Anyone else fascinated with Manson Family?

[Anonymous]

I had never heard of the Manson Family until I moved to the US. I am pretty fascinated by it and really hope to one day go on the Helter Skelter tour in LA. I’ve read Helter Skelter and the new conspiracy book Chaos. I’ve also read a few bios of Sharon Tate and the book by Tex Watson. I’ve read just about everything by Joan Didion and Eve Babitz who really explain the counterculture on 1960s California very well. Do you recommend any other books? If you were living during the time, what do you remember? Do you think the race war motive was the reason for the crime? What about a drug turf war? What about CIA involvement? How do you feel about parole for any of the perpetrators? I’m in my 30s and not from the US but this case just fascinates me. Share any thought, especially if you have any connections or lived through the time period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had never heard of the Manson Family until I moved to the US. I am pretty fascinated by it and really hope to one day go on the Helter Skelter tour in LA. I’ve read Helter Skelter and the new conspiracy book Chaos. I’ve also read a few bios of Sharon Tate and the book by Tex Watson. I’ve read just about everything by Joan Didion and Eve Babitz who really explain the counterculture on 1960s California very well. Do you recommend any other books? If you were living during the time, what do you remember? Do you think the race war motive was the reason for the crime? What about a drug turf war? What about CIA involvement? How do you feel about parole for any of the perpetrators? I’m in my 30s and not from the US but this case just fascinates me. Share any thought, especially if you have any connections or lived through the time period.

I was 13 years old in 1969 and visiting my relatives in LA that July/ August. I vividly remember watching the TV coverage of the Moon landing, Chappaquiddick, and the Manson murders. Quite a series of events for a young teenager to process....not to mention having cousins fighting in Vietnam as well. It was such a crazy time. My uncle was a cop in the LAPD, and was involved in the investigation. I really admired him....and when I eventually learned that the police botched it....and that the local TV reporters discovered the bloody clothing of the killers....it was the beginning of my personal journey into cynicism and disillusionment. Watching Manson evolve into a cult celebrity of sorts made it even weirder. I was then (and still am) a huge Beach Boy fan, so learning that Manson had written a song for them, and had actually lived with Dennis Wilson for a short time....further blew my "fragile egg-shell mind." Of course, the connection with the Beatles still amazes me. I think Billy Joel and Paul McCartney recently performed Helter Skelter in concert. I've read several books about it, and seen the documentaries. I also saw the new Tarantino movie. Some lame critic actually panned it because it didn't focus enough on the racist motives of the Manson family. Not sure WHAT to think of that. I doubt I would ever take the "Helter Skelter" tour....I heard the Tate house was torn down, and the La Bianca house was sold. I think all of the family members still incarcerated should remain behind bars. At any rate, like any sensational murder, it will be with us for a long time, if not forever. It's delibly etched in the pop culture universe.

[Anonymous]

Me. I am obsessed too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had never heard of the Manson Family until I moved to the US. I am pretty fascinated by it and really hope to one day go on the Helter Skelter tour in LA. I’ve read Helter Skelter and the new conspiracy book Chaos. I’ve also read a few bios of Sharon Tate and the book by Tex Watson. I’ve read just about everything by Joan Didion and Eve Babitz who really explain the counterculture on 1960s California very well. Do you recommend any other books? If you were living during the time, what do you remember? Do you think the race war motive was the reason for the crime? What about a drug turf war? What about CIA involvement? How do you feel about parole for any of the perpetrators? I’m in my 30s and not from the US but this case just fascinates me. Share any thought, especially if you have any connections or lived through the time period.

I was 13 years old in 1969 and visiting my relatives in LA that July/ August. I vividly remember watching the TV coverage of the Moon landing, Chappaquiddick, and the Manson murders. Quite a series of events for a young teenager to process....not to mention having cousins fighting in Vietnam as well. It was such a crazy time. My uncle was a cop in the LAPD, and was involved in the investigation. I really admired him....and when I eventually learned that the police botched it....and that the local TV reporters discovered the bloody clothing of the killers....it was the beginning of my personal journey into cynicism and disillusionment. Watching Manson evolve into a cult celebrity of sorts made it even weirder. I was then (and still am) a huge Beach Boy fan, so learning that Manson had written a song for them, and had actually lived with Dennis Wilson for a short time....further blew my "fragile egg-shell mind." Of course, the connection with the Beatles still amazes me. I think Billy Joel and Paul McCartney recently performed Helter Skelter in concert. I've read several books about it, and seen the documentaries. I also saw the new Tarantino movie. Some lame critic actually panned it because it didn't focus enough on the racist motives of the Manson family. Not sure WHAT to think of that. I doubt I would ever take the "Helter Skelter" tour....I heard the Tate house was torn down, and the La Bianca house was sold. I think all of the family members still incarcerated should remain behind bars. At any rate, like any sensational murder, it will be with us for a long time, if not forever. It's delibly etched in the pop culture universe.

OP here. Thanks for sharing your story. It’s very interesting how you lived through such an insane summer at such an impressionable age. I can totally see how cynicism would develop from that. I just can’t really understand how a bunch of young people turned into a maniacal group of ruthless killers. For me that is the fascination. I honestly almost want to believe the killers had their minds altered by LSD because it provides some explanation at least. I have daughters and the thought of them getting invoked with something like that scares me almost as much as them becoming victims.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Me. I am obsessed too.

OP again. I guess there aren’t too many of us based on the lack of responses. I will probably always devour anything I can on the subject. THe victims, the killers and the time of free love all just make this so compelling to me.

[Anonymous]

Not obsessed but I paid attention over the years. It always puzzles me when people want to make sense of the nonsensical. I am not trying to understand why murderers murder because often there is no why just insanity or psychopath-y. I think Manson was nuts and wanted to be famous and he was charismatic enough to get women with no self esteem or sense of self worth to follow him.

[Anonymous]

I'm a foreigner too and couldn't care less about weirdos in cults murdering people. They belong in jail, and that's it.

[Anonymous]

I’m a bonafide crime junkie, but I’ve never dived into the Manson Family. Where is the best place to start? Is there a good podcast?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a foreigner too and couldn't care less about weirdos in cults murdering people. They belong in jail, and that's it.

I am a history buff and have wanted to learn as much US history as I can while living here. I am not a US citizen and don’t plan to become one but while here I’d really like to understand this country as much as possible. Living in the DC area is obviously a great way to explore this. I’ve visited Philadelphia, Williamsburg, Boston, NYC, and so many smaller places in the quest to understand the US.

As for the twentieth century, I think so much of modern America gets its start after the Second World War. The counterculture of the 60s-70s and reaction to the conformity of the 50s is fascinating to me. It’s not just Manson but Woodstock, the Vietnam War, , the space race and Cold War, the Kennedy assassination, the drug use. There was so much going on in that decade. Looking at it through the lens of the Manson family which occurs at the end of the decade is just one way of studying it.

I’m sure you’re learning other things living in the US. But thanks for commenting about your lack of interest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a bonafide crime junkie, but I’ve never dived into the Manson Family. Where is the best place to start? Is there a good podcast?

I would say the best place to start is reading Helter Skelter, the most successful true crime book ever written. I think there are lots of podcasts too but don’t recommend any specifically.

[Anonymous]

Not me, at all. I've never understood the interest. I read Helter Skelter years ago but don't remember most of it. Even though I don't have that fascination, I think it's pretty common, to get caught up in some particular thing (especially if there is some lingering question, like "why" or "how") and want to know everything about it. For some people it's JFK's death or Jack the Ripper or whatever.

[Anonymous]

I've read Helter Skelter and I remember Squeaky Fromme's attempted assassination of President Ford. I don't get the fascination at all.

[Anonymous]

The Young Charlie podcast was great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a bonafide crime junkie, but I’ve never dived into the Manson Family. Where is the best place to start? Is there a good podcast?

I would say the best place to start is reading Helter Skelter, the most successful true crime book ever written. I think there are lots of podcasts too but don’t recommend any specifically.

Yes, read Helter Skelter, then listen to the podcast, "You Must Remember This." She does an entire series on the Manson family. It is excellent.

[Anonymous]

Not quite obsessed but Helier Skelter is one of my favorite books ever. So fascinating and so well done.