my mother was a true crime reader, thus the copies of helter skelter and various other related books around the house. what kid can't help but be fascinated by this material? i'm working on a book that involves a self-constructed guru type character, and i gave this a spin as research.
at the start of the family, while it overviews the social history surrounding the manson family's rise to infamy, i found myself fascinated. the book lulls a bit for me as we drudge through the pre-trial and trial. and then it picks up again in the end. it's a lengthy overview of the world that the manson family murders take place in, but also a character assessment of each family member.
while sanders' writing style sometimes wore on me (the constant use of lingo), i ended the book being impressed with the personal transformation that sanders underwent over the course of the case and the years between release of the new edition. he comes to understand the personal struggles of the investigators of the murders, and appreciates their help and effort. his perspective on the role of the police seems to change when he relies on information and clues to further his explorations on the case.
the one comment that always comes out of a conversation about manson is how odd it is that he received a longer prison term than those that actually committed the crimes. as well, it is questionable as to why he is in prison and not a psychiatric institute. if the world thinks charlie manson is so crazy why is he in a maximum security prison and not a more specialized place.
it is always intriguing to see what kind of perceptions (and misperceptions) people have regarding one of the most notorious of american murder cases. start a conversation about manson next time you're at a party to see what kind of extreme views come out of the most unsuspecting of people.
reading this book is very telling about the social changes happening in the mid to late 1960s, and also about the nature of self-appointed gurus. the family is lengthy and drags a bit if you're not into mind numbing detail, but definitely worth a read. to support the book i have to admit that this granular detail is necessary in a book that delves this deeply into the case. it is my fault alone that i wasn't particularly interested in the nuts and bolts of every member of the family.
{October 20, 2003 06:23 PM}