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Charles Manson
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Manson in His Own Words Kindle Edition

by Charles Manson (Author), Nuel Emmons (Contributor) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 333 ratings
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“Gives us a portrait close to the truth” of the man responsible for the Tate-LaBianca murders that changed Hollywood and ended the sixties (The New York Times Book Review).

This astonishing book lays bare the life and the mind of a man whose acts have left us horrified. His story provides an enormous amount of new information about his life and how it led to the Tate-LaBianca murders and reminds us of the complexity of the human condition.
 
Born in the middle of the Depression to an unmarried fifteen-year-old, Manson lived through a bewildering succession of changing homes and substitute parents, until his mother finally asked the state authorities to assume his care when he was twelve. Regimented and often brutalized in juvenile homes, Manson became immersed in a life of petty theft, pimping, jail terms, and court appearances that culminated in seven years of prison. Released in 1967, he suddenly found himself in the world of hippies and flower children, a world that not only accepted him, but even glorified his anti-establishment values. It was a combination that led, for reasons only Charles Manson can fully explain, to tragedy. Manson’s story, distilled from seven years of interviews and examinations of his correspondence, provides sobering insight into the making of a criminal mind, and a fascinating picture of the last years of the sixties.
 
“A glimpse of part of the American experience that is rarely described from the inside . . . It compels both interest and horror.”—The Washington Post

“Provides a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a truly dangerous human being.”—Los Angeles Herald Examiner
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  1. Print length
    256 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Grove Press
  5. Publication date
    December 1, 2007
  6. File size
    6453 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

The shocking confessions of “the most dangerous man alive.” –Rolling Stone

“Compelling and chilling.” —Baltimore Evening Sun

“I couldn’t put it down.” —Liz Smith

“Disturbingly hypnotic.” —Vogue

“Compulsively readable. . . . Manson can’t ever succeed in being paroled out of that cell, not as long as people with any sense at all can read this book.” —William S. Burroughs

“A glimpse of part of the American experience that is rarely described from the inside. . . . It compels both interest and horror.” —The Washington Post

“Gives us a portrait close to the truth.” —The New York Times Book Review

“The book finally diminishes the Manson mystique. For that, credit goes to the co-author Nuel Emmons, [who] gives Manson room to reveal himself without voodoo hype. The result is an explanation of Manson’s crimes that, for the first time, feels convincing.” —San Francisco Bay Guardian

“Provides a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a truly dangerous human being.” —Los Angeles Herald Examiner

“Reads like a sordid but often gripping picaresque novel.” —Louisville Courier-Journal

“These ‘words’ are the essence behind the horror of the tragedy: cold, calculated, hard facts told exactly the way it was from the beginning. . . . Effectively captures the disturbed mind of Manson and gives us a better understanding of the complexity of a violent criminal.” —Rave Reviews

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004I6DD56
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grove Press; 1st Grove Press. Ed edition (December 1, 2007)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 1, 2007
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 6453 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 333 ratings

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Charles Manson

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Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
333 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

janeleigh
5.0 out of 5 stars A realistic look inside the mind of a killer
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2022
Verified Purchase
I read Helter Skelter and had pretty much assumed Manson was possessed and had demonic ways about him. He's still a terrible person, but the way he views himself and how society and the events in his life led him to become who he was, were fascinating. I also found it insightful where he became resentful of those living in his "love and peace" community who weren't pulling their weight. Some of the "family" did most, if not all, the work while others freeloaded. Manson said he came to resent those freeloaders.
I was a little surprised he didn't "claim" more of the glory or magical powers assigned to him by the media. It's a good read and I recommend it.
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Elaine Watkins
4.0 out of 5 stars When someone tells you who they are...
Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2020
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I read this book when it first came out in the late 1980s, and was struck by how much it differed from prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi's bestseller Helter Skelter. As brilliant as Bugliosi was, he was not able to get inside the head of someone like Manson. He viewed the entire landscape of the story through the eyes of a conventionally raised, successful midwestern "straight arrow," who had always made sensible decisions in life.

Charles Manson, who died in 2017 at the age of 83, after serving over 50 years for his most infamous crime, lays himself bare in this book, which was written with the help of a former cellmate from the 1950s, Euel Emmons. There is no question that Manson's view is often just as limited as Bugliosi's. He refrains from blaming himself overtly for events, not to con the reader or spare himself the public's judgment, but because he's unable to peek over the horizon. He was born in the heart of 1930s Appalachia, where poverty of the spirit rivaled economic deprivation. He grew up before methamphetamine was rampant in the region, but the social remedies of the time (education and religion) were inadequate for many. Manson was raised amid contradictions: His mother was a teenage devil-may-care rebel; his grandmother and uncle were by-the-book moralists, with a hefty dose of traditional (i.e. toxic) masculinity thrown in. Depending on who was in charge of taking care of the boy at any given time, he was raised with all of these viewpoints.

Manson certainly does come across as self-pitying and self-serving in much of the book, but for all that, there is a strong element of raw honesty in his account of his reform-school years. He escaped from his first incarceration, ran back home, and his mother promptly called the law and sent him back. Yes, we can be glad she didn't hide him and give him an opportunity for more crime on the home front, but he was quite young at the time; he admired his mother and the betrayal he felt is overlaid upon all the chapters that follow.

Charles Manson was not a diabolical mastermind; he was an under-educated and emotionally immature man who made a lot of wrong decisions. Instead of trying to arrange employment when he was released from Terminal Island in 1967, he became a hedonistic drifter, which led to his career path as a "cult leader," drug dealer, car thief and ultimately Svengali to a group of angry young adults who would go on to commit the horrifying murders of Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, Steven Parent, Wojciech Frykowski, Leno LaBianca, Rosemary LaBianca, Gary Hinman and Shorty Shea (as well as others after the jury verdicts).

Anger, frustration and resentment lie clearly at the bottom of Manson's actions. A wise person sitting down with him before the summer of 1969 might have advised him to learn from other successful musicians and songwriters -- find a "hook" for his songs, rather than haphazardly pairing melody with freestyle poetry and feeling that becoming an overnight millionaire superstar was somehow his due. Get a real job, even a menial one, as opposed to making a living by pimping and stealing cars. He already knew the younger members of the group worshiped him and hung on his every word -- how much better off everyone would have been if he'd taken his leadership role seriously and led his followers down a more conventional and less harmful path. Lay off the drugs: Inhibitions were loosened considerably at Spahn Ranch, and it was perhaps inevitable that Manson's class resentments communicated themselves to Susan Atkins, Tex Watson and Patricia Krenwinkel, who ultimately proposed striking terror into the "pigs" down in the Valley.

Manson made clear that as his release from Terminal Island loomed, he felt overwhelmed by life on the outside -- he knew his judgment was limited -- and he wanted to stay behind bars. Perhaps the scared teenager from Kentucky was the one goading the adult Charlie to make all those unfortunate decisions that ultimately enabled him to get his wish.
18 people found this helpful
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Michele Favini
3.0 out of 5 stars Too short, false but funny.
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2014
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It is a fact that when Emmons took the manuscript to Groove Press they edited the hell out of it, names of famous folks Manson had known, still he deserves some kudos for wanting to set the record straight on his prison buddy. Manson initially liked the book and then hated it because Nuel had sold out.This being said I liked the book and would recommend as a half decent starting point on the subject, but if you're serious about knowing more regarding Manson as i was you Must get yourself a copy of the new Manson File
Myth and reality of an outlaw shaman by Nikolas Shreck. He really nails it proving that every now and the reality is better than fiction.
4 people found this helpful
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jschro69
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read!
Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2019
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Only book I've seen that actually allows Manson to describe his entire life in his own words. Must read if you're interested in the Charles Manson Story.
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A.w.palmer
4.0 out of 5 stars Raises a plethora of unanswered questions
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2013
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While I found this book absolutely riveting, when I was finished reading, I had a LOT more questions. While this is from Manson's POV, I had to also compare it to Susan Atkin's last book "The Myth of Helter Skelter". Why on earth would she perpetuate the "myth" in her first book "Child of Satan, Child of God" then do an about face with "Myth"? Was she still under Manson's influence even before she died? Was her second book more in line with what actually happened in 1969? If so, are others like Watson ("Will you Die for Me?") perpetuating what Bugliosi put forth in Helter Skelter"?
Beyond the comparisons to other works, I found Manson's story about his life in institutions quite credible in as far as they could create a sociopath quite easily. What happened later in the 60's is not a reach when one sees what he came from.
One person found this helpful
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Jan Barrows
5.0 out of 5 stars Manson
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2020
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Rather you grew up in the Manson era or not. Rather you believe in the sensation that the trial and media caused. Reading this book let's you see Manson. No you can't condone what he did but you can understand in some ways how media made him out to be more than what he was. I believe that because of the attention he shows the people in the Manson Family was what they and Manson needed. The love and attention of being in a family the believe to real and better than where they came from.
4 people found this helpful
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Brandy Trump
5.0 out of 5 stars Love it
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2015
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These types of books interest me, I thought it was a great take on a horrific event, it makes me want to look further. Nuel did a fabulous job writing this book!
2 people found this helpful
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kelsey
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and compelling read
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2017
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Really interesting to see the other side of Mansons story. He doesn't try to be a saint and comes across as believable and human, worth the read !
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Mod
5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2021
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Not long into the book….I have read other books about Manson but this is his own account of his life so it’s different and interesting…..if it is indeed his own words
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RosemarieMenassas
3.0 out of 5 stars charlie Manson
Reviewed in Canada on June 11, 2020
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Not really in his own words, but a tale 'remembered' by aan author who was a tool for Manson's pornographic ramblings and pretense that he did not organize those killings in the 60s. More garbage I am sorry I wasted my time on
One person found this helpful
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Stacey Pollard
4.0 out of 5 stars Grammar
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 27, 2012
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I only chose four instead of five stars because there are a quite a lot of grammar errors throughout the ebook. Fantastic otherwise
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jman jr
1.0 out of 5 stars Nahhh this is not Manson in his own words.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 19, 2019
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This book is pure trash ...

This is NOT Manson in his own words,
This is Manson's re arranged, changed and messed with by Emmons.

You need not go to far into Manson to find this to be true.

Read a page - then watch an interview for one minute - not authentic at all to how Manson talks.

If that don't do it for you, check out it's validity with a reputable Manson forum.

This is another book that can be looked at and taken with a pinch of salt ...

A potential gateway book along with Helter Skelter, for the curious and
A deception for those that are lazy or run along with things without question.

Myth and reality are two different things my friend.
14 people found this helpful
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