2 comments about Ophthalmic Disease in Veterinary Medicine.

1. The book is entitled Opthalmic diseases in Vet med and that is all it is. The photos are good, but do not expect any treatment options or surgical interventions. The book was recommended by our closest opthalmologist. Perhaps I expected more. I need a book that helps me diagnose and treat. I would like to have some better outline of what are the best treatments that the author would recommend, as he is an expert in the field.



2. Ophthalmic Disease in Veterinary Medicine is issued in softcover to provide a more affordable textbook offering key updates to the original vet's reference. Veterinary students and libraries catering to them will find this surveys dogs and cats with a bow to the horse and cow and offers a survey of basic ophthalmic science. Common conditions, diagnosis, therapies and problem solving are included in a key resource for practitioners and students alike.

2 comments about CHARLES MANSON'S BLOOD LETTERS: --dueling with the devil.

1. This work has some important psychological insights into how one can exercise power over other people and get them to do the most evil of things. This understanding applies not only to criminal psychology but to infamous dictators eg-Hitler,Stalin, Sadam Husain and your life in awareness of controlling people.
   This book should serve to start the study of how controlling individuals are generated with hope of averting such disasters in the future for all mankind.



2. At the end of 'Charles Manson's Blood Letters' Richard Rubacher, the author, has written several pages of histrionic puffs for his next volume, an autobiographical memoir of his time as the teenage sex-slave of a local black gang in a rough part of New York. He is, I think, a strange fellow. This - self-published - book is rather frustrating. The text of it is only about 84 pages long, the rest being made up of the index, an excerpt of Manson being interviewed on Geraldo, a brief chronology of the Manson Family which anyone reading this book will be familiar with, and about ten pages of photographs, most of which are the envelopes and pages of several letters from Manson to the author. It includes a page of Timothy Leary's autobiography quoted with the laconic note, 'permission [to reproduce] pending'.
   
   Rubacher had a protracted correspondence with Manson but only prints two of Manson's letters in full. They are rambling and tiring to read, often descending into (at best) opacity & (at worst) nonsense. The rest of the correspondence is described in a series of extremely brief synopses, to which Rubacher appends psychological commentaries. As so often with self-published work, alas, proof-reading is not thorough, & at quite a few points the reader simply can't tell whether a thought is Manson's or Rubacher's. The psychological insights aren't particularly penetrating, unfortunately. The structure loops back on itself creating a repetitious feel.
   
   In a nutshell, Rubacher wrote to Manson after seeing him on Geraldo. Soon he was telling Charlie he wanted to write a book about him. After visiting Manson (probably the most interesting part of the book) in jail, Charlie sent Rubacher several boxes of the fan-mail & Family correspondence he'd been sent up till then (this was 1976). As is so often the way the two fell out, Manson feeling Rubacher was stringing him along. Manson demanded the return of the letters. Rubacher, for reasons that he fails to make clear, refused. Manson sent 'Elf' (Dennis Rice) to reclaim them, but Rubacher, using, as he's proud to proclaim, Manson's mind-manipulation techniques, managed to send Elf away - & managed to forestall another of Charlie's potential killers some time later in a similar fashion. The correspondence between Manson & Rubacher fizzled out in the Nineties with no book having been written & the letters unreturned.
   
   Really this book needed to be six times longer, and filled with verbatim quotations from Manson's letters, Rubacher's letters & the fan letters, & a more considered analysis. As it stands it adds very little to the body of Manson literature, & is a rather melodramatic take on 'Mind Control Charlie'. I didn't feel that Rubacher was being quite honest about why he was fascinated by Manson. He claims it was because of his interest in uncovering Manson's mind-control techniques, but none of his interaction with Manson seems directed towards exploring them. He ends with a ten-point list of Manson's usual techniques but it's extremely facile and obvious, and rather refutes what I believe this book is really about: a claim for its author's special sensitivity & perceptiveness.

1 comments about Charles Manson - Helter Skelter and Beyond (Biography).

1. Don't waste your money. 50 page SUMMARY (LARGE fonts, nothing new, no pictures), 30 pages of references.

5 comments about The Children of Pride.

1. Factual account of day to day life in easy to read wording. Historically accurate.



2. Like being able to eavesdrop on history, the letters give a vivid account of life before, during and after the civil war. I became fascinated with this format and time period and have also read Mary Chestnutt, Sarah Morgan, and many others, but am now reading The Children Of Pride for the second time. Someone offered to buy my copy, but there is no way I'll ever part with it. It's worth every penny, and every minute spent finding the complete version!



3. A significant collection of the letters of an influential low country family, from before the Civil War and right after. These letters show the attitudes, morals, mindsets, goals, worries, and daily lives of their writers, and seem at once both modern and dated, universal and unique. What one reads here also shows how, arguably, the English language reached its height during this era. The beauty of the wording of so many of these letters, even short chatty ones from one family member to another, have much to teach us, and should dispel any residue of belief that those who lived in eras before our own were unlearned and intellectually inferior to us. It is particularly interesting to read along from the position of hindsight and see how men and women who lived through momentous times regarded them as they were about to happen, as they were happening, and in the days that came after the events. These letters are not only educational, they are also, as a bonus, very interesting.



4. Today a friend asked me what had been the best Civil War book I had ever read - not a straight history book - and after the briefest thought I said "Children of Pride." I've spent many years thinking about the War, trying to understand the motivations of Americans at that time, and then how they survived such a horrendously wrenching time. "Children of Pride" does it better than anything I have ever read.
   I think it is understood that primary sources are the best way to truly understand times as these; this book provides the thoughts of the entire family, all literate and well-spoken people, over the entire period from the 1850s, just living their ante-bellum experience, to the idea of the war on the horizon, entering into it and living it day by day. This is all seen through ordinary every-day experiences, family anecdotes, and discussions of what is occurring. I can't recommend it highly enough for a true understanding of Southern life and views through all these years and well into Reconstruction.
   As readers said earlier, the abridged versions absolutely do not do any justice to what the book truly is. The whole work is the only way to experience "Children of Pride."
   It has lived with me since I first read it in the 1970s; I would never let my copy out of my hands, and as said above today I realized it was the single best book about the Civil War that I have ever read.



5. The book was in the shape that was described, and was delivered quickly and there were no hassles nor glitches.
   I needed it quickly because it was to replace a book that was loaned to me, but had gotten lost. Mission accomplished!
   
   I would definately buy from this seller in the future.

4 comments about The Manson Women A "Family" Portrait.

1. I was disappointed in this book. I thought it would be about the Manson woman but it was mostly about Charles Manson. It wasn't particularly well written and it was dull. I think some of the women wouldn't even be interviewed by the author.



2. There is NO OTHER BOOK about the Manson Family that goes onto such DEPTH Regarding the Women!! Everything you can find is about Manson, or the Murders, this Book goes in Depth into the Manson WOMEN"S MINDS!!! EXCELLENT READING!! Hard to Find Book, but it is well worth it!! You WON'T be Disappointed!!



3. There are so many lies that are contained in this book. This author just perpetuates the 'myth', the lies. These authors who write these books do so just for money, truth has no part in their motivation. How sad.



4. As a Manson scholar I can tell you that this edition is for book collectors only, not for readers or researchers. The unforgiveable number of typos, not to mention outright mistakes in information, some of which are so basic even a novice can spot them, relegates this work to the trash heap of exploitative Manson materials. Buy (almost) anything else.

5 comments about The Manson File.

1. If your're interested in some sensationalist hack job in the "true" crime genre, go read Bugliosi's book, or Sanders'. If you want some entertaining and enlightening creations straight from the horse's mouth (the horse being Manson himself), this little gem is the place to look. It contains plenty of excellent material available nowhere else.



2. This book is worth it mainly if you are a collector of Manson things. It is pretty much written as a pro Manson book, one to 'set the record straight', which it never really does though. The best part of this book is there are a ton of pictures and bits of interviews in it that you don't see in many other books. There is Manson's complete courtroom 'testimony' as well as transcripts to several of his parole hearings and various open letters he has written to various people. Many of the lyrics to his songs are printed here as well as some stories he has written and art work. There is a chapter with various quotes from him on his 'philosophy".
   There are a few factual mistakes, as this book claims that John Lennon wrote the song "Helter Skelter", when it is well documented in any Beatles book that Paul McCartney wrote the song.
   This book is a good compainion to the movie "Charles Manson Superstar", which in that movie Manson himself is reading this very book.

   It is worth it to get simply for a veiw at the other take on the manson clan.




3. There's a thick air of unease about this book: about the people who put it together, the people who might want to read it, and then, of course, there's Charlie.
   The editor claims the objectivity of the historian: "In this volume you will find for the first time the authentic voice of the media's favourite villain.., a portrait of Manson - the man and the ism - rescued from the caricatures drawn by the ever-churning Establishment information mill".
   So: in the first part of the book what you get is: Philosophy ("pagan" says the editor); Testimony (as given by Charlie in court); Music; Art; Selected Writings (stories & assorted rants) and Poetry (like the lyrics but more so); all of which is by Charlie himself.
   Alas, perhaps it is no surprise to find out that Manson's "authentic voice" is greatly predictable. There are a few themes only, and he lays them on with a trowel. The Establishment (or "straight society" as it used to be called) comes in for some sharp words:

   "You eat meat with your teeth and you kill things that are better than you are, and in the same respect you say how bad and even killers your children are. You make your children what they are. I am just a reflection of every one of you."
   He repeats over and again that society's standards have no relevance to him:
   "I don't think in goods or bads, just ISs. What it is - not what I was, want or hope - Wherever life is, it is, and bad and good got nothing to do with it."
   Right and wrong do not exist, and according to this egoless man, neither does time: "The truth is now, the truth is right here; the truth is this minute, and this minute we exist. Yesterday - you cannot prove yesterday happened today. It would take you all day and then it would be tomorrow" - which is a useful
   way of dismissing courtroom "facts" and denying responsibility
   for past action.
   He is fond of insisting that his ideas have been formed by the very system he now rejects : "My father is the jailhouse. My father is your system" : which means that whatever society thinks he's guilty of is what society taught him to do. They make him do these things, then they nail him to the wall for it. It's a tough break, and all the way down the line, Charlie sees himself as The Scapegoat:
   "You look for something to project it on and you pick a little old scroungy nobody who eats out of a garbage can, that nobody wants, that was kicked out of the penitentiary, that has been dragged through every hellhole you can think of, and you drag him up and you put him in a courtroom."
   It's very notable that in all these maunderings the subject of the Tate/La Bianca murders is never directly addressed. He plays around the edges, but he never comes clean, truth-teller that he is. Me, I thought that Charlie thought that offing pigs was a far-out thing to do, but if so he diplomatically keeps it to himself. But he's not loath to unburden himself of some fairly controversial opinions, however. For example, on the sub-ject of feminism:
   "You have lost sight of God. You sing your songs to a woman. You put woman in front of man. Woman is not God. Woman is but a reflection of her man"
   On modern multicultural society:
   "Anybody in my family is a white human being, because my family is of the white family. There is the black family, a yellow fam-ily, the red family, a cow family and a mule family."
   And so, it follows that we find Charlie fascinated by the Nazis:
   "I don't believe the Nazis will come back in SS hats and boots; they will probably be people living in peace and harmony"
   Part two of "The Manson File" concentrates on writings about Charlie, from two main sources: James N. Mason, leader of The Universal Order, a splinter from the American Nazi Party,
   for one, and for the other, Red and Blue, which are the mystical names of Sandra Good and Squeaky Fromme, two of Manson's original Family, and the two remaining hardliners, the others having "drifted apart or taken on the guise of repentant Christians" as the editor says. Ail of these characters are just as out to lunch as Charlie. The Nazis drivel about Charlie being "the MOST American, personally gifted, selfless, fearless" &c &c. The women emphasise Manson's ecological concerns, which are expressed by the formula ATWA : Air, Trees, Water, Animals. Throughout this book we have various cartoons and illustrations which seek to portray Manson as a Christ figure, unequivocally, unarguably. And finally this is where the ambivalence of this book topples over from objectivity to endorsement. Charlie is being described in the terms used by the Shangri-Las in their
   1965 hit "Give Him a Great Big Kiss"-
   Mary: Yeah? Well I hear he's bad.
   Betty: Hmm, he's good-bad, but he's not evil.
   But Mary was right.




4. Probably the only out and out pro-Manson book that has ever been published. Contributers range from Manson sympathizers to out and out "family" members in essays and art. The good bulk of this book however is straight from Charles Manson himself. Interviews, quotes, transcripts of court and parole hearings, poetry and fiction written by Charles Manson, even artwork by him. The Manson File is probably the best book you can get to learn anything about Manson and his philosophy.



5. This book is a collection of Manson's entire testimony, drawings, lyrics, artwork, letters, articles, photos, poems and short stories by Manson. (If you're looking for details about the murders or Manson and his "family" l suggest 'Manson - in his own words'.) This book doesnt offer much detail about all that. It also has some interesting quotes from his philosophy, "Maybe you lost your real self and your real life for paper with pictures of dead people on them" "The news gives you 5% of whats going on, and even thats distorted" "l was convicted of witchcraft in the 20th century and my case made the prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi filthy rich behind the book and film he wrote - enough said". This book makes a good addition for someone who is already familiar with Charlie, the "family" and the crimes.

5 comments about Will You Die For Me? The Man Who Killed For Charles Manson Tells His Own Story.

1. I wasn't expecting much when I picked up Charles "Tex" Watson's book Will You Die for Me, but I have to say that it turned out to be a fascinating read. In the book, Watson traces his life from an average college student to a murderous cult member - but what makes the book unique is his unflinching candor.
   
   Watson explains what was going through his mind while he was living in the cult and having these murderous psychotic episodes. The book is written in such a down-to-earth tone that is hard to believe that the author actually did these things - but he did, and there are no scapegoats, not even Mason, Watson takes responsibility for his actions. It is chilling to think that a man capable of being this introspective and articulate, can also be capable of killing strangers on a whim.
   
   It is a very good and quick read... and for those interested in the Manson Family crimes, it is a must have.



2. Put together in a comprehensive manner with a little more insight than an outsider could have. Though I'm left with the feeling that some parts are still missing. As in his feelings about the murders at the time. He does say at the time he did not feel anything actually. Maybe it's more of what he felt later as he recalled the event. He describes flashes of color & movement to describe the killings. Is that it? I felt like that was glossed over. Not that I wanted gory detail, NO, but I guess there has to be more going on in the person's head (if only later upon reflection) than the short description of how they remember it. But other parts of HIS ordeal are described in detail and how he felt when things happened to him. You have to hear how after he was arrested & extradited to LA he was given a light blanket & was cold in his cell & he was roughed up & punched & forced to eat meat. I'm then picturing Sharon trying to tell us how it felt for her to be butchered & dying. What did she feel? What did they all feel? Who gives a damn if he was cold in his cell. There seemed to be a disconnect there. It's a common trait with murderers to only relate to their own pain. I took away from the book that he was prior to murdering, a person who needed to satisfy his own needs & became bored quickly if he wasn't being satisfied. Yes he admits his guilt but again he has to -to find his what he needs in religion. It is better than Charlie Manson's state of mind in prison, still evil incarnate. In all honesty Tex Watson really cannot win. We all know what he did & it is what it is. Even though Watson says the right words I still feel wrong. Something is not right with him. The zealousness with which he has embraced religion is off putting. It does sound the same as his prior total embrace of Charlie. I do though agree with his (and others) theory of LSD & other drugs being Charlie's tool to brainwash them all. Maybe he's damaged from all the drugs as well. FYI I printed the book off of his website for free. I will not give him money.



3. The book I purchased was in good condition and it was shipped immediately to me. I was very happy with my purchase.
   Lori



4. I honestly cannot be sure if Watson is remorseful or not. Given what he has done if he were truly remorseful he would be suicidal. This book gets at least three stars for setting the historical record straight on what happened to Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Steven Parent, Abigail Folger & Wojciech Frykowski as well as Rosemary & Leno LaBianca and Gary Hinman. Charles Manson, Steve Grogan and Bruce Davis were convicted of ranchhand Shorty Shea's murder but over a dozen witnesses have gone on record to implicate Watson as one of Shea's killers.
   The main reason the crime is still remembered after 40 years was it was so senseless. If Manson wanted a record deal Sharon Tate would have picked up a phone and gotten him one. If the killers wanted money she would have given them her last dime. The hero of the night was hair stylist Jay Sebring who lost his life trying to shield Sharon from Watson. It is a crime he was able to marry and father children while in prison until lobbying by Sharon Tate's parents conjugal visits for imprisoned individuals convicted of murder were banned. Watson deserves some credit for his work inside prison BUT In the past decade Watson and his X wife Kristin have twice been investigated by the California attorney general, for committing Medi-Cal fraud to finance their children's births and for using funds from their nonprofit organization, Abounding Love Ministries, for personal use. This book can be read free of charge on his web site called aboundinglove dot org.



5. Charles TEX Watson 12/2/45 (65yrs old) is in prison for the TATE/LABIANCA murders Aug. 9 & 10, 1969. He was 24 yrs old when they happened.
   
   He wrote this book in 1978. It is 223 pages with 22 chapters. Will You Die For me is something Charlie used to ask his followers. Tex always said YES he would. This book is very over priced $39-$117 to $149. It is a shame.
   
   Tex tells us about his early life. Growing up in Texas, the Methodist church, school, being a track star, honor roll student, college drop out and drugs. He moved to California and met Charlie. His life turned into a nightmare for him and the others he hurt.
   
   He says he is remorseful about the killings. He tells about them in a matter of fact manner. Everyone wants to know WHY, WHY did the cult members do it? Tex tells you that Charlie is possessed by the DEVIL. So in reality I guess he is telling us that THE DEVIL SEDUCED THEM.
   
   Tex is a born again Christian. He seems to love GOD in the manner that he loved Charlie.
   
   He has a prison ministry. ABOUNDING LOVE. He married in 1979 & divorced in 2003. He has 4 children. He probably will never be paroled.
   
   You need to read the review on this book by JAMES J. VARELA. It seems TEX still has some larceny in his Christian heart. Makes me doubt his conversion. Also, please read the comment section under DL's review.
   
   Iam guessing you have already read HELTER SKELTER. If you have not--YOU MUST. Bugliosi did a 5star fantastic job with it.

5 comments about The Family.

1. This is one of the most poorly written books I have ever picked up. The author purports to be a poet, which, if true, is tragic indeed.
   The very first paragraph of the book has a hanging sentence, "There was." Is this some poet's idea of an ontological statement? Or just sheer sloppiness?
   On page 9, we are treated to the sentence, "Of irony,[how about 'ironically'? it's a perfectly good word here.] Manson seems [seems? It's pretty well documented that he did.] to have become a protege in prison of probibition gangster Alvin Karpis, a member of the evil [Wow; labelling something in a book on Manson has to be done in soemwhat relative terms; but I am glad that he let us know who the bad guys were here!] Ma Barker gang, which left fourteen victims dead."
   Let's go to page 53, where we read that "Rosemary's Baby, a saga of satanic chauvinism, is a story about the big-league affluent hail-Satan [that's a mouthful] crowd and their evident [Again, isn't the qualifier here a bit too cute?] success in getting Satan to make pregnant [I think the proper verb is "impregnate."] an innocent {is there any other kind?] female victim, played by Mia Farrow."
   Later, we read that "She stayed with the film; Sinatra left her, and so another headline sequential monogamy entered the dust." Good god.
   I hope you get the picture. This fellow needed a good editor and a decent English teacher in high school.
   I am sure that this book contains stuff not found in other Manson books. It is a laudatory effort for this, and this alone. It's quite a lengthy book. But trying to read it is, for anyone with other than a tin ear, an impossible task, unless one has at hand a bottle of decent Scotch, some nice music, and a wicked sense of humor.



2. a much, much better book than bugliosi's. and ed sanders (formerly of the fugs) has no dog in the fight...his style is uber-hip and there is much much more to the story of the manson family, and their celebrity friends and their life style than bugliosi would have one believe. and, more to the murders also. a great read...for the INSIDE story.



3. If you want to get down to the nitty gritty of what made the Manson Family tick, this is the best source to date. Sanders was able to speak with many people who would never have been so open with Bugliosi or his associates. Read this book for more of an inside perspective than can be had from Helter Skelter.
   
   One caveat is it helps to already have at least a passing familiarity with the hipster lingo and historical background of the time during which the book was written. L7 folks might want to read up on the history of hippie era first as background.



4. when i saw that he had consulted with famed investigator Maury Terry of the master work "The ultimate evil" I instantly knew this book had tremendous value. And I was correct. The back ground and following the tentacles of this case that reach around the country, and having the courage to follow up the satanic cult angle was well as the scientology and mind control aspect gave me so much more than i hope for. This is a must read with the book "the ultimate evil" so much is contained in Maury's book that sheds much light on the significance of the satanic cult aspect. This case is far from closed. It is obvious to me that behind the scenes it is still being investigated.
   
   On his writing style. I believe it was perfect for this. I "get" him and much of the code language he uses to hint at things only insiders know. I do believe has has much more information on this subject than he can disclose, and he even admits it if you read closely.
   
   How some could rate this book so below an all star is beyond my understanding.
   
   Highly recommended book.
   
   Thanks Ed. I appreciate the effort and hope you continue to follow up and put out new editions as more information becomes available to publish publicly.



5. Author Ed Sanders cannot write to begin with. Making sound effects is another annoying matter. I guess he wrote this book like he is talking to someone. But, speaking and writing is really a different matter. I don't know if his facts are all correct but reading through this book is difficult because the auther cannot, I repeat, cannot write. I first thought maybe Sanders is a foreigner, but I think what he really needs is to go back to grammer school.

5 comments about Manson in His Own Words: The Shocking Confessions of 'The Most Dangerous Man Alive'.

1. This book is a great read! It really captures the kind of person Charles Manson is; a person just like you and me who happened to get thrown on the wrong path in society. I couldn't stop turning the pages. Although at times this book can be gory & drug crazed, it is also captivating & relaistic. I highly recommend!



2. I would definetly suggest this book to everyone. I couldn't put it down and Nuel Emmons is an excellent writer.



3. MANSON IN HIS OWN WORDS - BEWARE , 'DREAMS YE CONQUER CARE!'
   
   Hello there fans of amazon.com Manson litterature - just to let everyone know , Manson in His Own Word isn't by Manson himself.
   Ask yourself; why should a man who has got all the time in the whole wide world to leave his body and go anywhere he wants , go spend some time write a book he didn't even announce , seemingly on any interview that he was gonna write?
   Let's never underestimate the fact that Charles Manson is Charles Manson , and that like the wolf , scorpion and black panther , Charles Manson is so unpredicteable that I sound like a dammer when I say to all the five and four star viewers here that this book wasn't written by him. I trusted my source and made a decision in advance since , that from then on I'd write a critical review on Manson In His Own Words that'd expose the myth that the book had in fact been written or compiled by Charles Manson , number two , that it was a good book , and number three , that Manson would be likely to spend vast amounts of time to pin down some words in some script instead of doing the soul of the world thing - which is his music.
   After having seen the white and red covered , now internationally acclaimed Manson movie , I feel I have somewhat more of an understanding of Manson's mind than many others. As a teenager I felt I understood Manson to the point that I drew a picture of myself , bald headed with a nazi swastika between my eyes to emphasize the concept of what we felt then to be holy or sheer terror. I was obsessed with exorcicing any fear inside of myself at that time - that is during my teenagehood years , and I was thus seriously sinister as a teenager and I enjoyed that reputation. But just because I may feel so on what I feel to be my understanding of how Charles Manson's mind works or operates , that's just me - no need to take seriously any content in a statement I make on such an issue , because everyone is free to have their own opinions - the people of the world are entitled to free speech.
   Manson could utter all he needed to utter and why should he have had any need to put that down on a few pages? A book compiled by Manson would in my view be a gigantic volume filled with all kinds of psychedelic imagery which not even the author of this book would be finding himself or herself in a position to comprehend fully.
   On atwa.be. Charles Manson said that God is air - and that without air , we cannot be. So this gives in my view a whole different meaning the concept of our ideas and beliefs being sort of air - without them , we can't forge the years ahead in our societies. No matter how many or few Charlie may have killed or how he may have behaved , no matter how sane or less than sane he may appear , because we're all one and we're all manifestations of the Infinite , the more we lie to ourselves and cheat on ourselves and beat our little ones before we put them to bed , the harder we are on ourselves and the less we are really saying , and everything we are saying becomes a kind of chit chat - thus , we're lying to Charlie.
   That is , we are lying to him when we're lying to ourselves , and encouraging ourselves to be more violent than is necessary by being more violent than is necessary. Once peoples'seemingly ceaseless desire to lie to themselves so much ceases to be , it becomes easier to rise above that need and move on. In Charlie's world , Charlie can be a racist one moment and a humanist the other - but that's his path - and anyone around or near him has to make their choises on what path to follow - and those beyoud.
   So I say to anyone who wishes to give this book a try - I felt I was somehow obliged to leave a warning in advance stating this book is no good. I might wanna own a copy in the far future but I seeeeeeriously doupt if that copy'll do me any good at all. The study of Charles Manson is a direct look at our own innermost self reflection - and it depends upon each one of us whom it is being reflected in the mirror. That's why beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder when it comes to do a serious analysis of the meaning behind the concept of the persona who is Charles Manson.



4. A book so unique & rarely seen., 30 Aug 2009
   
   
   The best study of mankind, is man (it's said)
   Charles Manson is here being exposed naked almost.
   Readable and coherent, yet abstract thoughts make a lot of sense, when taking everything into consideration here.
   It's often wrongly assumed by some reviewers that his always rationalising his crimes, I bet you would too?
   Extremely open as he is, we hear the tales of Manson here revealed. Just study all material of TV conducted interviews, his drawing obvious parallels with a smear of sardonic wrath along his words; it's both pure and tragic at the same time.
   
   There is nothing much to gain for him no more, except maintaining him self to certain ambivalent point, a valid point indeed! (a Supernatural cult leader) a typical stigma he was dubbed by the media, who afterwards call every word of his ``INSANE``
   
   No hoax, but told to people who might have lived another life and does not cope with the moral of such diversity. His not even trying to paint a heroic picture of him self. I can recommend this book to anyone without conform and corrupted values from society, anyone who can think for them selves!
   It's obvious this is a part of the American experience to me. Or the uncontrolled chaos this world thus possess!
   
   What are you waiting for? Buy.
   
   I can recommend - The Gates of Janus (Serial killing and its analysis, by the Moors Murderer `Ian Brady`
   
   If you want to read a perhaps more sophisticated view from another point of view.
   
   But I highly appreciate Manson for putting it straight in an excellent way.
   Don't worry Charlie, I can handle it. It all makes sense this more you talk openly about it.
   What really bother me are peoples libel moral always has to attack people for standing up, even behind bars till they die, we shall only hear the truth from others? I would assume that the best entangled goodies are staying with the murder and his persona. Unfortunately this purchase of books is rarely seen. Despite the police and society trying to act out all normal and best sheltered from what they really produce and enhance mentally unto people.



5. Not only would I say that this book provides some lesser known aspects of Manson and his life, I would say it is vital to recognizing how manipulative and dangerous people can succeed. Not even a few chapters into the book, and I could tell that Manson is as distorted in his perceptions of his own actions as he is accurately perceptive of other people's personalities, especially their vulnerabilities. It is little wonder to me that he holds such a fixation on the public mind (for the character of his terribleness), as well as the individual minds of his fanatics (for what they must perceive as something prophetic), and yet it is difficult to pinpoint precisely what it is about him that gives him this ambiance. After reading this, I discredited the opinion that Manson was so manipulative that he could literally control minds and actions of his followers. Were he such a mastermind, I'd say he would never have been caught. What I took away was how his perspective on life can somehow be infectious to those who let themselves listen. What's more, I think he appeals naturally to people who feel helpless, pained, and who are very vulnerable (and I am of the opinion that helplessness and pain are far too common across the population). What appals me more than anything is Manson's ready willingness to justify (to himself) his using other people for his own self-aggrandized objectives. People who have the insight into other's suffering, and who use that insight to take advantage of that suffering is also something I think is far too common across the population.

5 comments about Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders.

1. I can't really add anything more to some of the other five star reviews here on Amazon for Mr. Bugliosi's incredible work. Don't buy these right wing racist revisionists who want to paint Charles Manson as a "wrongly accused eco-terrorist". Manson and and his family did nothing discernible for the planet (apart from make it an uglier and more morally decrepit place) when he was on the outside his priorities where militia style white nationalism and serious crime. Most of Helter Skelter is trial testimony and actual confessions and recorded conversations with witnesses, victim's families and Manson family members so any question of "veracity" is easily squelched. This was a nasty, very racist and very hateful group of people who finally found a purpose together which was to parlay the hippie counter culture into an excuse to kill randomly. It did not mater that apart from Abagail Folger, a committed civil rights and anti-poverty worker who had an inheritance, most of those at the Tate house were not very wealthy or even rich, its just that they were there to be slaughtered. They became Manson's reflection of his unparalleled hatred for society. The most intense part of the book is definitely the last few chapters which tell of the many unsolved murders which are clearly the work of The Manson family, left to kill after the first group of butchers were incarcerated and where all the killers and family members are today. Its frightening to think of how easily these people killed-like barbarians. The last remnants now preach Manson's ATWA (Air Trees Animals Air) philosophy of saving the planet and he has countless fans and friends globally who support and indulge, his lively crazed personality as he continues his incarceration. Many of whom are just interested in the case and think he should get a retrial as they feel he had zero to do with the murders.Many simply admire him. Bugliosi explains why he is still a charismatic showman to so many and why many bigwigs in the media to this day seek him out-perhaps the most frightening part of the book is that fact in and of itself. I even begrudgingly admit that Manson is entertaining. This book is not to be read late at night!



2. I read this book in hardback many many years ago. I bought it to give a friend who wanted to read it. It is an excellent accounting of the Manson murders. Some might be disturbed by the content but it is very well written.



3. I have always been a true crime novel fan. I have devoured Ann Rule and Joe McGinniss. I am not alone. Over the holidays I had a conversation with another fellow true crime fan. She asked if I had ever read Vincent Bugliosi's novel, Helter Skelter, the true story of the Manson Family murders. I hadn't. Truth is, I had kind of been afraid to read it. When the murders took place I was only a toddler. I do however, remember the TV mini-series "Helter Skelter", based on the book and feeling, well, freaked out. I've had the book Helter Skelter on the back-burner of my brain for years to read. Well, I finally took the plunge.
   
   The book Helter Skelter embodies my two favorite reasons for reading true crime. Number one, I love to learn the psychology of the murders - why the murderers may have done what they did. Number two, I love to read how the prosecutors and detectives used their knowledge, experience, and hard work to solve the crimes and prosecute the criminals. For those unfamiliar to the case, and really, how could you be, The Manson Family headed by Charles Manson, went on a killing rampage in Los Angeles in August 1969 brutally murdering seven people. Vincent Bugliosi, the author of the book, was the prosecutor at the trial and investigator on the case. It was the most horrifying murder spree in US history and the longest, most grueling trial the country had seen to date. Some say the murders put an abrupt end to the 60's spirit of free love and ushered in a new more sated era.
   
   The book itself is a great read. It is well-written and tells the story of what occurred, how the case was solved, and how the case was successfully prosecuted. In addition, the writer provides the back story as well as reporting on the pulse of the country as the trial proceeded. It is a real glimpse in to the history of the country. I learned that my original perceptions of the case were not accurate. The book accomplishes the herculean task of sorting through hundreds of witnesses, several police department's participation, and reams of testimony while at the same time managing to keep readers interested and informed as the investigation and case unfolds in chronological order.
   
   I am particularly fond of the author, Bugliosi. He sounds like a brilliant guy who worked his tail off. His constant reference to the hours of preparation on both the investigation and each stage of the trial is inspiring. He mentions more than once the "100 pages of notes on yellow pads" reminding me in the words of James Michener, "It is not just talent alone, but disciplined talent that makes for success." Taking the time to be prepared is half the battle, isn't it?
   
   Although Helter Skelter was first written in 1974, more than 35 years ago, it is still very relevant. Why? As Vincent Bugliosi himself says in the book and I am paraphrasing here," The reasons behind the murders are so important to uncover because we do not want such a thing to happen again." That's true of all history, isn't it? Check out the book if you have the chance. It will teach you something, I promise you.



4. Charles Manson is still alive today. He is 75 yrs. old.
   He is still crazy. All of the ones convicted are still alive
   today and in prison except for Susan Atkins. She died
   of cancer. They are in their 60's. None of them will ever
   be paroled.
   
   If you are a first time reader of this book you are in for a
   treat. This is a true crime classic. It is excellent. Very
   well written.
   
   Hippie Charles Manson is a small, troll of a man. He is
   ugly, he stinks and he is mean as a snake. You will have
   a hard time understanding how this man had such control
   over the young people in his group.
   
   He controlled with sex and LSD.
   
   He always asked each member if they would die for him.
   
   He also asked them to kill for him. Most did.
   
   Charlie not only had those 7 people killed on those 2
   nights in Aug.1969 but he killed many of his group members
   and any one who dis-respected him in any way.
   
   I can say 2 good things about Charlie--he would not eat meat
   and he never killed an animal. But, this is also true of Hitler.
   
   His varied crimes covered many Calif. counties and it was
   hard to solve cases involving his group because many police
   depts. did not share info with each other. It is a miracle that
   he was ever arrested and tried for anything.
   
   The court room scenes and Vince Bugliosi the dist. atty.are
   brilliant. Vince is a master in the court room. He had Charlie
   right from the beginning.
   
   I have read this book over many many times. I think you will
   end up doing the same. I have bought many copies and given
   them to my friends. The book and crime is over 30yrs old.
   
   You will never forget it. I was a soph in college when it happened.
   I was scared when I heard about it. I was a thousand miles away
   in Oklahoma.
   
   Charles brought an end to the generation of peace and love. It
   was a time of make love, not war and turn on, tune it and drop
   out. His killings ended all that. Hippies had turned into killers.
   
   Please read this book.
   
   NOTE -- I think you will also like THE SEA WILL TELL and
   TILL DEATH DO US PART by Vince. Good true crime stories.



5. This is an exciting, compelling book, one of the most memorable non-fiction books ever written. Hats off in particular to co-author Curt Gentry, a truly stimulating writer.
   
   However, I have a quibble: Bugliosi determined that Manson's motive for the murders was to start a world-wide race war, from which he would emerge as emperor of the world (or something like that). He thought that this was what the Beatles were telling him to do in their song "Helter-Skelter." The Beatles, he believed, were angels from heaven and he had to do their bidding. After unearthing this bizarre information, how could Bugliosi proceed to prosecute Manson as a sane man, and ask for the death penalty? The motive, it seems to me, proves Manson's insanity.
   
   The answer, I suppose, is politics. He had to ask for the death penalty in this ultra-high-profile homicide case if he wanted to keep his job.