BOOK REVIEW: “Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders” by Vincent Bugliosi
Helter Skelter is, as you may guess from the title extension, and in-depth look at the Charles Manson murders. Primarily, it focuses on the trial and investigations done by Vincent Bugliosi, the primary prosecutor working against Manson in his portion of the Family trial.
I took a psychology course on serial killers in my last semester of university, and while Manson may not fall under that category it did change my view on the sensationalization of killers in the media and in the collective view. I’m happy to say that Bugliosi did a really great job at keeping this topic respectful of the victims and professional, while also telling a very detailed and engaging story of just how insane this trial actually was. I did find that every so often he’d throw in a line or two that I read as a bit sensational, but I think it’s his way of telling a good story, and doesn’t really hurt the facts. You could tell that this case meant a lot to him personally and he was interested in analyzing the way that Manson saw the world, as well as getting him behind bars for as long as he could.
Some of the time jumps were a little off for me too, and it was a little difficult at first to decipher what he knew at the time of the case and what the reader knew as an omniscient presence in the story. Overall, however, what unnerved me the most is the impact that Manson had on the world and how we’re seeing our political and extremist climate move further and further towards the ideals he held. Bugliosi does an excellent job capturing the terror that this case held within in it, but also the movement it created long after it was over. I’d definitely give it a read — it’s addicting, well-handled, and brutal in its recount. I’d definitely read more from Bugliosi in the future!
by penguin-47284