers with him through the investigation and prosecution of Manson and his followers, and he will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Just when you think the behavior of The Family cannot possibly become more bizarre, guess what? It does.
As an avid true-crime reader, I've read several books where the court proceedings drag on. The writing style can be dry and boring. It's tough to recite a transcript from a court hearing without elements of dryness! That was not the case in Bugliosi's Helter Skelter. The behavior on behalf of Mason and The Family made for some exciting and unusual courtroom drama. Can you think of another case where defendants waltzed in with the letter "X" carved into their foreheads and chanting?
Helter Skelter brings up some interesting philosophical questions. Should Susan Atkins and other members of The Family be considered guilty if they were under Manson's intense influence? Should Manson have been convicted of murder if he didn't actually kill anyone? True crime books that make us think critically about the justice system will always be relevant and timely.
I listened to the audio version of this book, and it was easy to follow. The narration was clear and concise. Highly recommended!
there's many victims in this case, yet most people forget how dirty they did the beatles
This book is extremely detailed, probably one of the most detailed books you will ever read about the Manson Murders because it was written by a lawyer in the case. But, it is a great read. It took some time to get through it, but if true crime interests you, it’s great! It’s a very chilling look at how Manson came to be, the murders themselves, the people he brainwashed, and his insane ideologies.
Oof ok. This book took me ages to finish - not because I didn't find it interesting or well written (it was both of those things) but because everything and absolutely everything is in this book. Want to know who made who cookies after the Manson trial? That's in here. Where all the lawyers of the case have ended up 25 years later? Also in here. I had to renew it from the library twice to make my way through all the nitty-gritty.
That said, I highly recommend it to true crime junkies but definitely not a "casual" reader. I'm a fast reader and my app says this took me 15 hours (tbh feels more like 50) - Bugliosi is thorough.
That said, I highly recommend it to true crime junkies but definitely not a "casual" reader. I'm a fast reader and my app says this took me 15 hours (tbh feels more like 50) - Bugliosi is thorough.
would be five stars if i didn’t know anything about the manson cult and murders. if you want to know the dark, interesting ins and outs of this part of history make this book your first stop.
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Vincent Bugliosi has a passion for telling you how attractive or ugly the young women he interviews are and it really shines through in this book.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
By far one of the best books I've ever read! Even knowing the what, how and why previously to reading, it was still gripping and informative all the way through.
It is understandable why this book is one of the best selling true crime books of all time.
It is understandable why this book is one of the best selling true crime books of all time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Extremely thorough, sometimes to a fault. I'm sure the volumes produced from the court transcripts (largely due to the obstructionist Kanarek) is much longer but it got to the point where I was at the closing arguments for the guilt phase of the case but only 3/4ths of the way through the book.
Manson's philosophy and megalomania seem to stem from some kind of napolean complex over-corrected by a narcissism of (literal) biblical proportion and delusion of grandeur. He mistakenly claims his schizophrenia is a multiple personality. "1000 masks so I'm like 500 schizophrenics". In reality it's a hyperfocused paranoia. I suppose I shouldn't expect anything more from someone who spent most of his life in prisons and apparently one of the most powerful manipulators in recent history.
I believe a big part of his manipulation was to target people lacking family and father figures specifically, like many modern gangs do. That mixed with racism, Christian dogma, the Beatles, and some LSD lead to one of the most infamous cult murder sprees ever.
Manson's philosophy and megalomania seem to stem from some kind of napolean complex over-corrected by a narcissism of (literal) biblical proportion and delusion of grandeur. He mistakenly claims his schizophrenia is a multiple personality. "1000 masks so I'm like 500 schizophrenics". In reality it's a hyperfocused paranoia. I suppose I shouldn't expect anything more from someone who spent most of his life in prisons and apparently one of the most powerful manipulators in recent history.
I believe a big part of his manipulation was to target people lacking family and father figures specifically, like many modern gangs do. That mixed with racism, Christian dogma, the Beatles, and some LSD lead to one of the most infamous cult murder sprees ever.