The Family by Ed Sanders (2002 updated/revised edition)— Charles Manson
The Family: The Life and Crimes of Charles Manson. 2002 edition. Completely revised and updated. If you only read the original edition, this one is well worth checking out regardless. After all, the original came out in 1971 so you can only imagine things that have come to light. As a true crime aficionado, I can tell you that while Helter Skelter is an entertaining read, it’s also written by a grandiose, fame hungry, compulsive lying attorney (repetitious phrase). Take it with a grain of amphetamine salt. The Family is THE Manson book to read. Far from being a plain serial killer book, it’s a sprawling and epic examination of late 60s counterculture. Manson family is the centrifuge around which everything revolves (music and movie industry, weird satanic cults in Cali, hippies, drug culture etc). Read this and Chaos — forget shelter Skelter.This edition features 25 harrowing B & W photos from the investigation. No scratch and sniff though. Average used book wear and tear.