Customer Reviews

Tex Watson: The Man, the Madness, the Manipulation

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1 star:		(4)

 

 

Before you buy this book you should ask yourself if bad writing bugs you. The book is filled with bizarre comments and exclamation marks. Nelson caps his points with single word sentences that just get obnoxious after a while. (Manipulation! Death! Murder!) His agenda is clear from the get-go. I don't disagree with his main point, that Charles Watson did things so horrible that he should never rejoin society. But Nelson seems to find support for that in some places where it just doesn't exist. It all comes off like it wants to be overwrought pulp fiction, but most of the meat is direct trial transcripts that are like all actual trial transcripts: boring. Long strings of yes/no questions, tons of interruptions, and relentless driving home of points that were probably important, but they're boring as hell to the reader. This isn't to say there aren't interesting sections, but you will have to learn to ignore his silly style if you want to read this. There's also a lot of "the one true God" and "he went to church so why did this happen" naivete. Still, if you've read everything you can find on Manson you should probably read it for the very few nuggets you'll find.

I thought Bill Nelson was busy trying to connect Bruce Davis to the Zodiac Crimes... Nelson you are a Moron. Even when your premise might even be solid, you still blur facts and have a very loose grip on reality

Ok. I don't believe that.

What can I say about this book -- it is a trashy, cheaply produced book loaded with sensational, trashy information about a sensational, horrifying topic. I couldn't put it down.

I appreciated the pages and pages of courtroom testimony that appear in this book. I'm no expert on Manson, so I really enjoyed these sections.

Over 25 pages of photographs.

I couldn't put it down.

And, sure, the author has a point of view about Watson. Here's what the back cover blurb...

"Tex Watson has a non-profit ministry while in prison for the murder of seven people. He has fathered three children through conjugal visits. He has a cult-like following across the nation. He wants to be released from his life sentence in prison. He sends his wife Kristin out to give "a greeting" at local churches. He even has the daughter of one of his victims speaking out demanding his release. Tex Watson wants to be a televangelist. This investigation reveals the real Tex Watson. Lieutenant of murder for Charles Manson. Has he really changed? You decide."

I would never reccomend this book to anyone. Nelson had no business selling a book so sloppily put together. Aside from numerous misspellings, he gave inaccurate information and had the audacity to claim it as fact. Nelson also used this book as a forum to make petty and childish comments about Watson's family, home town, and the Watson family business. Anyone who knows anything about the Manson case will find this book laughable, at best. For the few who know little about the Manson case, this book would be very misleading. Nelson apparently wrote this book to humiliate anyone who has ever known Charles Watson. What he accomplishes, however is making a total fool of himself.

Some of us have a 'morbid curiosity' that makes fictional murder mystery and true crime books consistant best sellers, but this goes beyond that. It's disgusting. It's repulsive. It's sickening down to the core. It's not really a book for entertaining reading, it's excellent study material for a criminal psychologist's research into the mind of a bloodthirsty killer. And a primary relation is the use of religion for Watson to absolve himself. There are many examples of such heresy, Mark David Chapman and Son of Sam to name only two. Watson's 'ministry' isn't for the benefit of those he destroyed, it's for himself. Repent and ye are saved. Your place in heaven is now secured. Heaven will excuse your atrocities. Our law says you will spend your life in prison, but not God's law. Not Manson's law either. Ye shall be released! Watson thought Manson was the embodiment of Jesus, so perhaps his concept is no different now than it was then. Maybe he thinks he is clever at replacing Charleyanity with Christianity. Personally, I think a jail cell in Death Valley would be most appropriate. It would help adjust Watson's body to the intense heat he will experience when he dies, which hopefully will be soon. And since Watson is an alleged Christian (Charleyan?) he should be aware of Judgement Day. When it comes, his self-pity will be thrown out of God's court. He will get exactly what he deserves. If you are a criminal psychologist or studying to become one, this might be worth reading. If not, don't insult the value of life in buying it.