Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson

I lived my early college years in those turbulent 60`s when Manson and his "family" became household names. Mr Guinn`s book brought back the horror that was Charles Manson. A scary but fascinating look into the life of a sociopath and those who followed him.

I was eight when the Mason murders hit the headlines and by the time I was in middle school in the early 70s, Manson was part of the popular culture. Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson gave me explicit details of this evil sociopath, a man who in turns affected congeniality and pure meanness, often reminding me of The Misfit from Flannery O'Conner's famous short story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find."

The narrative begins with Charlie's portentious childhood in the Mid West, his troubles with the law, his migration to San Francisco, and his manipulation of men and women to create a cult, The Family, whom he convinces must prepare for an apocalypse. His delusions of grandeur, the book's fast-paced narrative, and its place in the late 1960s culture of riots, free love, hippies, racial tension are all juxtaposed in an addictive, substantive read. One of the book's remarkable insights is that Charlie was not only a "cancer" who ruined everything in his path, but we learn he is a bit of a cipher absorbing the cultural fads of his age and pretending to be their champion. Highly recommended.

I've been interested in the Manson murders since 1969--why would someone murder just because someone told them to? Quite a few Manson followers did just that. I still don't have an answer even though this book tries to offer reasons. Even so, this book is an excellent read. I thought I had read everything about the Manson family but there is much new information and fresh analysis i.e. Manson's childhood; interviews with his mother and cousin; how he met and recruited each Family member; what influenced him (the Bible and Scientology among others); much info on Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys and Terry Melcher, a record producer. This book is much more comprehensive than "Helter Skelter" although anyone interested in Manson should read both. The writing is clear and concise--never boring. Also, the author includes an update on all Manson's associates, family and minions. Highly recommended.

A very good and detailed account of Charles Manson. There are on problems with the Kindle version like I've experienced with other books. If you really want to read a comprehensive book about the Charles Manson, his life and his families, both his real and murderous one.

After having read "Helter Scelter" years ago, I am very excited to be reading this book now, since I have long been obsessed with this crazy man, and his crew. I am old enough to remember the exact moment that I heard about this horrific event in 1969. Even though it was a crazy world then, what with many assassinations and the Vietnam War, and of course, student riots and protests, plus racial tensions, this event still shocked the nation. This book elaborates more on Manson and especially about the lies he told about his Mother and upbringing. It gives you a very good look into how his mind worked, and therefore you get a better understanding of how he was able to have such power and control of his "family". It's really a time capsule of the late 60's and early 70's, which will prove to be enlightening to those who were too young to experience the era, or not born yet. On the other hand, if you were in your late teens or early 20's then, you will go back in your mind to an unbelievable time period that we lived though. A must read for all boomers.

This was a great book. I have always been intrigued by Charles beings I was a child when he went to prison for the last time. I believe that he is a genius and would do it all over again if he ever would get out of prison. So the best place for him is in Prison.

I read Helter Skelter as a teenager (35years ago-ouch)and it scared the dickens out of me(also a good book)But this book seems to get into more details of the Manson Family day by day living.Also I didn't realize how close Manson was to Dennis Wilson(Beach Boys)and other prominent Rock Stars.

Very well done even better than Helter Skelter. It delved into many details that were unknown before and explored other involved characters more fully. The book went rather easy on Charlie I thought.

This is by and large a solid, interesting and haunting book about a truly horrific crime. He book is good at showing how the late 1960s proved the perfect time to allow Charlie to go from an anonymous ex-con to a modern boogeyman.

Having read Vincent Bugliosi's book on the Manson Family twice, I was ready for some fresh material on the subject. I had hoped to find it in Jeff Guinn's book, and I was not disappointed. Mr. Guinn did not just copy other writers' material and slap it together. He researched long and hard, with countless printed sources and strong interviews. I knew nothing about Terry Melcher before reading this book and found it fascinating to read those parts, as well as those in the music world and Manson. I was appreciative of reading about Manson's mother and his childhood, as well as his incarcerations. The way of life at Spahn Ranch was fascinating, and I found details here and there throughout the book I hadn't read before to add much to the subject The author gives all this in an easy, humble style that made this a fairly fast read for me. I did find it hard to put down. Thanks, Mr. Guinn, for a very well done and welcome book.

Author Jeff Guinn chronicles the life and times of Charles Manson from before his childhood to the present. This narative explores his mother's upbrining in a strict religious household and her eventual trouble with the law. It describes the turmoil that Charles was born into and his struggles with life while living with relatives and being shuttled between reformatories. Mr. Guinn does an outstanding job of describing Charlie's childhood with facts derived from interviews with relatives and acquaintances that have not been intervied by prior authors. Mr. Guinn then goes on to weave his narative of the life and times of Charles Manson in a highly organized manner so that one can grasp how all of the characters mentioned fit into the story. I believe this is the reason why Mr. Guinn has made such a significant contribution due to his comprehensive and organized manner of presenting this subject. Other books on this subject start when Charlie is imprisoned in California and continue after his release. This leads to some confusion when characters are introduced which he had encountered prior to his imprisonment. Furthermore, one can truly grasp that Mr. Guinn is a gifted writer due to his ability to describe the development of the Family, Helter Skelter and the subsequent trial of Charlie and his accomplices.

Heard about this book on NPR and instantly wanted to read it. As a child of the 60's, I distinctly remember the Tate-Bianca murders and also remember reading Helter Skelter, which scared me to death! Guinn really examines the character of Manson, a classic sociopath...a true charismatic killer. It becomes easier to see his motives and how he manipulates his followers. It also gives an eerie feeling of that chance, "being in the right place at the right time." Or in the case of Manson, the wrong place. If you're too young to know about Manson, I highly recommend this book as it is quite compelling. If you think you know everything about him, try it. You may discover something new.

Like others have said, this book is very complete on Charles history from childhood to prison life. You also get a feeling of what life was like in the 1960s for a certain group or class of people, mainly the entertainers. One negative thing about the book is that not all the details are listed in there that should be in there. For example, I'm reading an article from the Associated Press in March 2016 about how
Governor Jerry Brown has rejected parole for a Manson cult follower, Bruce Davis. I am quoting Governor Brown from the article, "as I have discussed twice before, Davis' own actions demonstrate that he had
fully bought into the depraved Manson family beliefs. He not only watched as Manson cut Mr. Hinman's face open with a sword, but held him at gunpoint while Manson was doing so."I never read about that part
in the book at all.

Lots of information. Read Helter Skelter the following week. Guinn has more thorough profiles on Manson, the earlier years, as well as the music executives that got caught up with him like Melcher and Wilson than the Bugliosi book. Very readable.

Guinn continues to exhibit sound research skills, a recognition of how the infamous capture the American conscience, and the ability to successfully chronicle the people and events that shape American culture. The final years and events leading up to and including the Tate/LaBianca murders are well-documented so Guinn reveals nothing new here. What is of great value is his extraction of Manson's upbringing and the influence it has on his development as a cult leader, manipulator, and murderer. The facts of one's life matters and with minimal assumptions, Guinn chronicles the relevant facts in a sequential narrative. For those who love biographies, are intrigued by the Manson phenomenon, or are interested in the counterculture movement of the 1960s, Manson is a must read.

Great read! If you would like to know the background of Manson and what made him tick. I like the bit of history of what it was like in L.A. back in the 60's and how the hippies got their name. It amazes me how one person can have such mind control over others. I would highly recommend.

Most biographies of famous historical figures often seem to start at an immediate compromise with the reader—struggling to negotiate between the subject’s public reputation, contextual history, and yet still deliver an entertaining read without resorting to sensationalist storytelling that may distort the reality of the events. In biographies of infamous figures, especially, authors often have a tendency to present the subject not unlike a bad horror movie character—delivering cheap scares and newsreel highlights of a criminal’s life that exploit the gore of the crimes, rather than breaking down the intertwining events of the subject’s historical backdrop that may have nurtured certain life choices toward their most famous deeds. In this respect, The Life and Times of Charles Manson separates itself from the vast number of works written not only about such notorious figures, but one of the most notorious of all—Charlie Manson—by delivering an incredible read that still breaks down in clear contextual detail the confluence of this particular time in history and Manson’s own life that paved the way for one of the most bizarre, shocking, and perplexing crime waves in American history.
Starting even before Manson’s birth, Guinn describes the Kentucky backwoods and Manson lineage that the troubled Charlie would be born into with clear atmospheric detail. While it’s easy to just describe Charlie’s birth as the result of another troubled, unmarried teen pregnancy, Guinn’s deep historical research into the entire family’s personalities, financial, and religious history better help explore the early seeds of potential trouble that would plague young Charlie for the rest of his life. Furthermore, Guinn peppers in anecdotes of Charlie’s early behavior and constant need for attention that laid the groundwork for the troubled psychology that would blossom to disastrous results in the near future
The next few chapters further describe Manson’s perpetual path of self-destruction; specifically, his inability to stay out of institutional life and propensity for manipulating people around him. Manson’s modus operandi quickly reveals itself, and a looming dread expands over the next few chapters as the early formation of the Family grows with ostensibly innocent beginnings. Guinn continually parses in just enough description of the popular movements, incidents, and cultural attitudes that parallel Manson’s own nightmarish distortions of such historical hallmarks.
More importantly, Guinn populates Manson’s narrative with rich characterization and similarly detailed background history of the supporting cast that were as responsible, if not more so, as the catalysts for the crimes often solely attributed to the Family figurehead. In doing so, Guinn demystifies so much of the false propagation of Manson as the calculating, conniving mastermind that has ballooned beyond control in the eyes of the public. Instead, with impressive aplomb, Guinn manages to simultaneously describe Manson’s: unbelievably outlandish teachings filtered through his own distorted logic of current events, the intimidation and fear-based tactics employed to ensure his followers’ unwavering loyalty, and the insatiable impulse for fame that compelled his motives since childhood. As the best biographies are capable of achieving, the reader finishes the narrative with a starkly different understanding of the figure in question. While all of Manson’s horrific inclinations and despicable commitment to his grotesque world vision are not shied away from, Guinn helps deconstruct Manson’s sometimes incomprehensible line of thought, mostly involving either fear for his own personal safety, almost child-like fear for being ignored (in terms of his failed musical career), or just plain racism that charged most of his plans—and how it was the confluence of all the above that concluded in the Tate-LaBianca murders.
Nonetheless, Guinn’s actual writing remains compelling as ever. The chapters detailing the Tate murders are wrought with palpable tension and incredibly vivid descriptions that situate the reader directly into the horrific setting with an oppressive sense of verisimilitude. While my understand was quite murky into the actual machinations of how the Black Panthers, Helter Skelter, the Beach Boys, and Sharon Tate all exactly played their part, Guinn’s writing helps propels the reader through Manson’s puzzling thought process and convergence of these seemingly separate elements that all aligned for one of the most infamous crimes in American consciousness. As a result, The Life and Times of Charles Manson weaves an incredibly compelling narrative that manages to both deliver a page-turning read and succinctly explain the various elements that composed into the Manson myth, while also dispelling so much of the mystique previously constructed in the public image of the man.

http://nickyarborough.com/book-review-the-life-and-times-of-charles-manson/

Excellent research by the author. I learned so much about him and his followers, and how he manipulated them, than I knew before. I enjoyed it so much I bought a book about Bonnie and Clyde by the same author.

The book was quite shocking, as one would expect, but also absolutely fascinating. Often it read as a novel, which considering the research involved in preparation, is truly remarkable. It is a fascinating view into the many facets and possibilities of the human mind and spirit, not all of which are even remotely desirable.

Finally the whole story behind the hideous Manson "family" and the awful path of destruction they left. This book also delivers a revealing glimpse of life in the 60's and how erratic and tumultuous it really was. This author did his homework.

Really enjoyed the book! Loved the fact that Jeff Guinn researched all his information so it was accurate. It kept my interest and added new facts. I like that it went all the way back to Manson's grandparents. I recommend this book.

First of all, the book satisfies every interest, prurient and otherwise, into the subject of "Manson." Guinn is the detail master for the stuff that really matters. There's an error here and there (Oceanside is very close to San Diego, not halfway to LA), BUT...this book kicks ass! Nooks and crannies, "Hmmm...I wonder about THIS detail..." BAM. ANSWER. Utterly captivating. All news is local, if you are from the San Fernando Valley, you will retrace footsteps to the places mentioned in the book, we've all driven by there at one time or another. Manson ordered four milkshakes from the Denny's at the 5 and Roxford? Yeah, I was there ordering pancakes one night, thank God not THAT night! You have to read this, non-stop detail...terrific.

Interesting read. I have read other Manson books, but I enjoyed learning more about the nuts and bolts of how the "Family" was formed. Manson mostly preyed on unattractive and mixed-up young women, and drew them in with drugs and sex, telling them how beautiful they were. Then he threw in a heapin' helping of the day's love and peace philosophy, Charles Manson style. Sure, they were gullible, but it was a strange time that we might have difficulty relating to. The book left me wondering about what happened to the many fringe members of the group, those that were not convicted, and especially the children of CM. There could be many, as he did not believe in contraception. They would be in their late 40's.....