Rating: 
Summary: Sharon Tate and The Manson Murders
Review: Greg King's book on the 1969 Tate-La Bianca murders was a very thorough recounting of the most horrific nights in the annals of American crime history. King's main focus is that of the victims, particularly, of course, Sharon Tate. He covers her life from birth, to her start in acting, to her boyfriends, to her relationship with Roman Polanski, to her untimely death. He puts human emotions and lives to the faces of the 7 people who were so callously pushed aside by the media during the "Manson Family" trial of 1970 and 1971. He recreates the horror of August 9, 1969 to the minute. He details the going-ons at the La Bianca residence on August 10, 1969. King does the victims and their families justice in his book. Whoever spoke with Alice La Bianca (Leno's first wife)? Besides E!, what author has had an in-depth interview with caretaker William Garretson? King tells everyones stories, not just Manson's, et al.
Rating:
Summary: More balanced perspective on the victims of Manson murders
Review: I remember reading about the Manson Family murders from Susan Atkins' book. I was glad to learn more about the victims of this horrible crime. This book is helpful in getting more of a glimpse of Sharon Tate other than that of famous actress who was brutally murdered. It gave good insight into her personality: a beautiful woman who was a combination of vulnerability and reserve. Her two major flaws were wanting so much to be loved that she accepted her husband's belittling of her intelligence and his numerous infidelities, and her trusting nature which left her vulnerable to the wrong people. What a shame that when she was finally on the verge of deciding to leave her philandering husband and move on with her life, she was brutally murdered along with serveral other innocent people. As for the so-called conversions of Susan Atkins and Charles "Tex" Watson, I find it harder to believe them after reading this book. I'm a Christian who believes that God can change anyone who surrenders his/her life to him, but conversion does not protect people from the consequences of their actions. In this case, Atkins and Watson have yet to show true remorse for their crime, and they still use Manson's influence as an excuse for their unspeakable crime. It's a shame and disgrace that these people are reviewed for parole every few years, thus forcing Patti Tate and other victims' families to be tortured again. These people should NEVER be considered for parole after what they have done. The residents of California should protest to the rooftops against this waste of their taxpayer dollars.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, A Book About Sharon!!!!
Review: Although it would be great to have a biography about Sharon that was just about her, not Manson, this is the best we're going to get right now. What a beautiful woman and such a tragic loss. It was great reading about the lovely Mrs. Tate-Polanksi and learning that she is much more than a murder victim. My only complaint is that there are several graphic murder scene photos and more pictures of the Manson family than of Sharon. Other than that, a great book for people who are interested about Sharon as a human being.
Rating:
Summary: BIOGRAPHY OF A VICTIM
Review: It is rare that a victim receives the focus of attention in a crime story. Greg King manages to tell the tale of Sharon Tate with detail while simultaneously keeping in mind the tragedy that would befall her and others at the hand of the Manson family. The first 116 pages of this book center around the life of Sharon Tate up until her murder in 1969. With his account, King shows that Sharon was an up and coming Hollywood starlette that still fostered girl next door qualities and dispositions. He celebrates her life but doesnt leave out the necessary details of her romantic life and drug use. In other words he delicately shows her flaws without assasinating her memory or character. King also details the investigation and subsequent conviction of the Manson family, all the while showing the plight of Sharon's family and the families of other victims. He doesnt fall into the sensationalism that has haunted other Manson books. The book ends with a where are they now type of conclusion. The book as a whole is an informative and well thought out read. He holds true to a biographical format for the pirst part of the novel while simultaneously providing interest for the true crime fan. There are some brief sections that can be a tad drawn out. His description of the Polanski residence would have been better served with a smaller description accompanied by some photos of the grounds if available. This over-detailing is a small but noticeable detterent in the flow of the book. The final chapters however seem a bit rushed and some more information would have been appreciated on the remnants of the Manson family that have secured their freedom. Overall the book is an informative narrative with an overall good flow. There are few dull spots and thus the account makes for a quick read. This book will be appreciated by fans of biographies and true crime alike. A solid four star book.
Rating:
Summary: an Angel killed by followers of Satan
Review: Greg King brings the horrors of August 9, 1969 into your living room. First of all he gives the best biography of Sharon Tate that has ever been written. It was only over 100 pages, but I haven't seen a more detailed account of her life. She not only had outward beauty, but inward beauty. Even though I've read Helter Skelter and other books 10 years ago, this book tells more about the victims than the animals who killed them. It's over 300 pages, but the first 116 pages deals with Sharon Tate. No book has ever done that. As a former prison guard, I'm repulsed how the murderers have abused the system and profited from their crimes. Many poor people who haven't commited any crimes haven't been able to get college degrees in this society. All of the killers have received degrees in prison. Greg King has shown us new material concerning the Manson killings. The victims were killed for no reason, the murderers returned to the scene of the crime, and afterwards the Press slandered the victims because they didn't have any story to tell. In his book he described that Manson and some of the murderers returned to the scene of the crime only a few hours later. This is true. Sharon Tate and Jay Sebring had type O blood. Neither of them made it out of the living room. The LAPD found on the porch type O blood in large pools. The other 3 victims had type B blood. Manson and the killers were going to hang Sharon Tate and Jay Sebring on the porch and mutilate them even more. They carried the bodies to the porch and got into a big argumnent. To see Sharon Tate's body in the book was bad enough, but it could have been worse. After the arguement they placed the bodies back where they had fallen because daylight was fast approaching. The LAPD Tate Homicide Report (on the web in 33 pages), states in detail the blood drops, the areas of the blood, the place and direciton of the bodies and that Sharon Tate's and Jay Sebrings' bodies were moved after they were killed. In the LAPD report Tate's neighbors stated they heard an arguement from the Tate house at 4:00 AM. This was several hours after the last victim, Sharon Tate had died. This supports King's statements that the murderers returned to the Tate house and moved the bodies. My only faults with this book are the cover and the photographs. The cover shows a picture of Sharon Tate and a diffused picture of Manson on her chest. He shouldn't have been on the cover. He's had 35 years of press coverage. Enough is enough! The other faults are the numerous photos of Manson and his killers. There have been thousands of photos of Sharon Tate taken. King chose only a couple of pictures of her and the rest were of Manson and his worthless family. I also think that the terrible death photo of her should have been left out. Even though it shows what Charles "Tex" Watson and Susan Atkins did to her in those horrible last moments of her life, Sharon Tate should be remembered for her life and not because she was a victim of the most horrible crime that has ever occurred in U.S. history. Greg King has shown us new insight into Sharon Tate's history and the horrible murders. He's done a lot of research of her life. I only wish the book would have had more information about her. From what King has found about her, she was truly an angel.
Rating:
Summary: Sharon Tate was more than just a victim!
Review: Watching the few films Sharon Tate made I could see that the possiblity of so much more was apparent. Especially her role in the Matt Helm flick "The Wrecking Crew" opposite Dean Martin. Although after her murder none of it seemed to matter and Sharon as a person and actress was outshined by the gory murders that took her and her child's and friends' lives. Now finally Greg King has given us Sharon Tate and The Manson Murders. And Sharon as a person comes through. Most people really knew very little of her outside of the Manson/crimes. So I give King credit for taking her too short life and writing a fine book on this the most beautiful woman ever. I too must agree though that the typo's throughout are disturbing and I too would have liked to have seen more photos of Sharon herself. The inclusion of the death photo though at once seems a bit sensationlistic, it lends the reader a view of just what actually happened to Miss Tate et al. A book on Sharon' life has long been overdue and I hope if this one is updated or another is published it will spend more time quoting from the long list of Hollywood elite friends of the actress'. All in all this is a book to purchase and read for anyone who has ever been interested in Sharon Tate as a person more than just a victim of Manson's Family!
Rating: 
Summary: EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT
Review: I can't say enough about Greg King's book. A true historian and fierce researcher, Greg sure did his homework. He interviewed many people including not only Sharon's family, friends and colleagues, but also Alice La Bianca (Leno's first wife), Janet Parent (Steve's sister), and others. It was a joy to finally read a book focusing on the victims and not the so-called "family." I loved King's way of dedicating the first half of the book to Sharon's life, stopping a few days short of her death, doing the next part about the origins of Manson's "family," and then bringing the two together to the horrible early morning hours of August 9, 1969. The part that kept me spellbound was the chapter entitled, "The Last Day." It reminded me of Thomas Sancton's and Scott Mac Leod's book, "Death of a Princess: The Investigation" (about Diana, Princess of Wales). Sancton and Mac Leod gave an almost minute by minute account of Diana's final hours in Paris on August 30, 1997 and King did basically the same with the goings on at Cielo Drive on August 8, 1969. King gives the spotlight to the people who have been swept under the rug for the past 34 years: the victims. He focuses primarily on Sharon but he does include little known or previously unknown facts about the "other victims." I say, "It's about time!" This is the definitive book about the victims. Vincent Bugliosi's "Helter Skelter" is THE account of the trial. The two books compliment each other very nicely.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!!!
Review: When I started reading this book, I could NOT put it down. Everything you wanted to know about Sharon Tate is covered in this book, from her birth until her untimely death. King uncovers the questions we always had about Sharon, Roman, Sharons family and close friends & the night of the murders. Sharon will always be the essence of all beauty and good, and her personality and innocence is something I wish we had in todays society. Horray to Greg King!!
Rating:
Summary: One thing left out
Review: I could not put this book down...It was a GREAT read. Although in the book it states that manson had a son, however he never makes reference to him again. What happened to this son, is he alive? does he have a relationship with C. Manson?? I cant understand why this is left out. G.King makes reference to a specific family members childern, however just not mansons.
Even still GREAT BOOK
Rating:
Summary: The death of a Sweet Human being....Sharon Tate
Review: After reading this book, I felt that justice on Sharon Tate was finally made......No book out in the market EVER paid their right respects to Sharon. To the media , Sharon was nothing more then a mere body, found at 10050 Cielo Drive. To the media, Sharon was nothing more then one of Charles Manson's victims.To the media, Sharon was nothing more, then some pretty blonde, who done a few bad movies that have flopped. No one EVER looked at Sharon as a REAL human being. The media, after her death, did nothing more but mock her, and mock her death. "Oh did you hear....Sharon Tate was slashed by Manson's family.....(ha ha ha) ..." And when Sharon was not mocked by the media, her face appeared in the cover of many magzines in 1969. Not out of respect for her, but just to 'sell em' magazines!'. Here is a book that truly pays full respect to Sharon tate. She was a young aspiring actress, mother to be, sweet human being who lived her life to the fullest. Sharon had a true zest for life. Sadly it all ended much to soon. The story of Sharon Tate began as a fairy tale and ended in tragedy. Just after midnight on August 9th 1969 Tate and her houseguests, including Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger and Woyteck Frykowski as well as Steve Parent, who had just came by to visit the caretaker, were slaughtered by Charles Manson's Family- Susan Atkins, Tex Watson and Patricia Krenwinkel. Linda Kasabian was there, but she never committed any actual killings. She just drove the killers there. The killers, one man and three women, cut phone wires and climbed a fence before entering the compound and murdering everyone except the teenage caretaker, William Garrestson. Who was hiding in the guest house. Sharon tate was 8 months pregnant. She begged for her life, and the life of her child. What I don't understand is why there are actual Charles manson fans out there. This man did nothing but take the lives away from innocent people. Him and his human robots. I recommend this book. Great read on the whole subject. First book with a real biography on Sharon. Inside the book, there is a very graphic photo of Sharon and Jay, dead, at the crime scene. I think once you take a look at that photo of Sharon, lying dead in her living room floor, stabbed, soaked in her own blood, then you will actually know and feel what those monsters did to Sharon, and hope that they do indeed rot in prison. I truly hope they never see the light of day. Sharon will never see the light of day, so why should they?
| 
