Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA and the Secret History of the Sixties by Tom O'Neill (July 2020)

[Susan]

Yes, I am getting to that part, Nancy.

There is a new-ish book about Timothy Leary, talking about LSD, that I also have on my reading radar: The Most Dangerous Man in America: Timothy Leary, Richard Nixon and the Hunt for the Fugitive King of LSD

[Susan]

I am also highly amused by the story of Bugliosi and the milkman, even though I do feel a little sorry for Bugliosi as he can't really reply to these claims. Chaos was published after he died. I am nearly at the end now and agree it picks up at this point, but it has dragged in places.

[Nigeyb]

Not so amusing for the milkman or his wife who went through hell. See also Buglioso's mistress who was very badly beaten up by VB and lost her baby.

I find these stories all too believable. They were a part of the reason he lost his election to become Los Angeles County District Attorney

[Susan]

I am always wary of these claims though. Is there irrefutable proof that Bugliosi did these things? It is easy to make such claims and, while it is terrible if they did happen, I was not always convinced by O'Neill.

I think the milkman story made me think of Father Ted!

Overall, having ploughed through this, I felt it was interesting, but lacked the compelling narrative of Helter Skelter. It was, of course, a different kind of book, but probably not one I would read again.

[Nigeyb]

Irrefutable proof would be hard to obtain in these circumstances, especially as VB was never charged.

Would you also question whether VB threatened to smear Tom O'Neill as a gay paedophile?

I felt that these claims, along with VB's conduct during the Manson case, painted a disturbing picture.

That said, VB would doubtless deny it all

I'm glad you got something out of the book, and felt it was worthwhile though. It sounds as though I liked it more than you did.

It also works as a cautionary tale too, in terms of getting too obsessed by your work. I wonder if O'Neill regrets getting so immersed in it?

[Susan]

Again, threats are one person's word against another, so I wouldn't necessarily take that as given. Unfortunately, it is very easy to smear people and, while, overall, I believed O'Neill - who was very obsessed and he accepted that - I am always wary of personal claims. I felt O'Neill was, reasonably, wounded by these threats, but that often he delved into the personal and possibly lost a little perspective.

It is interesting to wonder whether some of these things, that seemed so damning, were just that it was a different time. Not all of the things, obviously, but parole officers behaviour in particular - were parole officers and police offers just less scrutinized? So the fact that members of the Family, and Manson himself, seemed able to break parole violations and end up on the street - was it a plot, or just general incompetence and too much leeway?

Certainly, I was pleased I read it, but VB is now dead and so cannot refute the claims and that is why some of this gave me a bit of a bad taste. However, certainly there was a LOT of research and, for those obsessed with the case - as many are - this is a must read.