for better or worse, charlie manson represented a lot about the late 1960s. the culture at the time, the things people wanted to talk about, the things people got obsessed with. so i wrote a book about manson, but it's really about the late 1960s. everyone in you named is represented a certain era in america. what people were doing, thinking, believing at thewhat , thinking, and believing at the time. >> regardless of your topics, and tell me if i am wrong. i find in your writing you treat your subjects and topics with respect. maybe respect is not the right word. but, that is what struck me. jeff: thank you for saying that. i think the worst thing you can do if you want to write a book about some aspect of history is to go into it thinking you already know everything you need to know about it. it and you have already formed opinions about everything you will write about that are unshakable. people that take that approach are really only telling readers what happened. some dates, some names. i think it is important to try to learn how things happened and why t

charlie manson provided that. nixon got into hot water it's obvious the man is guilty. why is the news media glorifying him? that gave manson thes chance to say the jury has been prejudiced. the president said this we need a mistrial, he did not get that. student rebels all thought bernadette dorn and some of those had their gesture like lithis. these are the times of the fork but if you wanted to bring manson was like you could believe that. when actively proof this hippyu scum was not only disgusting but dangerous, he could be that. if you wanted the great grizzly true crime mystery with sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll, entertainment you could have that. silt manson fit so well into that time. every headline was sensationalistic in some way. the need for something to believe in in all different categories of belief could see and them what they wanted. that's the fascination for the 1960s and charlie manson. someone like him could mean so many things to so many different people. stuart cornelius in alexandria you are on with author jeff glenn. >> alert jeff and peter. god ble

charlie manson provided that. nixon got into hot water because he said in a news conference it's obvious the man is guilty. why is the news media glorifying him and of course that gave manson the chance to say the president said this. we need a mistrial. he didn't get that. student rebels all thought that manson was great. bernadette and some of those had their gesture like this. if you wanted to believe that manson was like che guevara you couldd believe that and if you wanted to believe that it wasn't only disgusting but dangerous, ahe could be that. if you wanted a great grizzly true crime history with sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, entertainment, you could have that. so, manson fit so well into that time when every headline anywhere was sensationalistic in some way that he served the nation's need for something to believe in and all different categoriest of belief could see in them what they wanted. that's the fascination of the 1960s in charlie manson that we were at a time and place where someone like him coul

it all made perfect sense to charlie manson. >> coming up. >> manson's unshakable hold on his family.looks, beautiful he looks happy. describes a lot of people. >> the possible motive behind the murders. >> charlie would be king of the world. >> that is crazy. top >> it wasn't to us. >> when dateline continues. pantene's pro-vitamin formula repairs hair. as well as the leading luxury bonding treatment. for softness and resilience, without the price tag. if you know... you know it's pantene. october, 1969. after two months of false leads in the tate and labianca murders. suddenly there was news. >> police got their break in the tate case when this girl, susan atkins, a member of manson's family was arrested in another los angeles murder. and talk to her cellmate about the murders. >> that -- to a hippie called, the family! and there merry leader, charles manson. >> he dances, he sings, he looks beautiful, he looks happy. and this draws a lot of people in. just like people are drawn to little babies. >> they looked like all the other hippies hanging out around l. a.. >> hippies at this