I appreciate Dianne telling her story - even though it is a horrifying story. With “Helter Skelter” being the most popular book about the Manson Family, this gives more insight on the beginnings and the “behind the scenes” of Family life, and how these supposedly “ordinary middle class kids” came to give up their lives that lead up to the final days of terror in LA. The 60’s were indeed a strange time - trying to understand that in itself is a journey now in 2019.

Couldn’t wait to pick it up and read every day! Very informative but also very sad!!

As a person whose read much regarding Charles Manson and his Family, this read was unlike all others, told from the perspective of one who lived it from the inside without an agenda. Dianne Lake is someone I’d jump at the chance to meet and be proud to know and call a friend. It’d be easy to assume each and every Manson Family member to be evil and wicked by nature, but the truth in all our lives is that there’s alway much more to the story. Dianne’s story is an important story. Told with honesty, great insight and hindsight that brings you there to that dark chapter in American history with unflinching detail. Dianne is more brave and strong than most of us will ever have to be and this is a must read for those who seek the truth, one persons truth of a world long past that left an indelible mark.

I found parts of this book very moving. I am only a couple of years younger than Dianne and the book made me think about how but for the grace of God this could have been a lot of teens back then. There are questions I have that I wish would have been addressed. One was why did Charles pick Sadie, Pat and Leslie rather than some of the other girls, especially Leslie since she was fairly new to the family? I am glad Dianne included pics at the end!