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Manson: The Unholy Trail of Charlie and the Family
The persona of Charles Manson and his bizarre sway over the Family remains riveting a quarter century down the line. Manson is a gripping account of one of the most chilling and fascinating crime sagas of our time, now available in a revised and updated edition containing 36 pages of previously unpublished photographs. New vectors into the kaleidoscopic tale that spins inexorably out of the slayings emerge in this updated edition (previously titled Garbage People ) with new material on killer Bobby Beusoleil and his occult alliance with experimental filmmaker Kenneth Anger.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 4, 2023
I’ve read most books written about Charlie and the Family. This is a good one that gives more directly-quoted detail than others of its caliber.
I had just read John Gilmore’s book, Severed, about Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia, which is one of THE best true crime/biographies I’ve read to date, so when I saw he had also written Garbage People, I HAD to read it, as well.
It amazes me how Gilmore was able to obtain such in-depth quotes from so many people connected to both cases for his books. Really incredible. Although… I will say that, for Garbage People, trying to read pages of direct quotes from people who have taken WAY too many LSD trips was a bit difficult, BUT… it gives the reader a really good idea of the state of minds that were being dealt with at the time. Yikes.
I will also say that I THOUGHT I had read all of the details Susan Atkins had given about the murders, especially in reference to Sharron Tate’s murder. Either I had blocked some of the more horrific parts out, or Gilmore was able to obtain the full version, but I had to put the book down at that point because it was so unbelievably shocking. If it were read on a podcast today, it would get a big trigger warning.
I also found out SEVERAL other things about some of the other key and peripheral members of the Family that I didn’t know, which I won’t say to avoid “spoilers”. I hate to use that word in this case because we are talking about innocent people’s and their friends’ and families’ lives, but there you are.
If you are intrigued by Manson, the Family, how all of this happened, and the pure phycology behind all of it but have never read anything about any of it, I wouldn’t recommend this to be your first book. I would begin with Helter Skelter (although, it’s full of bias, untruths, purely fictional bits, and was made quickly to make money off the coattails of the case because no one was doing much fact checking back then, and Bugliosi knew it and knew he could create a sensational book) and work my way through the books in the order in which they were published. They get more factual and detailed as the years went by.
SIDE NOTE
*I’ve been fascinated by Manson, the Family, and what all transpired since I can remember. My parents were married on August 9, 1969, so I’ve always connected their wedding anniversary to the beginning of the Tate/LaBianca murders. They probably wouldn’t appreciate that, but I’ve just always thought it was unfortunate and kind of interesting that they fell on the same day. Also, I still have my dad’s first edition copy of Helter Skelter.
Growing up in the the 70’s when a LOT of bad things were happening as a result of wars and political happenings, including the breaking off of some people into cults, I’ve always been intrigued by how cult leaders and political leaders like Hitler can hypnotize and sway others so successfully. It’s both terrible baffling AND bizarrely simple when you begin to strip away the layers of the individuals; both the leaders and the followers.
I had just read John Gilmore’s book, Severed, about Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia, which is one of THE best true crime/biographies I’ve read to date, so when I saw he had also written Garbage People, I HAD to read it, as well.
It amazes me how Gilmore was able to obtain such in-depth quotes from so many people connected to both cases for his books. Really incredible. Although… I will say that, for Garbage People, trying to read pages of direct quotes from people who have taken WAY too many LSD trips was a bit difficult, BUT… it gives the reader a really good idea of the state of minds that were being dealt with at the time. Yikes.
I will also say that I THOUGHT I had read all of the details Susan Atkins had given about the murders, especially in reference to Sharron Tate’s murder. Either I had blocked some of the more horrific parts out, or Gilmore was able to obtain the full version, but I had to put the book down at that point because it was so unbelievably shocking. If it were read on a podcast today, it would get a big trigger warning.
I also found out SEVERAL other things about some of the other key and peripheral members of the Family that I didn’t know, which I won’t say to avoid “spoilers”. I hate to use that word in this case because we are talking about innocent people’s and their friends’ and families’ lives, but there you are.
If you are intrigued by Manson, the Family, how all of this happened, and the pure phycology behind all of it but have never read anything about any of it, I wouldn’t recommend this to be your first book. I would begin with Helter Skelter (although, it’s full of bias, untruths, purely fictional bits, and was made quickly to make money off the coattails of the case because no one was doing much fact checking back then, and Bugliosi knew it and knew he could create a sensational book) and work my way through the books in the order in which they were published. They get more factual and detailed as the years went by.
SIDE NOTE
*I’ve been fascinated by Manson, the Family, and what all transpired since I can remember. My parents were married on August 9, 1969, so I’ve always connected their wedding anniversary to the beginning of the Tate/LaBianca murders. They probably wouldn’t appreciate that, but I’ve just always thought it was unfortunate and kind of interesting that they fell on the same day. Also, I still have my dad’s first edition copy of Helter Skelter.
Growing up in the the 70’s when a LOT of bad things were happening as a result of wars and political happenings, including the breaking off of some people into cults, I’ve always been intrigued by how cult leaders and political leaders like Hitler can hypnotize and sway others so successfully. It’s both terrible baffling AND bizarrely simple when you begin to strip away the layers of the individuals; both the leaders and the followers.
January 27, 2021
Notable for being the place, in those pre-internet times, where I first saw the morgue photos. Terrible. Now they’re in my head forever.
December 1, 2008
I have a copy of the original book, published years ago.
It's tough to read (as it doesn't flow well) but interesting if you are a Manson/Helter Skelter fanatic as I am. Written from a sympathetic point of view, it elicits several new details from the Manson Family.
It's tough to read (as it doesn't flow well) but interesting if you are a Manson/Helter Skelter fanatic as I am. Written from a sympathetic point of view, it elicits several new details from the Manson Family.
September 18, 2007
The best book by far on Manson and "The Family" -- unlike "Helter Skelter," it's not sanctimonious, unlike Ed Sanders' "The Family," it doesn't go for the creep out factor.
June 29, 2012
Gilmore is a great author and this book offers more insight on the Family. Not the same info from Helter Skelter, which I liked.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews