Manson

by Jeff Guinn
Manson cover
Good Books rating 4.0
Technical:
  • ID: 862
  • Added: 2025-09-21
  • Updated: 2025-09-21
  • Formats: 23
  • Reviews: 4
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Waterstones
Paperback • £9.99
Reviews
app.thestorygraph.com · Unknown · 2025-10-02
thought-provoking 3.50

Jeff Guinn's biography of Charles Manson, 'Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson,' attempts to humanize the infamous killer by exploring his early life and the influences that shaped him. The book provides new details and interviews but struggles to fully capture Manson's early years due to limited information, ultimately presenting a complex and flawed portrait of a man who remains a compelling yet disturbing figure.

Jeff Guinn's 'Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson' offers a detailed look into the life of one of America's most notorious criminals. The book begins with a poignant and uncomfortable moment from Manson's childhood, aiming to humanize him by showing his early struggles and the influences that shaped his later actions. Guinn provides new insights and interviews with family members, but the book struggles to fully flesh out Manson's early years due to a lack of available information. This limitation is evident in the book's portrayal of Manson's transformation from a small-time criminal to a manipulative leader of a cult that committed heinous crimes. Guinn's work is thorough and well-researched, but it ultimately falls short of providing a complete understanding of Manson's psyche and motivations. The book delves into Manson's attempts to become a rock star and his interactions with figures like Dennis Wilson, but it also highlights the complexity and irrationality of his actions, particularly in the lead-up to the Tate-LaBianca murders. Despite its shortcomings, the book offers a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of a man who continues to fascinate and disturb us.

Quick quotes

    Maybe his mother and Uncle Luther were bad influences, but Charlie could benefit from Uncle Bill’s intercession. It didn’t matter what some teacher had done to make him cry; what was important was to do something drastic that would convince Charlie never to act like a sissy again.

    You had to know how to pick out just the right girls, Charlie learned, the ones with self-image or Daddy problems who’d buy into come-ons from a smooth talker.... You wanted girls who were cracked but not broken. The trick was to make them love you and fear you at the same time.

    I am only what you made me

theguardian.com · Unknown · 2013-08-21
informative 4.00

Manson by Jeff Guinn is a comprehensive and well-researched look at Charles Manson, providing deep insights into his life and the cultural context of the 1960s. The book is praised for its thoroughness but criticized for being overly long and occasionally digressive.

Manson by Jeff Guinn is widely regarded as a thorough and captivating exploration of Charles Manson's life and the Manson Family. Readers appreciate the book's in-depth research and the cultural backdrop it provides, which helps explain Manson's influence. The detailed accounts of Manson's childhood, the rise of the Manson Family, and the subsequent crimes are particularly well-received. However, some readers find the book overly long and occasionally digressive, with unnecessary details about historical events that do not directly relate to Manson. Despite this, the book is considered a valuable resource for those interested in true crime and the psychology of cult leaders. The comprehensive nature of the book is seen as both a strength and a weakness, as it provides a complete picture but can be tedious at times.

Quick quotes

    Manson by Jeff Guinn is a fascinating and in-depth look at one of America’s most infamous criminals.

    Not as riveting as Helter Skelter, but a decent book with a bit of new information, told with the authority of a gruntload of reasearch.

    This book was painfully boring. I fully understand that Manson was not a completely interesting person, but the need to fill the book with chapters that had nothing to do with him or his family was frustrating.

nytimes.com · Unknown · 2013-08-15
engaging 4.50

The reviewer recalls a personal encounter with a Charles Manson associate and reflects on the enduring impact of Manson's crimes. They praise Jeff Guinn's biography as a comprehensive and gripping account of Manson's life and the horrific events of 1969.

The reviewer shares a personal anecdote about meeting a former cellmate of Charles Manson, highlighting the lingering influence of Manson's notoriety. They emphasize the lasting memory of the 1969 murders and the extensive coverage that followed, including Vincent Bugliosi's book 'Helter Skelter'. The biography by Jeff Guinn is described as a thorough and engaging exploration of Manson's life, providing new insights into the man behind the infamous crimes. The reviewer appreciates the depth of research and the vivid storytelling that brings Manson's chilling history to life.

Quick quotes

    Even from behind bars, it seemed, Manson inspired disaster.

    Of course they had certain people in mind, important people, celebrities whose deaths would command headlines.

    The hugely pregnant actress Sharon Tate, her unborn son and houseguests staying at a home on Cielo Drive — Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger and Voytek Frykowski — died there.

latimes.com · Unknown · 2013-08-09
compelling 4.00

Jeff Guinn's biography of Charles Manson is rich and gripping, effectively placing Manson within the context of late-60s California. The book highlights how Manson's manipulative nature and the era's cultural climate allowed him to briefly flourish before his darker ambitions led to tragedy.

Jeff Guinn's biography of Charles Manson is a compelling read that goes beyond the sensationalism of Manson's crimes. By situating Manson within the cultural and social landscape of late-1960s California, Guinn provides a nuanced portrait of a man who was both a product of his environment and a catalyst for its darker turns. The book effectively shows how Manson's manipulative nature and the era's permissive atmosphere allowed him to gather a following and briefly pursue his ambitions of becoming a pop star. However, his insipid music and sociopathic tendencies ultimately led to the infamous 1969 killing spree. Guinn's detailed account paints a vivid picture of a time and place where the lines between a pimp and a prophet could blur, and where Manson's dark ambitions found fertile ground.

Quick quotes

    Manson thought he was bigger than the Beatles, but in reality he was little more than a career criminal and pimp.

    It shows how the humid climate of late-60s California harboured Manson and allowed him to flourish, at least on the fringes, at least for a while.

    By the time it recoiled, the damage was done.

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