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Charles Manson: The Man Who Murdered the Sixties
A half-century after Charles Manson's shocking murders, American true crime writer David J. Krajicek takes a fresh look at his life and crimes in a portrait of evil that reveals the dark side of the swinging Sixties. Using Manson's own words and those of his naive followers, Krajicek shows how the manipulative ex-convict managed to build a harem of acolytes who committed murder on his behalf, including that of emerging film star Sharon Tate.
Krajicek portrays Manson, raised amid impoverished Appalachian despair, as an unlikely messiah. Freshly paroled after spending most of his young life locked up, he stumbled into San Francisco in 1967 just as thousands of impressionable young people were streaming into town for the Summer of Love. Using skills of manipulation he gained in prison, Manson assembled a personal commune cult of hippies, three-quarters of whom were women. He took control of their bodies and minds as they moved from one LA flop to the next, graduating from peace and love to horrific acts of violence that shook the world.
The narrative is framed by the seminal events of the time--the sexual revolution, the civil rights movement, race riots, space exploration, and the emergence of the drug-happy hippie culture and psychedelic music scene. As Krajicek writes, Charles Manson became the personification of Flower Power gone to seed.
Krajicek portrays Manson, raised amid impoverished Appalachian despair, as an unlikely messiah. Freshly paroled after spending most of his young life locked up, he stumbled into San Francisco in 1967 just as thousands of impressionable young people were streaming into town for the Summer of Love. Using skills of manipulation he gained in prison, Manson assembled a personal commune cult of hippies, three-quarters of whom were women. He took control of their bodies and minds as they moved from one LA flop to the next, graduating from peace and love to horrific acts of violence that shook the world.
The narrative is framed by the seminal events of the time--the sexual revolution, the civil rights movement, race riots, space exploration, and the emergence of the drug-happy hippie culture and psychedelic music scene. As Krajicek writes, Charles Manson became the personification of Flower Power gone to seed.
256 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2019
30 people are currently reading
336 people want to read
About the author
David J. Krajicek
17 books31 followersFirst things first: The name is pronounced CRY-check.
I'm a writer, mostly about crime and murder, although most recently I have published two family-related historical memoirs, "Dear Mama" and "Coming Home to South Omaha." Before retiring recently from the music business, I spent 30 years singing and playing trombone in a band based in the mountains of upstate New York--old-school R&B, like Motown and Stax. Nowadays, most of my spare time is consumed by tennis.
I come from South Omaha, Nebraska, although I now split time between New York and the Gulf Coast.
I studied at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Columbia University. I spent much of my early professional life as a newspaper crime reporter in the Midwest and New York City. I taught journalism at Columbia during most of the 1990s before being compelled to return full-time to my primary muse: writing. I'm back to writing about crime, though in longer form.
For 20 years, from 1999 until 2019, I wrote The Justice Story for the Sunday New York Daily News. It's the longest-running true crime feature in American journalism, published in the News since 1923. Before retiring, each of my 500 columns looked back at an interesting historical crime case--the sorts of stories you will know hear recounted on the countless true crime podcasts.
I have written stories about crime and criminal justice for many media venues, including The Crime Report, Alternet, The New York Times, Columbia and Boston magazines, Slate, The Village Voice, The Manchester (U.K.) Guardian and Mother Jones.
I've had a long side career as a crime expert on TV, appearing more than 25 times on episodes of true crime shows. I've also talked about crime cases on "The Today Show" and was proud to be a part of "The Poisoner's Handbook" on PBS's American Experience.
My books include the family memoirs "Dear Mama" and "Coming Home to South Omaha," both published by News Ink Books; "Charles Manson" and "Mass Killers," by Arcturus/Sirius Books of London, England; "Massachusetts Disasters: True Stories of Tragedy and Survival (Second Edition)"; "Death by Rock 'n' Roll," a Kindle ebook from Crimescape/Rosetta Books; "True Crime: Missouri," a longtime regional bestseller published by Stackpole Books; "Murder, American Style" by News Ink Books, and "Scooped!", published by Columbia University Press.
I've dabbled in fiction, as well. My first published fiction, a short story called "Sutphin Blvd.," was included in an anthology by Midnight Mind Press in New York. Another of my short stories, "Bluefish," was performed at Literally Speaking, an Albany, N.Y., program similar to NPR's "Selected Shorts."
Thanks for your interest in my work. Without readers, there would be no writers.
I'm a writer, mostly about crime and murder, although most recently I have published two family-related historical memoirs, "Dear Mama" and "Coming Home to South Omaha." Before retiring recently from the music business, I spent 30 years singing and playing trombone in a band based in the mountains of upstate New York--old-school R&B, like Motown and Stax. Nowadays, most of my spare time is consumed by tennis.
I come from South Omaha, Nebraska, although I now split time between New York and the Gulf Coast.
I studied at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Columbia University. I spent much of my early professional life as a newspaper crime reporter in the Midwest and New York City. I taught journalism at Columbia during most of the 1990s before being compelled to return full-time to my primary muse: writing. I'm back to writing about crime, though in longer form.
For 20 years, from 1999 until 2019, I wrote The Justice Story for the Sunday New York Daily News. It's the longest-running true crime feature in American journalism, published in the News since 1923. Before retiring, each of my 500 columns looked back at an interesting historical crime case--the sorts of stories you will know hear recounted on the countless true crime podcasts.
I have written stories about crime and criminal justice for many media venues, including The Crime Report, Alternet, The New York Times, Columbia and Boston magazines, Slate, The Village Voice, The Manchester (U.K.) Guardian and Mother Jones.
I've had a long side career as a crime expert on TV, appearing more than 25 times on episodes of true crime shows. I've also talked about crime cases on "The Today Show" and was proud to be a part of "The Poisoner's Handbook" on PBS's American Experience.
My books include the family memoirs "Dear Mama" and "Coming Home to South Omaha," both published by News Ink Books; "Charles Manson" and "Mass Killers," by Arcturus/Sirius Books of London, England; "Massachusetts Disasters: True Stories of Tragedy and Survival (Second Edition)"; "Death by Rock 'n' Roll," a Kindle ebook from Crimescape/Rosetta Books; "True Crime: Missouri," a longtime regional bestseller published by Stackpole Books; "Murder, American Style" by News Ink Books, and "Scooped!", published by Columbia University Press.
I've dabbled in fiction, as well. My first published fiction, a short story called "Sutphin Blvd.," was included in an anthology by Midnight Mind Press in New York. Another of my short stories, "Bluefish," was performed at Literally Speaking, an Albany, N.Y., program similar to NPR's "Selected Shorts."
Thanks for your interest in my work. Without readers, there would be no writers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
March 30, 2020
My reason for wanting to read this book before Helter Skelter is because I was curious of the life and times of Charles Manson, not just the killings themselves.
Krajicek went right back to Manson's childhood where he spent most of his time in correction centres and when old enough in jail.
His crimes were always petty crimes, the worst being the rape of another male inmate at knifepoint which extended his sentence.
By the time he was released it was the late 1960's and the hippy movement was in full swing. It astounded me how this small man carrying a guitar could manipulate so many people just by playing music and singing.
Suffice to say, drugs would have played a major factor in his manipulation also.
The Manson family was just that. A family. No violence as such. More sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
All came to a screaming halt when The Beatles released the white album. What I didn't know is that songs other than Helter Skelter played a part in Manson's mental instability.
I'm sure many of us have played a song backwards and thought we have heard hidden lyrics but Manson thought there were messages specifically for him. And so the killings began.
I was surprised to learn of some of Manson's connections to the celebrity world and how easily people turned a blind eye to his lifestyle.
When we think of Manson most think of the Sharon Tate murders but that was the end of the family's spree. The horrific things he had people do that night and on previous nights I will never forget.
Krajicek went right back to Manson's childhood where he spent most of his time in correction centres and when old enough in jail.
His crimes were always petty crimes, the worst being the rape of another male inmate at knifepoint which extended his sentence.
By the time he was released it was the late 1960's and the hippy movement was in full swing. It astounded me how this small man carrying a guitar could manipulate so many people just by playing music and singing.
Suffice to say, drugs would have played a major factor in his manipulation also.
The Manson family was just that. A family. No violence as such. More sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
All came to a screaming halt when The Beatles released the white album. What I didn't know is that songs other than Helter Skelter played a part in Manson's mental instability.
I'm sure many of us have played a song backwards and thought we have heard hidden lyrics but Manson thought there were messages specifically for him. And so the killings began.
I was surprised to learn of some of Manson's connections to the celebrity world and how easily people turned a blind eye to his lifestyle.
When we think of Manson most think of the Sharon Tate murders but that was the end of the family's spree. The horrific things he had people do that night and on previous nights I will never forget.
January 2, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed the cultural context this author provided in understanding the time and place that allowed for a Charles Manson to happen. The counterculture hippie movement, the understanding of cults and psychopaths, the vulnerability of a generation, and the music scene of an era that was searching for more. Without all of these there would have been no Charles Manson.
October 9, 2024
DNF
i basically skimmed this book in a couple days. i was looking forward to reading a crime biography but this just wasn’t it. this book focused so much on mansons sex life compared to his cult and crimes he committed. i was so disappointed.
i basically skimmed this book in a couple days. i was looking forward to reading a crime biography but this just wasn’t it. this book focused so much on mansons sex life compared to his cult and crimes he committed. i was so disappointed.
May 30, 2023
This book was pretty good, i learned a lot about Manson- as i went into this not knowing that much.
October 16, 2022
The author has clearly put in a lot of time to the finer details surrounding the history of the 60s, which gave a wider picture to how the family lived and things that they were experiencing in those times. I found some of it particularly in the beginning was a little bit of information overload, but I overall found the book really interesting.
July 26, 2021
***2.5
A good enough overview of Charles Manson, his followers, and the murders - but superficial for the most part. If you want to get a general insight into the Manson family and the story, this seems like a pretty solid place to start. But certainly it could have really looked deeper into several aspects of the story - for example, when Charles was let out of prison, its portrayed as though starting his cult was simple, natural even! But I feel as though there had to be more to that period between his being released from prison, and forming a full-fledged cult.
I dunno, I think id like to read a 600-page book on the guy or something.
A good enough overview of Charles Manson, his followers, and the murders - but superficial for the most part. If you want to get a general insight into the Manson family and the story, this seems like a pretty solid place to start. But certainly it could have really looked deeper into several aspects of the story - for example, when Charles was let out of prison, its portrayed as though starting his cult was simple, natural even! But I feel as though there had to be more to that period between his being released from prison, and forming a full-fledged cult.
I dunno, I think id like to read a 600-page book on the guy or something.
January 30, 2024
This dude was fuxking crazy
December 15, 2024
Worked well as a companion to Helter Skelter.
September 9, 2019
Prior to reading this book, I knew little about Charles Manson and the Manson Family murders. I was aware that Charles Manson had been involved in some killing, but I couldn’t tell you how many, or when. Heck, I had no clue Manson even had a following!
One day I went and saw Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Turns out the Sharon Tate Murders are a crucial plot point in the movie -at the time I assumed all the characters were fictional. Eventually I became all the wiser, and sought out a book surrounding Manson and the Family. Spoiler, I chose Krajicek’s Charles Manson: The Man Who Murdered the Sixties, complete with photos of the Manson, Family’s members, and significant locations. My draw to choosing this book was quite simple. First, it was short, second, it covered a large number of topics. So, how did the book fare?
The length of Charles Manson: The Man Who Murdered the Sixties, was certainly a strength in my opinion. With less than 250 pages to cover Manson, from upringing to incarceration, it kept things concise. This book is a comprehensive overview of who Manson was, the Family (his followers), and the infamous murders surrounding them. For the most part, Krajicek kept things moving at a comfortable pace. Only once, in an earlier chapter depicting the late sixties and the hippie movement did my confidence begin to waver. Building context for the time period is important, but spending so much time covering the beach boy’s internal woes, and affiliation with the Manson Family seems excessively tangential. Suffice to say, the mini biography about Denis Wilson made my eyes glaze over.
Krajicek brought it back quickly though, getting right into the good stuff: the Manson Family's tenancy at Spahn Ranch, and their murder spree. This is what I came for! Excerpts from memoirs and legal documents take the narrative’s wheel from here on out. Krajicek sets up the murders, and quotes from Family members and law enforcement tell us how it went down. No gory details spared.
At times, the book’s chosen excerpts seemed pointlessly long, but in retrospect they likely helped me build an understanding of what was going through these people’s heads -if that's something you can even understand. Additionally, I won’t fault an author for staying true to the source material, rather than cherry picking a sentence here and there.
Having finished this book, I feel compelled to re-watch Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Perhaps I’ll catch things in the movie I was oblivious to during the first sitting! Long story short, my ignorance surrounding Manson has certainly improved. All thanks Charles Manson: The Man Who Murdered the Sixties.
One day I went and saw Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Turns out the Sharon Tate Murders are a crucial plot point in the movie -at the time I assumed all the characters were fictional. Eventually I became all the wiser, and sought out a book surrounding Manson and the Family. Spoiler, I chose Krajicek’s Charles Manson: The Man Who Murdered the Sixties, complete with photos of the Manson, Family’s members, and significant locations. My draw to choosing this book was quite simple. First, it was short, second, it covered a large number of topics. So, how did the book fare?
The length of Charles Manson: The Man Who Murdered the Sixties, was certainly a strength in my opinion. With less than 250 pages to cover Manson, from upringing to incarceration, it kept things concise. This book is a comprehensive overview of who Manson was, the Family (his followers), and the infamous murders surrounding them. For the most part, Krajicek kept things moving at a comfortable pace. Only once, in an earlier chapter depicting the late sixties and the hippie movement did my confidence begin to waver. Building context for the time period is important, but spending so much time covering the beach boy’s internal woes, and affiliation with the Manson Family seems excessively tangential. Suffice to say, the mini biography about Denis Wilson made my eyes glaze over.
Krajicek brought it back quickly though, getting right into the good stuff: the Manson Family's tenancy at Spahn Ranch, and their murder spree. This is what I came for! Excerpts from memoirs and legal documents take the narrative’s wheel from here on out. Krajicek sets up the murders, and quotes from Family members and law enforcement tell us how it went down. No gory details spared.
At times, the book’s chosen excerpts seemed pointlessly long, but in retrospect they likely helped me build an understanding of what was going through these people’s heads -if that's something you can even understand. Additionally, I won’t fault an author for staying true to the source material, rather than cherry picking a sentence here and there.
Having finished this book, I feel compelled to re-watch Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Perhaps I’ll catch things in the movie I was oblivious to during the first sitting! Long story short, my ignorance surrounding Manson has certainly improved. All thanks Charles Manson: The Man Who Murdered the Sixties.
June 20, 2019
This book gives a very good overview of the whole Manson Family saga from Charles Manson's early years, his prison stretches, the beginnings of his infamous family -- what was originally, more or less, a loose collection of misfits, seekers, and societal outcasts trying to find their place... or so it seemed -- on into the various murders, trials, and aftermath.
That's one of the more interesting aspects of the book, though it doesn't delve too deeply into any one issue, it takes into account how, at some point, this ragtag group went from striving for some undefined utopian existence to petty thievery and ultimately murder.
The author provides brief biographical passages on some of the more prominent (infamous) family members and includes sourced quotes from quite a few as well.
Growing up in the 1970's Charles Manson was sort of an embodiment of the Bogeyman legend come to life. The big difference being that, unlike the legendary figure who punished naughty children, Manson was more akin to a demonic figure who struck out at anyone and everyone (at least that was the perception). Add the atmosphere of the "hippie" culture and all the "peace and love" stuff and you also get an element of the wolf in sheep's clothing.
As a young teen I lived in some of the same Death Valley areas where Manson and his followers roamed. It was a decade or so after they had been captured and convicted but you still often ran across people who remembered them, or had had interactions with them (at least that's what they claimed) so I was very familiar with some parts of the story.
This book showed me that there were other parts of which I was totally ignorant. It's written in a simple, easy to follow way, and doesn't get too bogged down in overanalyzing or such. I would recommend this book to any true crime aficionado who has an interest in learning the basic facts. I think it would serve as an excellent primer for those wanting a better understanding. Hard core students of the subject will likely not find too much they don't already know.
As a sidenote the author has an unfortunate habit of making occasional commentary that tends to distract rather than enhance. One truly awful case in point is when shortly after relating the stabbing death of one victim the author describes one of the killers' intelligence by proclaiming that she, "was not the sharpest knife in the cutlery drawer."
***I received a free ebook copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
That's one of the more interesting aspects of the book, though it doesn't delve too deeply into any one issue, it takes into account how, at some point, this ragtag group went from striving for some undefined utopian existence to petty thievery and ultimately murder.
The author provides brief biographical passages on some of the more prominent (infamous) family members and includes sourced quotes from quite a few as well.
Growing up in the 1970's Charles Manson was sort of an embodiment of the Bogeyman legend come to life. The big difference being that, unlike the legendary figure who punished naughty children, Manson was more akin to a demonic figure who struck out at anyone and everyone (at least that was the perception). Add the atmosphere of the "hippie" culture and all the "peace and love" stuff and you also get an element of the wolf in sheep's clothing.
As a young teen I lived in some of the same Death Valley areas where Manson and his followers roamed. It was a decade or so after they had been captured and convicted but you still often ran across people who remembered them, or had had interactions with them (at least that's what they claimed) so I was very familiar with some parts of the story.
This book showed me that there were other parts of which I was totally ignorant. It's written in a simple, easy to follow way, and doesn't get too bogged down in overanalyzing or such. I would recommend this book to any true crime aficionado who has an interest in learning the basic facts. I think it would serve as an excellent primer for those wanting a better understanding. Hard core students of the subject will likely not find too much they don't already know.
As a sidenote the author has an unfortunate habit of making occasional commentary that tends to distract rather than enhance. One truly awful case in point is when shortly after relating the stabbing death of one victim the author describes one of the killers' intelligence by proclaiming that she, "was not the sharpest knife in the cutlery drawer."
***I received a free ebook copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
April 4, 2020
First off...if you have read as much as I have about this case you will learn absolutely nothing new while reading this book. These are a few marked complaints of mine regarding this book.....
---the author makes it appear that these people were mostly idiots and not intelligent in any way but that's not the case with many of them...they believe Manson's bullshit thanks to mass quantities of drugs and other such things.
---I have never heard an author of non-fiction refer to a cult leader (not Manson shockingly) as a Wackadoodle...interesting and appropriate for the Nike shoe cult leader of the 90's.
---the author quotes MANY other books throughout his book all on Manson or the case of course then rambles on about those...one in particular that I have wanted to read but it's decades out of print is "My Life with Charles Manson" by Paul Watkins, a former family member. I find it incredible that it's so coherent and honest coming from a man who was a big time drug user so I believe it had to have been co-written or ghost written. Paul was one of the few members who actually died early and has been gone for 30 years...most are now in their 60's and 70's and some nearing 80 which is amazing in itself.
---regarding Dennis Wilson and his sad fondness of all things Manson who also burned out really early is discussed as is Mike Love a former band member and his cousin and his meeting Manson. Love was NOT a fan and the author makes their meeting sound like Love left and went on his way all like the supposed family man he was or is which is much different from the version that I have heard out of Love's mouth directly but that happens based on who's asking the questions.
---the biggest glaring error that I see is about Linda Kasabian who I still believe got away with much more than said thanks to Vincent Bugliosi. The author says that Linda joined the family in the fall of 1968. It has been written and stated hundreds of times even by Linda herself that she joined the family less than 6 weeks prior to the murders in the summer of 1969.
---finally....the author refers to biker Danny DeCarlo as an unusal source for testimony which is odd because Danny has been mentioned hundreds more times in the last 50 years..much more often than Paul Watkins who's book the author quotes a lot.
These are some of my issues with this book that I am glad to have read as it's newer but I am just glad that I got it with credits and didn't have to pay for myself.
---the author makes it appear that these people were mostly idiots and not intelligent in any way but that's not the case with many of them...they believe Manson's bullshit thanks to mass quantities of drugs and other such things.
---I have never heard an author of non-fiction refer to a cult leader (not Manson shockingly) as a Wackadoodle...interesting and appropriate for the Nike shoe cult leader of the 90's.
---the author quotes MANY other books throughout his book all on Manson or the case of course then rambles on about those...one in particular that I have wanted to read but it's decades out of print is "My Life with Charles Manson" by Paul Watkins, a former family member. I find it incredible that it's so coherent and honest coming from a man who was a big time drug user so I believe it had to have been co-written or ghost written. Paul was one of the few members who actually died early and has been gone for 30 years...most are now in their 60's and 70's and some nearing 80 which is amazing in itself.
---regarding Dennis Wilson and his sad fondness of all things Manson who also burned out really early is discussed as is Mike Love a former band member and his cousin and his meeting Manson. Love was NOT a fan and the author makes their meeting sound like Love left and went on his way all like the supposed family man he was or is which is much different from the version that I have heard out of Love's mouth directly but that happens based on who's asking the questions.
---the biggest glaring error that I see is about Linda Kasabian who I still believe got away with much more than said thanks to Vincent Bugliosi. The author says that Linda joined the family in the fall of 1968. It has been written and stated hundreds of times even by Linda herself that she joined the family less than 6 weeks prior to the murders in the summer of 1969.
---finally....the author refers to biker Danny DeCarlo as an unusal source for testimony which is odd because Danny has been mentioned hundreds more times in the last 50 years..much more often than Paul Watkins who's book the author quotes a lot.
These are some of my issues with this book that I am glad to have read as it's newer but I am just glad that I got it with credits and didn't have to pay for myself.
June 15, 2019
As a self-proclaimed true crime nerd, I was both excited for and a little wary of this book. I've previously read Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi and enjoyed it very much, but I was worried that this would be a repeat of information I already knew.
In some ways, I was right on that count, but it had so much more than that. Because this novel is written after Manson's death and so many years removed from the crimes, the perspective includes the memoirs of his acolytes, some of whom committed the gruesome Tate/LaBianca murders for him. Krajicek also adds in his own opinions in many parts, which makes the book more readable because it's not just a laying out of the facts. His dry and witty humor is apparent from many of his asides, and they help to break up the horrific nature of the story.
Although it's not the best written book I've ever read, I do like the structure Krajicek chose to lay this book out in. It's a very short read, but it has a lot of information packed into it. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the Manson murders and wanting a cohesive summary of the acolytes' and Manson's memoirs with how they tied into the murders.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Arcturus Publishing for providing me a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
#CharlesManson #NetGalley
In some ways, I was right on that count, but it had so much more than that. Because this novel is written after Manson's death and so many years removed from the crimes, the perspective includes the memoirs of his acolytes, some of whom committed the gruesome Tate/LaBianca murders for him. Krajicek also adds in his own opinions in many parts, which makes the book more readable because it's not just a laying out of the facts. His dry and witty humor is apparent from many of his asides, and they help to break up the horrific nature of the story.
Although it's not the best written book I've ever read, I do like the structure Krajicek chose to lay this book out in. It's a very short read, but it has a lot of information packed into it. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the Manson murders and wanting a cohesive summary of the acolytes' and Manson's memoirs with how they tied into the murders.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Arcturus Publishing for providing me a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
#CharlesManson #NetGalley
July 10, 2022
The Man Who Murdered The SIxties is yet another book about Charles Manson and the Family and it's an interesting book but it doesn't offer anything new in terms of the case, or even Manson himself. What it does offer is a book that gives you an intersting take that takes interviews and other viewpoints from family memebers to give you a wider look into the minds of everyone involved. The murders themselves are talked about not they're not the focal point. Manson and the Family are which is interesting but you can see that his interest here is to merely point them out as the monsters they really are.
This is an interesting book but there are countless others that will also get you closer to the idea of Helter Skelter and just what kind of man Manson really was. For those who have never read any of many books about Manson this is a decent place to start. It's not as involved as say Helter Skelter or even the Life And Times of Charles Manson, but it gives you enough information to get the hows and whys of it all.
Did Manson really murder the sixties or was he just someone who put the final nail in the coffin? That's up to the reader to decide and while the book itself is an easy read, there's so much more that could have been written about it, but as it is, it's enough to see just how insane Manson had really become. It's nice to see how the murders are simply the tragic end to the Family and it shows just how blindly devoted these people were to Charlie. It's a hold that is still felt to this day.
This is an interesting book but there are countless others that will also get you closer to the idea of Helter Skelter and just what kind of man Manson really was. For those who have never read any of many books about Manson this is a decent place to start. It's not as involved as say Helter Skelter or even the Life And Times of Charles Manson, but it gives you enough information to get the hows and whys of it all.
Did Manson really murder the sixties or was he just someone who put the final nail in the coffin? That's up to the reader to decide and while the book itself is an easy read, there's so much more that could have been written about it, but as it is, it's enough to see just how insane Manson had really become. It's nice to see how the murders are simply the tragic end to the Family and it shows just how blindly devoted these people were to Charlie. It's a hold that is still felt to this day.
June 20, 2023
"But Daddy Daryl and HillBilly Gene had nothing on these peace-and-love hippies. Their actions over three nights in Los Angeles 50 years ago are as depraved, debauched, and vile as any you will ever find. You can say this about professional killers: They do their work efficiently, typically with firearms. But there was nothing clean or clinical about the Manson murders. The perpetrators slowly slaughtered most of their victims with knives, swords, and bayonets. Their pitiable were given no consideration, let alone mercy, and the killers own descriptions of the crimes at the time of their arrests are devoid of shame."
David Krajicek deep dives, and tries to understand, the murders committed by Manson's Maniacs, and there are many of them.
A lot of true crime, relishes in the popularity of the genre, every network from Netflix to long running tv shows like Bones, feeds into the mainstream culture, Krajicek, thank goodness does not stoop to that level.
Krajicek is a self-aware author who knew what he was getting himself into, like Jordan going for a 6th ring, he has done it all, yet those damn Utah Jazz keep coming back. In this case the Manson Murders are so damn depleted of anything remotely sane, it makes me question the logic of pinning the blame on the era in which Manson was influential to the youngsters.
I am no fan of true crime, but Krajicek is a truly gifted author, honest and down-to-earth, and some self-reflection, solid recommendation.
David Krajicek deep dives, and tries to understand, the murders committed by Manson's Maniacs, and there are many of them.
A lot of true crime, relishes in the popularity of the genre, every network from Netflix to long running tv shows like Bones, feeds into the mainstream culture, Krajicek, thank goodness does not stoop to that level.
Krajicek is a self-aware author who knew what he was getting himself into, like Jordan going for a 6th ring, he has done it all, yet those damn Utah Jazz keep coming back. In this case the Manson Murders are so damn depleted of anything remotely sane, it makes me question the logic of pinning the blame on the era in which Manson was influential to the youngsters.
I am no fan of true crime, but Krajicek is a truly gifted author, honest and down-to-earth, and some self-reflection, solid recommendation.
June 19, 2019
Like any good true crime aficionado, I am (of course) familiar with Charles Manson. My true crime reading generally trends toward lesser known cases and killers though, so my knowledge of Manson and "The Family" was somewhat limited. This was the first book I'd read solely dedicated to Manson. That said, it gave me a really good basic rundown of all the main players and Manson himself. I really had no idea about the details of the crimes or how he lured people in until I read this book. It also included a good bit of historical information about the 1960s and what led to Manson's uprising in the first place.
All in all, this was a quick read with an interesting format. The chapters were further broken down into sections with headlines, kind of like one giant newspaper article. Quotes and information were also included from a number of Manson's followers, which was eye-opening, to say the least. Though I often got some of the individuals mixed up and confused, I enjoyed reading their perspectives.
If, like me, you don't know much about Manson, this book would be a good place to start for that basic information. It was well written and well researched. I think I'll read more books about him and his followers in the future though to get a more in depth and robust story. In all though, this book was a good starting place for me!
All in all, this was a quick read with an interesting format. The chapters were further broken down into sections with headlines, kind of like one giant newspaper article. Quotes and information were also included from a number of Manson's followers, which was eye-opening, to say the least. Though I often got some of the individuals mixed up and confused, I enjoyed reading their perspectives.
If, like me, you don't know much about Manson, this book would be a good place to start for that basic information. It was well written and well researched. I think I'll read more books about him and his followers in the future though to get a more in depth and robust story. In all though, this book was a good starting place for me!
April 30, 2019
For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved reading true crime, the darker and twistier the better. And Charles Manson in particular has fascinated me from the time I was very young, I think because, to me, he was more frightening in a lot of ways than someone who “just” kills a lot of people. Manson had the ability to get inside people’s heads, to manipulate and control them, to convince them to do his bidding. How do you fight that?
I’ve read and watched several different things about the Manson Family, enough that it’s hard for me to find something with information I don’t already know. This book didn’t necessarily provide new information to me, but it presented its information from a different angle. It comes across as more personal, more intimate almost, discussing how members of the Family met and how the dynamics worked amongst them. And while it’s a fairly short and quick read, it’s obvious a lot of time and research went in to the writing, and the writing itself is very good. I really enjoyed reading this; it’s a great addition to the world of true crime.
I received a free e-copy of Charles Manson: The Man Who Murdered the Sixties by David J. Krajicek from Net Galley and Arcturus Publishing in exchange for my review.
I’ve read and watched several different things about the Manson Family, enough that it’s hard for me to find something with information I don’t already know. This book didn’t necessarily provide new information to me, but it presented its information from a different angle. It comes across as more personal, more intimate almost, discussing how members of the Family met and how the dynamics worked amongst them. And while it’s a fairly short and quick read, it’s obvious a lot of time and research went in to the writing, and the writing itself is very good. I really enjoyed reading this; it’s a great addition to the world of true crime.
I received a free e-copy of Charles Manson: The Man Who Murdered the Sixties by David J. Krajicek from Net Galley and Arcturus Publishing in exchange for my review.
June 19, 2019
I requested this book because although I knew who Charles Manson was, I didn’t know a lot about him, and what he did etc, so I thought this would be a insightful read. I discovered he is a coward, blaming everyone he could for the murders of 7 people.
This book was disturbing yet intriguing. The lack of remorse he showed for this crimes he committed stunned me, using his upbringing as a excuse, instead creating the mantra of no parents as a get out of jail free. It’s everyone else’s fault but his.
The main thing that disturbed me was that he believed he did nothing wrong saying it had to be done for good of cosmic Karma. The decision to take someone’s life away from them has no justification.
A psychological and emotional abuser he created the Manson family, and became a cult leader, brain washing people to his ideologies.
In the book there is a photograph of Susan Atkins, Patricia krenwinkel & Leslie van houten laughing together after being given death sentences, this is found highly unsettling. I would love to know if they showed any remorse for their actions before their execution.
A highly insightful book, filled with photographs and so much information.
4⭐️
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for a honest review.
This book was disturbing yet intriguing. The lack of remorse he showed for this crimes he committed stunned me, using his upbringing as a excuse, instead creating the mantra of no parents as a get out of jail free. It’s everyone else’s fault but his.
The main thing that disturbed me was that he believed he did nothing wrong saying it had to be done for good of cosmic Karma. The decision to take someone’s life away from them has no justification.
A psychological and emotional abuser he created the Manson family, and became a cult leader, brain washing people to his ideologies.
In the book there is a photograph of Susan Atkins, Patricia krenwinkel & Leslie van houten laughing together after being given death sentences, this is found highly unsettling. I would love to know if they showed any remorse for their actions before their execution.
A highly insightful book, filled with photographs and so much information.
4⭐️
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for a honest review.
May 2, 2019
While I have read a little bit about Charles Manson and the horrible things that he has done before I've never read anything quite like this book before. I really enjoyed all of the facts as well as theories on why he did what he did, but not only that I really enjoyed the way that this story was written. It wasn't written like a normal novel either fiction or non it was written in little paragraphs each with their own header so you got lots of facts and back stories without being overpowered, bombarded and confused with so much information. This book showed how Manson was able to con a bunch of people as well as what led up to his murders and what was going on with the civil movement rights at that time and how it might have made things easier on him to con as many people as he did. Very well written story and I enjoyed the facts however it was very sad considering what the content is talking about. I'm glad I got to check out this story and if you are interested and anything Manson related then I believe that this is one novel that you won't want to miss.
May 14, 2019
"Charles Manson : The Man Who Murdered the Sixties" by David J. Krajicek
5 stars!
I loved it!
Well written, interesting, full of facts, info and more... And not just about Manson but also a little bit about other events and people from the 60s. Some things I knew, some I didn't, I was born in the 80s.
I've always loved true crime and have watched many documentaries on Manson (and loved the tv show "Aquarius") but this is the first book I read and I'm not disappointed at all!
Even though I already knew most of what happened there were still things I didn't know. And I really enjoyed transcripts from what Manson said here and there, in court... ... ... It's amazing how he always tried to appear as the victim!
Really good read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Arcturus Publishing for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.
5 stars!
I loved it!
Well written, interesting, full of facts, info and more... And not just about Manson but also a little bit about other events and people from the 60s. Some things I knew, some I didn't, I was born in the 80s.
I've always loved true crime and have watched many documentaries on Manson (and loved the tv show "Aquarius") but this is the first book I read and I'm not disappointed at all!
Even though I already knew most of what happened there were still things I didn't know. And I really enjoyed transcripts from what Manson said here and there, in court... ... ... It's amazing how he always tried to appear as the victim!
Really good read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Arcturus Publishing for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 19, 2021
I've read but a few book on murderers. This is one of the most interesting ones.
It is filled with information that is fun to read. For those that have already done their research on Charles Manson may want to stay away from this book. I think that having watched Youtube or read anything about Charles Manson will ruin this book. That's the thing about serial killers, the information is widespread and most people already know the general knowledge revolving these people.
But even then, if you don't want to follow my advice, you will find some great information about the Family: the clan that followed Charles Manson. It is entertaining to the extreme. I loved popping this book out and reading it over lunch or on my phone.
It's short enough to enjoy anywhere. I recommend this book.
It is filled with information that is fun to read. For those that have already done their research on Charles Manson may want to stay away from this book. I think that having watched Youtube or read anything about Charles Manson will ruin this book. That's the thing about serial killers, the information is widespread and most people already know the general knowledge revolving these people.
But even then, if you don't want to follow my advice, you will find some great information about the Family: the clan that followed Charles Manson. It is entertaining to the extreme. I loved popping this book out and reading it over lunch or on my phone.
It's short enough to enjoy anywhere. I recommend this book.
April 23, 2024
Hard to say you enjoy reading a book with this subject matter, but this was actually a good read. Well written and informative without delving too deeply like some books do when talking about Manson. It is plain that the author thinks that Manson was crazy and that the inconsistencies of the family members statements really highlight the effect Manson had on them. This is the first non-fiction book where I have head the phrase "drank the kool-aid' or 'wackadoodle' to describe people.
If you are interested in what happened and the lead up to the events on August 8th and August 9th 1969 then this is a good one to start with. The writer does not put much emphasis on the effect Mansons upbringing and his prior time in prison but basically outlines that he was a con-man who managed to get people to do things for him.
If you are interested in what happened and the lead up to the events on August 8th and August 9th 1969 then this is a good one to start with. The writer does not put much emphasis on the effect Mansons upbringing and his prior time in prison but basically outlines that he was a con-man who managed to get people to do things for him.
May 8, 2019
This is not my usual genre, but I have always been intrigued with Charles Manson. While I have never read any books on him, I have seen several documentaries on him. I thought this book was incredibly informative, well written, and well researched. The book had so much more personal information than any documentary that I have seen on Manson. The author used testimonies, recorded interviews, memoirs, letters and pictures in the book that helped inform the reader. He also wasn’t pushing his opinion or bias on the subject at all. I would recommend this for any true crime lover.
* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
July 30, 2023
Pure Shite
Can't put this any other way - the book is biased, cutting and at times, incoherently judgment al about people the author has never met, never interviewed and had no communication with. I'm no fan of Mr. Manson but there are so many inroads to his sociopathy that shoukd be dissected. The author never bothered. Having worked on parole parole briefs for a Manson Family member, I spent 8 hours with Mr. Manson. I dare say, I know more about him than this author could be bothered to learn.
If you're going to write a book, it pays to know the subject matter. This author didn't.
Can't put this any other way - the book is biased, cutting and at times, incoherently judgment al about people the author has never met, never interviewed and had no communication with. I'm no fan of Mr. Manson but there are so many inroads to his sociopathy that shoukd be dissected. The author never bothered. Having worked on parole parole briefs for a Manson Family member, I spent 8 hours with Mr. Manson. I dare say, I know more about him than this author could be bothered to learn.
If you're going to write a book, it pays to know the subject matter. This author didn't.
August 3, 2019
Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgally for review purposes.
I originally wanted to read this as a refresher for the new Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I know a ton about the case and am definitely a murderino, so I was kind of wondering if there would really be any new information or things I didn't already know in this - but to my surprise there was!
One of the things I loved was that the author recounted interviews and things that some of the Manson family has said in their books, so I didn't have to bother to read them. Also the authors voice came through strong about his dislike for the whole lot of them and I found it hilarious. Like, yaaaas, shred them. There was literally a sentence that read something along the lines of "There was only so much of little Charlie's penis to go around" and I laughed my ass off.
Great insight on the case and didn't try to humanize these people which I appreciate 👍
I originally wanted to read this as a refresher for the new Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I know a ton about the case and am definitely a murderino, so I was kind of wondering if there would really be any new information or things I didn't already know in this - but to my surprise there was!
One of the things I loved was that the author recounted interviews and things that some of the Manson family has said in their books, so I didn't have to bother to read them. Also the authors voice came through strong about his dislike for the whole lot of them and I found it hilarious. Like, yaaaas, shred them. There was literally a sentence that read something along the lines of "There was only so much of little Charlie's penis to go around" and I laughed my ass off.
Great insight on the case and didn't try to humanize these people which I appreciate 👍
February 6, 2021
This book was fine. It covers the general timeline of Charles’ cult from beginning to end in basic detail, enough to where you get a good grasp of the events but don’t feel like an expert at the end, so it’s good for a casual read, less so for a more in-depth look.
I wasn’t so big a fan though on many sections dedicated to context of the time, discussing what music was popular, what certain celebrities were doing, etc. Sometimes the context was useful but other times it dragged and felt unnecessary.
Overall a decent read though.
I wasn’t so big a fan though on many sections dedicated to context of the time, discussing what music was popular, what certain celebrities were doing, etc. Sometimes the context was useful but other times it dragged and felt unnecessary.
Overall a decent read though.
February 18, 2021
An interesting read more about the history of Manson and the family than the typical detailing of the deaths that were a result of a very polarizing and skilled manipulator. What I kind is struggled with was some of the language that the author used in his descriptions such a “whackadoodle” and “creepy-crawled” which were unexpected and detracted from the serious nature of the acts or people being described.
April 29, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley and Arcturus Publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for an honest review. I don’t normally read true crime, but I enjoyed this book, it is full of facts about Manson and his followers. The book is informative and accurate. I recommend for fans of true crime.
March 18, 2024
Crazy man with his Crazy followers is exactly right. Sex, drugs, and rocking roll murdering hippies. No regrets and no remorse for any of the killings that they took part in. I knew about the murders but not with as much details as this book gives. It was literally step by step planning of how the murders took place with all the gory details.
April 12, 2024
Very intriguing read. This was a well mapped out book about Mason and his family of hippies. It doesn't focus on the gore of the crimes much, that takes up two chapters of the 200 page book. It interestingly goes into detail about the movements and personalities of the family members, and how Mason effected them.
Intriguing is the best way to describe the book.
Intriguing is the best way to describe the book.
July 13, 2021
Not what I expected from a true crime book. A large majority to do with the music business of the 60s and American society. Barely touched on the actual crimes and trials. Still some interesting points but knew most of the information anyway.
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