Customer Reviews

The Long Hard Road Out of Hell

5 star:		(356)
4 star:		(74)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

You wouldn't think a middle aged Southern conservative housewife like me would be caught dead reading something like this. The cover alone should scare me away. And the first word of the first chapter is one I wasn't allowed to say as a child. But with that first word Manson reveals immediately what his entire book portrays - Hell. The story mates his life with Dante's Inferno; even the chapters are structured as the divisions and circles of Dante's hell. This was a stroke of genius and makes for a fascinating read. Manson's life parallels Dante's journey through hell, and, like in the Inferno, it begins with pain and steadily becomes much worse. In the Inferno however, the protagonist with whom we identify is Dante, who is not one of the punished. We must guess at the psychic torment of the damned through Dante's conversations with them. Manson takes us on the same journey but as one of the condemned. He takes us inside his head to see firsthand the progressive blackening and relentless decay of his soul.

But that is only one of the many levels on which this book operates. It is also the story of a man's struggle to come to terms with his own nature when that nature is something the world perceives as evil and he suspects they may be right. He has amazing self awareness, and the rare ability to articulate his inner battles in powerful, captivating ways. The book is riveting, for he is laying bare his soul for all to see, and he knows it is ugly.

But by the end of the book, after he has sunk to the dark bottom of the pit, there is a glimmer of hope. He gains the sense that there may be some beauty hidden under all the self-loathing and screw ups that are his existence. Like Dante, Manson finally confronts Satan himself, and discovers the exit from hell.

But if you are not up to all this psychological and metaphysical stuff, you can just enjoy the book on its surface. Wicked, outrageous, and at times hilarious, it is fast paced and full of action, but not for the prudish or squeamish. Be prepared for something that is probably worse than triple X and is quite disturbing. I have never heard Marilyn Manson's music and I'm not real sure I want to, as "heavy metal" just isn't my thing, but I stumbled upon this book quite by accident and must say it is one of the most entertaining reads I've ever had. I highly recommend it for anyone who has an interest in infernal literature, typically written by the righteous, as this is an equally compelling point of view from the debased sinner. The violence and shock rivals John Bunyan, but from the opposite side!

This book is co-authored with Neil Strauss, who is a master of the biography genre. I picked it up solely on the strength of Strauss's name and not because I am a Manson fan. This is a masterpiece of an autobiography and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes reading about life in the fastlane and unusual characters. Hearing Manson's story behind the music made me want to explore his music more, but you definitely don't have to be a fan to appreciate this fine piece of literature.

One of the highlights of the book is reading about the Antichrist Superstar tour through Manson's tour diary. This was the tour that was constantly in the media for supposed crime and disgrace and violence. During the tour and the media frenzy, I always thought Manson was out to make headlines and shock, but to hear the story in his own words, he didn't have to do a heck of a lot to provoke the American Family Association. They invented enough on their own to make Manson into a scarier caricature of who he already was.

Manson is depraved and twisted, and reading some of his narrative definitely has a gruesome allure. There's also a softer side here, that of a confused boy who first heard heavy metal music when it was played backwards over his Christian school's PA system to show the students the depraved Satanic messages it carried. Who wouldn't want to get into heavy metal after that? Manson was also repeatedly wounded by women and lacked healthy relationships.

In this book, Manson disputs some of the rumors surrounding him, via a list of fake information posted by "fans" on the internet. I certainly had my eyes opened as some of the Manson myth was dispelled.

Highly recommended to any music fan, pop culture fan, or fans of the memoirs of interesting people.

This book was extremely fascinating. It really brings to life the transformation of Brian Warner to Marilyn Manson. It shows events in his childhood that helped to shape him into the person he is. With first person memories, he describes his childhood and the impact music played on his ambitions and goals.

The book goes on to talk about the formation of his band and how the members met, discussing problems with band members and how the band had lofty goals that seemed unreachable. Later, opening for Nine Inch Nails, he became friends with Trent Rezner and later came to know Anton LaVey, both of whom had great influence on his life. Manson talks about how his rise to Superstar status changed his view on drugs, sex, other life aspects. He explains how he took on the the name Marilyn Manson permanently, stating that at a certain moment he realized Brian Warner was dying and Marilyn Manson was being born.

Throughout the book there are moments where Manson remembers where he was when he came up with ideas for some of his songs including his version of "Sweet Dreams" and "The Beautiful People". The book also covers some of his own philosophies about love, homosexuality, and life.

The book is beautifully constructed with photos and artwork which help with the understanding of what he is discussing. The book goes into great detail, allowing the reader to really understand why Marilyn Manson is the way he is. A fantastic read that, I believe, fans and non-fans would enjoy.

Anyone who enjoys something interesting should read this book. I chose it because I wanted to read something completely out of the ordinary in comparison to my own thoughts and beliefs. It's a book that makes the reader think, and helps a person feel a certain appreciation for the things we have in life. It helps us realize how lucky some of us really are growing up as children even though we complain about our parents being so "mean" and "cruel". I wouldn't recommend this book to the extremely weak of heart, or stomach for that matter. Nor would I suggest this to someone who is highly religious in their beliefs. I also might throw out the extremely depressed, since I'm not quite sure how they would interpret this reading. I make it sound as if a lot of people should not partake in this autobiography, but those are really just a small part of the population. I think if a person wants a well written, extremely in-depth, and ultimately entertaining novel, then they should consider The Long Hard Road out of Hell.

They way the book is set up is rather complex. The story's order is simple, starting with Brian Warner (Marilyn Manson) as a young boy and following his life as grows and experiences. The book follows that pattern nicely, so the reader is never confused as to what time in Warner's life we are in. There are also quotes placed throughout the text. Mainly they are seen before the start of a new chapter. Within the chapters, Warner has inserted what he calls "circles" which divide up the text. For example a chapter could be broken into three; circle one, circle two and circle three. As we enter Brian's teenage years, he then begins including examples of writings he composed at the time, letters he sent to magazine's along with paper's he had submitted, things like that. He uses them to give the reader more insight into his thoughts, letting us enjoy, or be repulsed by, his works. Approximately halfway through the book, Brian Warner (now calling himself Marilyn Manson) briefly loses the autobiographical format letting us enjoy an interview between him and a magazine reporter. Once this has finished, he then cuts back to the telling of his autobiography. Overall it's really an engaging format, changing the text up periodically and keeping the reader interested, and most importantly, reading.

As far as faults or problems this book has, there aren't too many. The language could be a problem for some, along with graphic sexual and violent encounters. Mansons also discusses Satanism a few times, but none of these are really problems with the book, but ultimately with the reader. If you can chew it, then I recommend you swallow it and not miss out on a great literary experience.

I picked up this book expecting exactly what I saw on the cover, Marilyn Manson. It made me think and it made me cringe, but it also made me laugh. A very in-depth, well written book, perfect for a man such as Manson. The Long Hard Road out of Hell shouldn't be ignored.

Look, I'm not a fan of hard rock. I'm 29 and I always hated the likes of Iron Maiden/Judas Priest/Ozzy. Before reading this book, one of the few things of Manson's I was familiar with was the (hilarious) promo he did with Ben Stiller for an MTV awards show. That and his (very disturbing and captivating) performance of "The Beautiful People" during the show. And his videos, I guess, which I always would think, "This is just shock rock shit, Jesus, this is disgusting and so totally marketed to acne-ridden morons who drink tall-boys"...but, you know something? for some reason, I'd never change the channel. So I knew he was smart, and he would ineviatably have some of the best "sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll" stories to tell. So I figured it would be a fun state-of-the-art "rock" book. Manson delivers exactly that, but not at all in the contexts I anticipated. The book begins with Manson detailing his adolescence: his pervert grandfather, his experiences in Catholic School, his first, awkward sexual encounters. Guess what? There's a good chance you'll be surprised by how familiar a lot of these situations seem, and how much you recognize them from your own youth. (sorry, grandpa) The book then goes on to discuss his transformation from wormish Brian Warner to big, bad Marilyn Manson. But here's the twist: he doesn't come off as some idiotic, megalomaniacal schmuck: he pulls off the neat trick of telling the tale with a sense of humility and humanity. There are moments here of genuine surpirse and compassion. And humor. I could go on and on, but the point is: read it. Whoever you are.

Well, not so much him as his image. Throughout the entire book I found myself covering many of the pictures and even avoiding viewing the cover.

That said, the book is incredible. Despite, for some odd reason, my innate--almost unconscious, and especially irrational--fear of his image, I found myself especially intrigued by many of his 'uncommon' experiences. He is an incredible, thoughtful writer, and though I had only casual interest in (or even knowledge of) him before, it was very cool to get a peek into his mind and thought process (and to gain an especial appreciation for his musical works with this knowledge). I often found myself agreeing, and perhaps even looking at things in a new way.

He lays his views out well, and sticks it to his (often hypocritical and just plain *wrong*) critics with justifiably pissed-off grace. And even through all the 'shocking' events throughout his long career he casually divulges and explains, there is a sense of true underlying morality. And though this is non-fiction, I did get a sort of sense of a 'happy ending'. Not in the cliche, sappy way of course, but as the book wraps up, after his self-reflection has examined and rehashed all the effed-up events of his earlier days, it seems as though there's a sort of change-for-the-better. An enlightenment that implies he's grown into a more mature person, and he's ultimately better than many of the things that he's been a part of.

Marilyn Manson is one of rock music's most controversial figures. His mannerisms, his beliefs, and the things he sings about are bound to stir up strong emotional feelings from different people. If you've ever wondered about the life experiences that created the modern- day Marilyn Manson, then this is the book for you.

Manson was born Brian Warner in Canton, Ohio, and his early years were spent doing typical boyish things. But the one experience Manson points out in this book that forever changed his life in a negative way was his attendance at Heritage Christian School. This "educational" private institution was run by staunch protestant fundamentalists and the administrators of the school were very strict, very brainwashing, and very intolerant. They told kids like young Brian Warner that, because he was a member of the Episcopal faith, he had no chance to get to heaven. This extremism led Warner to rebel, and he was never the same afterward.

Manson talks about all sorts of other personal life experiences that had an important impact on his life. A neighbor guy once tried to molest him and he and his cousin discovered one day that their grandfather had a secret stash of adult films and women's clothing. These experiences, and the constant demonization of sex at his school, led Manson to become obsessed with topics like sex and religion, and they are mentioned continuously in this book.

Besides his past (which keeps coming back to haunt him), Manson also spends time talking about his life as a rock and roller. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails is one of Manson's close confidants (the two had a falling out, but I think they are back to being friends again) and he has had personal relationships with other people and with plenty of women. He talks about living in Florida and the process that led to the formation of his band, showing the reader the long, hard road that must be plowed to reach the heights of the music world.

One thing I didn't like too much about this book was the drawings of the human body and the diagrams that identify the parts. Not because they are nasty or anything like that, but because I didn't think they added much to the book. Also, at some points, I found the writing to be a little creepy. Manson talks very bluntly about sex, drugs, religion, etc., so you need to be prepared to hear some outspoken language. Some will find it shocking, while others will find it weird but also fascinating.

Marilyn Manson is an unusual fellow for certain. But he is also an intelligent guy who offers some interesting perspectives on life. Many will not agree with everything he says, but some of his philosophical views will get you to think and re-think how you stand on these topics of controversy.

After Marilyn Manson's Antichrist Superstar record was released and his Dead to the World Tour came to a close. A large amount of people probably looked onto him as a dumb shock rocker and nothing more. This was his reaction to that. A book that a Manson fan or hater could indulge themselves into before they can decide to rag on him or not; to see the world through his eyes. I picked this up after becoming addicted to his music, and I must say this only draws me to him even more. If you plan to get his Antichrist Superstar record or anything prior to that, then this is a great companion. I bought this sometime soon after purchasing Antichrist, and I must say it certainly puts more things into perspective. It definitely helps if you want to understand the meanings behind the songs as well as the man and band themselves. I could not put this book down, I spent all the free time I had reading it (which is not much) and read it in 9 days. I have read it a second time since then, something I rarely ever do with books and yes, I do plan to read it a third time. Heck I lost it and bought it again it was so good.

One thing that I found to be interesting is that because it was written during the antichrist Superstar Era, it has 16 chapters or sections, where as the record also had 16 songs. Both are also divided up into 3 parts. There are too many parts here to select as my favorite. And as many other people have said, there are also a handful of parts that may "stick to your ribs". So that's a warning to squeamish people, or maybe that was the point in the first place. The Long Hard Road out of Hell chronicles Manson's Birth, (which is quite funny to see him as a kid in the pictures with KISS style face paint) up until 1997 during his Dead to the world tour. If you ever had any questions about Manson they will most likely be answered in this book. It will also put aside all those silly dirty rumors you have heard about him.

It leaves us off in 1997, it covers the albums Portrait of an American Family, Smells Like Children and Antichrist Superstar. It's been roughly 8 years and 5 albums since then and I feel a sequel is in order. I feel Manson did try and continue his work as an Author with the Holy wood Novel, but he felt it would be way too censored and thus never released it. If he were to make another autobiography, there might be too much time needed to fill in. Awe well, enough with my ramblings. If you are still not convinced to buy this masterpiece, then read some more reviews, and then come back to mine and see what you think. I hoped this helped either way.

I recently gave in to my inner Marilyn Manson fascination less than two weeks ago. Before then, I would pick up his CDs and just stare at the covers mesmerized either in fear or curiousity or a mixture of both. When his autobiography came out, I did the same. I would pick it up and read snippets until my parents or sister came by, then I would put it down and runaway from it. Two weeks ago my father and I were at a bookstore and while he was elsewhere in the store, I picked it up and began reading it.

The next week I had him take me back to the bookstore and I bought it- at that point I didn't care who saw me! I am usually a slow reader but I finished this book in two days. I couldn't put it down! Manson's chapter about the teen dabbler was funny and relatable. Even though I am a girl, I was able to identify with what he thought, felt, and experienced at that time in his life. Marilyn Manson portrays himself as the loser that he was- and that is something that makes him so popular among teenagers. They are able to relate to him. He's a real person with many flaws, especially in his teenage years.

The only thing I didn't like is that sometimes he wasn't clear at what point in his life a certain event was occuring. That's the only reason why I gave this book 4 instead of 5 stars!! I recommend this book to everyone!! It gives an insight into the wonderful, wacky world of Marilyn Manson and in a way our own worlds. This is a fun, easy, and entertaining read. If I were you I would stop reading this review get it immediately!!!!!!!!

"The less people understand you the more intelligent they think you are" muses Marilyn. In a catch 22 kind of way the understanding of Brian Warner I've gained from this book supports his claim.
I at least think he's less compassionate than I previously did, if not less intelligent. He talks seriously about planning to murder an unstable girl who was harassing him after he led her on then dumped her and kicked her out of the band, plans he was only scared off completing because a homeless man started following him and his accomplice while they were on their way to do the deed and after failing to lose him a cop car happened to pass by.
Learning about some of the experiences that inspired his lyrics and performance I can look at them and say yeah that's a good way of expressing that, but previously it was hard to see much meaning in anything he wrote or did. Yet he claims that conservatives were trying to silence him because of what he was saying. Dude, people liked you or disliked you based on image, no one knew you were saying anything.
His comraderie with Anton Lavey, who is portrayed (presumably unintentionally) as a fortune-telling conman, illuminates Manson's worst trait, his willingness to see only the worst in his conservative christian detractors, seeking to villify rather than enlighten them, denying their humanity in the same way they do his.
He also subscribes to a "contempt for the weak" ideology typically expressed by white supremecists, involving disgust for sluts and drug addicts, and advocates the death penalty for shoplifters "because if you're stupid enough to get caught you deserve to die."
His jaded attitude to "sex, drugs and rock n roll" culture inspires some repellant descriptions that could probably do a better job of turning kids off it than any parental warnings or PSAs.
The commitment he maintained to his artistic vision in the face of difficulty in getting his short stories and poetry published, finding people committed to his musical endeavors, and in-band politics is inspiring.
At it's core the book is about how he felt and as an overview of his most emotionally significant moments I don't think he's holding anything back.