Chaos

Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties

By: Tom O'Neill, Dan Piepenbring

Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell

Length: 16 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

A journalist's 20-year fascination with the Manson murders leads to shocking new revelations about the FBI's involvement in this riveting reassessment of an infamous case in American history.

Over two grim nights in Los Angeles, the young followers of Charles Manson murdered seven people, including the actress Sharon Tate, then eight months pregnant. With no mercy and seemingly no motive, the Manson Family followed their leader's every order - their crimes lit a flame of paranoia across the nation, spelling the end of the 60s. Manson became one of history's most infamous criminals, his name forever attached to an era when charlatans mixed with prodigies, free love was as possible as brainwashing, and utopia - or dystopia - was just an acid trip away.

Twenty years ago, when journalist Tom O'Neill was reporting a magazine piece about the murders, he worried there was nothing new to say. Then he unearthed shocking evidence of a cover-up behind the "official" story, including police carelessness, legal misconduct, and potential surveillance by intelligence agents. When a tense interview with Vincent Bugliosi - prosecutor of the Manson Family, and author of Helter Skelter - turned a friendly source into a nemesis, O'Neill knew he was onto something. But every discovery brought more questions:

• Who were Manson's real friends in Hollywood, and how far would they go to hide their ties?
• Why didn't law enforcement, including Manson's own parole officer, act on their many chances to stop him?
• And how did Manson-an illiterate ex-con-turn a group of peaceful hippies into remorseless killers?

O'Neill's quest for the truth led him from reclusive celebrities to seasoned spies, from San Francisco's summer of love to the shadowy sites of the CIA's mind-control experiments, on a trail rife with shady cover-ups and suspicious coincidences. The product of two decades of reporting, hundreds of new interviews, and dozens of never-before-seen documents from the LAPD, the FBI, and the CIA, CHAOS mounts an argument that could be, according to Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Steven Kay, strong enough to overturn the verdicts on the Manson murders. This is a book that overturns our understanding of a pivotal time in American history.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2019 Tom O'Neill and Dan Piepenbring (P)2019 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"What if everything we thought we knew about the Manson murders was wrong? O'Neill spent 20 years wrestling with that question, and Chaos is his final answer. Timed to the 50th anniversary of the Manson murders, it's a sweeping indictment of the Los Angeles justice system, with cover-ups reaching all the way up to the FBI and CIA." (Entertainment Weekly)

"Chaos is less a definitive account of the murders than a kaleidoscope swirl of weird discoveries and mind-bending hypotheticals that reads like Raymond Chandler after a tab of windowpane." (The New York Times)

"O'Neill's discoveries are stunning, especially when he's discussing the inexplicable leniency shown by law enforcement officials and by Manson's parole officer." (The Washington Post)

16 hours went by fast

I heard about this book on the Greg Fitzsimmons podcasts and it sounded interesting. If you don’t like real crime and conspiracies, this might not be your cup of tea. I loved all details about the characters and how they dovetailed into the American culture of the 60’s. I’m in my 50’s and I recognized many of the references. I appreciated the thoroughness of the author and his extensive interviews. I couldn’t believe how fast this book went; I listened every spare minute of the day.

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I couldn’t agree more with O’Neill’s conclusion that his 20 year search for answers was worth it. I devoured this book in 2 days. I purchased the hard copy just for the notes!

The chapters leading up to ‘Mind Control’ perfectly set the table for one of the most intriguing accounts of the subject I’ve read.

I’ll be recommending this book to my friends and to anyone who appreciates historical accounts without superfluous detail.

In the end you come to your own conclusion.

I loved the narrorator and that it was written in the 1st person. Definetly can get in the weeds about the investigation but I learned so much about the era at that time and the climate of the 60's. Would absolutely recommend if your interested in the power of CIA.

narration of investigations from the author

The author spent many years investigating, interviewing and trying to shed light on countless contradictions, lies and omissions on the process regarding Charles Mansons and the killings conducted by the family. The was a passionate, dangerous and frustrating work, many times obstructed by denials to obtain the information or even obstruct it. The author avoided building a linear narrative providing an alternate version of facts - that would make this a more easily digestible work but would simplify heavily on the findings, which most times were not irrefutable. He decided on presenting us with his journey. This makes it harder to grasp but allows us to learn many avenues he pursurd instead.
The historical facts and personalities involved and the account of this period of time are valuable. I wanted to learn about them and I did, even though carrying many of the author's doubts with me.

amazing

work of non fiction. so nicely written and nice to follow. I loved it.

Holy crap

A truly engaging and thrilling book. Great gumshoe work by Tom O'Neill ties the Manson family to law enforcement, the FBI, CIA, anticommunists, organised crime, Hollywood, the military industrial complex and many others. While the Manson murders are far away in our rear view mirror, O'Neill gives us a blue print for current conspiracies like Epstein and other people in the ruling class. This is a must read!

wow.

there's a LOT of information which was a bit difficult to keep up with if you dont really lock into what is being read but it was SO interesting to me.

Unbelievable

I couldn't stop listening to it. This story is amazing for so many reasons. It's not just about the Manson Muders but this author's incredible commitment. The story is complex but so well narrated it keeps you hooked. This book has shaken the way I look at the US history, military and justice system, and I already didn't have a lot of faith in them to begin with.

amazing book

honestly so we'll put together and compelling that you never wanna stop liistening I recommended to all my friends

Thorough and fascinating

I only gave 4 stars instead of 5 because the story is incomplete, by the writer’s admission. Given the amazing number of new trails to follow and subsequent difficulties obtaining meaningful interviews or paperwork the author should be credited for this exhaustive effort and the ability to present it cohesively.