Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders

Charles Manson is the one of the most tedious and unimportant figures in history. His racism, his misogyny, his hatred of everyone more successful than him, his opportunism, his lust for violence - none of these were original. All he did was read between the lines of mainstream American society and reflected it back in a more direct, unrepressed form.

One of the great problems with this book, therefore, is that it refuses to see the extent to which Manson was, in repeating the evils of the system back to itself, a kind of perverse critique. Yes, he was an evil murderer who only cared about himself, but what kind of society would produce such a monster? The author, Vincent Bugliosi, never turns the lens around to look at himself or the show more world he inhabits to see the source of Manson's evil. There is a dogged conservatism to Bugliosi's narrative that refuses to see this truth.

While that is my main problem with this book, it is not the only one. For a start, it is unnecessarily long. Bugliosi was the prosecutor on the Manson case, and he gives us everything excruciating twist and turn of the legal trial, whether it is of interest or not (mostly not). What is more, Bugliosi clearly has a massive ego, for he constantly makes himself the hero of the story, showing up the incompetence of the police and wrestling with perceived legal injustices and tricks that might have allowed Manson to go free.

I am sure there are better books on Manson out there, but despite its bestseller status, this one simply does not pass the test of time. show less

I am not, by any stretch, a true crime aficionado, but I started reading up on Sharon Tate before going to watch Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood last year and fell a little bit in love with her and Jay Sebring. Most of my research has been into their lives, but who can avoid reading about the horrific way in which Sharon, Jay, Abigail Folger, Voytek Frykowski, Steve Parent, and later Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, had their lives stolen from them? I dithered for a while, but eventually decided to read the definitive account of the murders by Vincent Bugliosi, the man who put the killers behind bars.

Covering the murders, investigation, killers' arrests, trial and sentencing, this is a long and detailed history of the 'Manson Family' show more murders. Perhaps too long. Bugliosi, however, does a good job at balancing truth with tension, to the point where, if I didn't already know the outcome of the trial. I would have felt sick that Manson and his acolytes were going to evade justice! I did feel that the victims were sidelined after the description of the murders, to the point where 'Tate-LaBianca' became simply the name of the trial, and I had to remind myself that the whole point of the year long battle in court was to get justice for Sharon, her friends and the LaBiancas. Manson, Susan Atkins, Tex Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten should never be regarded as anything but the vicious murderers they are - I can't believe there are people who would even try to glorify, excuse or sympathise with them! The only names worth remembering are those of the victims.

Apart from the suffering inflicted on those who died, I was also shocked by the ineptitude of the LA Police Department (one officer wiped out a fingerprint on the gate release, evidence was lost, the detectives on the initially separate murder investigations wouldn't talk to each other, and a young boy and a TV crew found the discarded weapon and clothes from the Tate murders!) and the almost comic turn of the trial, with Manson's lawyer trying to turn the proceedings into Jarndyce vs Jarndyce. This was the biggest murder trial of the time, and Bugliosi's withering narrative makes the whole process sound like a parody of Law and Order. At least justice prevailed in the end.

After wading through 700 pages on Kindle, there are some photographs of the crime scene at the end, but the victims bodies have been censored (worse can be unwittingly found online!) show less

Helter Skelter is, in many ways, the gold standard for true crime.

Vincent Bugliosi worked the murder cases from the start, relentlessly investigating, then prosecuting. With this book, he provides one of the most intimate accounts of a criminal case ever published.

This book is heavy on details, but I found it all fascinating. Because this is written by a contemporary of the times, rather than by someone researching a crime from an earlier period, the emotions and experiences feel as tense and urgent as if this case were current. Through his writing, Bugliosi provides tremendous behind-the-scenes insight into the police investigation and drawn-out court proceedings.

Manson often claimed that, because he was brought up in the system, show more society, by default, created him. While this in no way excuses him, it does make for an interesting launching point in discussing our punitive system, particularly in how we treat our youth, which has changed little over the ensuing decades. show less

WARNING: This book should not be read alone, in the dark, before bedtime...This was the darkest book I've ever read, but it was expertly written, as well it should be having been written by the prosecutor himself! Mr. Bugliosi keeps the reader on the edge of their seat with his startlingly detailed account of the (Tate-LaBianca) Manson trial. I thought I was somewhat familiar with this case and the monster that is Manson (yep, he's still alive; chilling, right?!). I was WRONG. There was so much more to this case than I ever knew! Not only were the murders more gruesome and horrifying than I had imagined, Manson himself was a more disturbing character too. From manic monster to misguided guru, Manson had a face for every occasion and his show more behavior was rarely predictable. Only the most gritty, intuitive and experienced of prosecutors could have seen through the smoke and mirrors. Thank God (literally) that prosecutor was Mr. Bugliosi. Anyone else probably would not have understood or presented Helter Skelter, and Manson might still be on the street alongside his vapid but violent followers. At least that's how Mr. Bugliosi presents the facts, and I'm inclined to believe him. I gave this book 4 stars because it is quite long. I found myself bogged down in some of the trial details and jargon, but Mr. Bugliosi does a fair job at explaining everything for the average layperson. I'll say this too - I hope that California laws and the LAPD have dramatically improved since Tate-LaBianca...there were so many balls dropped and so many stipulations as to put the court at the mercy of every whim of whomever was speaking! And given the circus put on by the defense lawyers...well, let's just say I now understand why people make so many jokes about lawyers. Wow...

All around a fantastic, fascinating read for those interested in criminal psychology, the justice system, or even just wanting to know more about one of the most infamous criminals of all time. show less

A compelling coverage of the Manson Family and its murderous ways. Before reading "Helter Skelter", I merely thought they were a truly frightening cult. Since "Helter Skelter", I have realised that my initial thought was way too sympathetic of Manson, Frome, Watson et al.

Bugliosi covers the background of the Manson family members, the events leading up to the murders, the murders themselves and the fallout, all in great detail and with all the visceral horror which makes you feel you were at the murder scenes. As a result, I gained much nightmare fodder which I fear will never leave me.

Bugliosi also posits that some other murders in the years following the Tate/La Bianco murders may have been Manson Family related, including one show more overseas. I still need to be convinced the Manson Family was coordinated enough to organise a murder or two overseas though. The only reason I'm not giving "Helter Skelter" five stars is that in Bugliosi's recall of the case he never made a mistake. Ever. show less

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 show more to let ourselves unaffected as the Helter Skelter unfolds in front of our eyes... show less

I am enthralled with true crime, trying to understand how people can do the things they do, how they are eventually caught, etc. This is the absolute best true crime book I have ever read. It made my skin crawl to read about the actions of the Manson Family and made my heart break for the victims. There are no words to describe just how psychotic "the family" was as is evident not only in their crimes but in their actions at trial. A definite must-read for any true crime fan, even if you think you know all there is to know about the Manson Family.