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Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties,
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Hunter Babcock
This book is better than Helter Skelter. Come for the Manson story, stay for the meditations on journalism and truth. Really interesting how O'Neill weaves in so much to this book.
Peter Halverson
Yes, much of this book is a direct critique of the events described in HS.
Eric Andrews-Katz
You should read Helter Skelter INSTEAD of reading this crap.
Dylan Fox
No. Helter Skelter is proven to be false several times by this book.
Koren
Yes. This book nicely condenses the actual murders, which I was glad because anyone who has followed the Manson murders already knows what happened. If you want a more detailed version of Manson and the lifestyle his followers led you will want to read Helter Skelter first.
Peter
Yes, as this book provides the popular version of the events and motives of the Manson family murders.
Bryan
I read Chaos, then read Helter Skelter, The Family (pre-lawsuit edition and some of the later editions forewords and afterwards), the Jeff Guinn Manson biography, the Stephen Kinzer book about MKUltra (Poisoner in Chief) and then re-read Chaos. Got more out of it the second time around, with the additional background of all those other books and a greater familiarity with the events and people and a better picture of the received story O’Neill is criticizing.
Emily Keenan
No. I read this book without reading Helter Skelter. This book summarizes Helter Skelter and also the events of the murder, and the trial, and was plenty for me. I doubt I'll ever read another book about the Manson murders, as this was a book club choice and not my own. I don't usually like giving much attention to scummy attention-loving criminals like Manson, and after learning about all the issues with Helter Skelter, I'm satisfied to skip it.
George
No need to read HS before reading this one. I didn't and while I'm interested in reading it eventually, in CHAOS, Bugliosi comes off as more than a little of a self-aggrandizing and self-serving egotist. He cut a lot of corners and this book exposes a lot of them. This is a great read. Do yourself a favor and pick it up. I may be posting my own review soon.
Dave Bremer
Absolutely not. After reading this I have no interest in reading Helter Skelter and do not believe I missed anything
Susan Flieder
I've never read it, but I don't believe that it affected my fascination with this book.
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