Customer Reviews

Will You Die For Me? The Man Who Killed For Charles Manson Tells His Own Story

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I wasn't expecting much when I picked up Charles "Tex" Watson's book Will You Die for Me, but I have to say that it turned out to be a fascinating read. In the book, Watson traces his life from an average college student to a murderous cult member - but what makes the book unique is his unflinching candor.

Watson explains what was going through his mind while he was living in the cult and having these murderous psychotic episodes. The book is written in such a down-to-earth tone that is hard to believe that the author actually did these things - but he did, and there are no scapegoats, not even Mason, Watson takes responsibility for his actions. It is chilling to think that a man capable of being this introspective and articulate, can also be capable of killing strangers on a whim.

It is a very good and quick read... and for those interested in the Manson Family crimes, it is a must have.

Put together in a comprehensive manner with a little more insight than an outsider could have. Though I'm left with the feeling that some parts are still missing. As in his feelings about the murders at the time. He does say at the time he did not feel anything actually. Maybe it's more of what he felt later as he recalled the event. He describes flashes of color & movement to describe the killings. Is that it? I felt like that was glossed over. Not that I wanted gory detail, NO, but I guess there has to be more going on in the person's head (if only later upon reflection) than the short description of how they remember it. But other parts of HIS ordeal are described in detail and how he felt when things happened to him. You have to hear how after he was arrested & extradited to LA he was given a light blanket & was cold in his cell & he was roughed up & punched & forced to eat meat. I'm then picturing Sharon trying to tell us how it felt for her to be butchered & dying. What did she feel? What did they all feel? Who gives a damn if he was cold in his cell. There seemed to be a disconnect there. It's a common trait with murderers to only relate to their own pain. I took away from the book that he was prior to murdering, a person who needed to satisfy his own needs & became bored quickly if he wasn't being satisfied. Yes he admits his guilt but again he has to -to find his what he needs in religion. It is better than Charlie Manson's state of mind in prison, still evil incarnate. In all honesty Tex Watson really cannot win. We all know what he did & it is what it is. Even though Watson says the right words I still feel wrong. Something is not right with him. The zealousness with which he has embraced religion is off putting. It does sound the same as his prior total embrace of Charlie. I do though agree with his (and others) theory of LSD & other drugs being Charlie's tool to brainwash them all. Maybe he's damaged from all the drugs as well. FYI I printed the book off of his website for free. I will not give him money.

I honestly cannot be sure if Watson is remorseful or not. Given what he has done if he were truly remorseful he would be suicidal. This book gets at least three stars for setting the historical record straight on what happened to Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Steven Parent, Abigail Folger & Wojciech Frykowski as well as Rosemary & Leno LaBianca and Gary Hinman. Charles Manson, Steve Grogan and Bruce Davis were convicted of ranchhand Shorty Shea's murder but over a dozen witnesses have gone on record to implicate Watson as one of Shea's killers.
The main reason the crime is still remembered after 40 years was it was so senseless. If Manson wanted a record deal Sharon Tate would have picked up a phone and gotten him one. If the killers wanted money she would have given them her last dime. The hero of the night was hair stylist Jay Sebring who lost his life trying to shield Sharon from Watson. It is a crime he was able to marry and father children while in prison until lobbying by Sharon Tate's parents conjugal visits for imprisoned individuals convicted of murder were banned. Watson deserves some credit for his work inside prison BUT In the past decade Watson and his X wife Kristin have twice been investigated by the California attorney general, for committing Medi-Cal fraud to finance their children's births and for using funds from their nonprofit organization, Abounding Love Ministries, for personal use. This book can be read free of charge on his web site called aboundinglove dot org.

This is the story of the Manson murders as told by Charles "Tex" Watson" one of the Manson family. He tells the story in a straight-forward manner about the events before, during, and after the crimes. It is MUST reading for anyone interested in the Manson crimes and for readers of "Helter Skelter". It has many surprises in it.

Charles TEX Watson 12/2/45 (65yrs old) is in prison for the TATE/LABIANCA murders Aug. 9 & 10, 1969. He was 24 yrs old when they happened.

He wrote this book in 1978. It is 223 pages with 22 chapters. Will You Die For me is something Charlie used to ask his followers. Tex always said YES he would. This book is very over priced $39-$117 to $149. It is a shame.

Tex tells us about his early life. Growing up in Texas, the Methodist church, school, being a track star, honor roll student, college drop out and drugs. He moved to California and met Charlie. His life turned into a nightmare for him and the others he hurt.

He says he is remorseful about the killings. He tells about them in a matter of fact manner. Everyone wants to know WHY, WHY did the cult members do it? Tex tells you that Charlie is possessed by the DEVIL. So in reality I guess he is telling us that THE DEVIL SEDUCED THEM.

Tex is a born again Christian. He seems to love GOD in the manner that he loved Charlie.

He has a prison ministry. ABOUNDING LOVE. He married in 1979 & divorced in 2003. He has 4 children. He probably will never be paroled.

You need to read the review on this book by JAMES J. VARELA. It seems TEX still has some larceny in his Christian heart. Makes me doubt his conversion. Also, please read the comment section under DL's review.

Iam guessing you have already read HELTER SKELTER. If you have not--YOU MUST. Bugliosi did a 5star fantastic job with it.

When headlines broke in 1969 about the Tate-LaBianca murders, Charles Manson dominated the headlines. But what about Charles "Tex" Watson, the actual murderer at the crime scenes? Vincent Bugliosi's "Helter Skelter" concludes with Watson's conviction on seven counts of murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder. But his story doesn't end there. Watson became a Christian in 1975, and renounced Manson for Christ. Told through the eyes of the executioner, Watson tells of his Texas homelife, his nine month "membership" in the Manson family, the murders, and his miraculous rebirth in Christ. Twenty three years after this book appeared, Watson's faith is still unshakable; he has married and fathered four children. In 1987 Suzan LaBerge, daughter of victim Rosemary LaBianca, forgave Watson for murdering her mother. Not a lot of new information about life with Manson or the murders (Watson himself has little dispute with Bugliosi's retelling of the events in "Helter Skelter") but Watson's story is inspiring and encouraging for those who believe there's no light at the end of the tunnel....END

It was an outrage to learn the man responsible for brutally murdering an eight and a half month pregnant woman has been permitted to father four children of his own while he was behind bars! So much for our criminal justice system!

Watson gives us a chilling account of the murders, but his ability to discuss them in matter of fact gory detail, as if one were talking about the weather, is terrifying. How a man who committed such horrible crimes can live with himself is beyond me. He claims he is now a born again christian and God has forgiven him for his crimes, so if God can forgive him, he must forgive himself. He claims to have sympathy for the families of the victims, yet he continues to torment them by asking to be paroled every chance he gets. One wonders if he offered the victim's families any of the proceeds from this book. I doubt it.

I sincerely hope he is the changed man he now claims to be. However, his claim would be much more believeable if he honored the victims and their families by not asking for parole and accept the fact that a man who is capable of committing such heartless acts (christian or not) should never be allowed into a free society again. It would be nothing short of obscene for this man to be allowed to be free to enjoy spending time with his wife and children when it was his murderous hand that robbed so many others of their loved ones.

Tex Watson's book is wonderful because it tells the reader about his thinking at the time of the crimes. I wish he had told more about the other people he lived with in the family. His religious conversion is kind of indicative of his desire for something to worship. One wonders if God hadn't been presented to him,who or what would he have turned to to worship.. I in no way presume to know if he is really changed (I don't care)but it gives me a creepy feeling the way he and Susan Atkins seem to need something or someone to control their lives. What I'm trying to say is that Tex's need for Manson doesn't seem that different from his need for God. That is creepy.

This is the only book written by anyone associated with the Manson murders that is both full of honest relevations by its author, former Manson murderer "Tex" Watson, and deep understanding of the pain caused to the families of the many Manson victims. Anyone who thinks a person who commits such a horrendous crime could never become a "changed man" needs to read this book from cover to cover!

Took some time out to read this through and I feel like it's better than the other books by some of the same subjects written about here.

What's really cool is it tells you what was going through the mind of the author when he was acting out the fantasies or crime scenes if you will. Much of it seems alot like the movie on Charles Watson's website, almost word for word. If you have any questions after seeing the Manson interviews this will answer them and also probably leave you with more, which is a blessing since it isn't boring yet it isn't sad enough to make you cry either.

For an autobiography it is written well, and tells how the subject developed his love for God into a ministry and also used that love to help others and to further his own education in an unselfish manner.

To be ordained, he worked long and hard hours and is still practicing as a minister having won the title after much involvement in ministering to others and being involved as a chaplain. Recommended...

Aryan Somers