Charles Manson was a drifter with a difficult past who had an uncanny knack for controlling the people around him. In the late 1960s, he had become the head of a group of devoted followers called "The Family," who treated him like a god and would do anything he told them to. Manson's sick charm and his terrifying vision of a race war he called "Helter Skelter" led his followers to do horrible things.
In the summer of 1969, Manson's rule of terror peaked when he planned a string of brutal murders in Los Angeles that shocked the country and broke the myth of the free-spirited counterculture. Manson planned these pointless killings to start the race war he thought was coming and that would put him and his followers in charge of the whole world. As more terrible information about the Manson Family murders came to light, the story of how one man could have so much power over other people and get them to do horrible things in his name captivated the whole world. Manson's time in prison was characterized by a persistent need for attention and power, despite society's unwavering refusal to consider his release.
"The Cult of Chaos" goes deep into Charles Manson's mind and shows how he built a cult of personality that led to one of the worst crime sprees in U.S. history. This is not just the story of a string of deaths; it's also the story of how one man's crazy behavior caused chaos that spread far beyond his control, leaving behind fear, fascination, and questions that still linger decades later.