In this poignant and disturbing memoir of lost innocence, coercion, survival, and healing, Dianne Lake chronicles her years with Charles Manson, revealing for the first time how she became the youngest member of his Family and offering new insights into one of the twentieth century’s most notorious criminals and life as one of his “girls.”At age fourteen Dianne Lake—with little more than a note … Lake—with little more than a note in her pocket from her hippie parents granting her permission to leave them—became one of “Charlie’s girls,” a devoted acolyte of cult leader Charles Manson. Over the course of two years, the impressionable teenager endured manipulation, psychological control, and physical abuse as the harsh realities and looming darkness of Charles Manson’s true nature revealed itself. From Spahn ranch and the group acid trips, to the Beatles’ White Album and Manson’s dangerous messiah-complex, Dianne tells the riveting story of the group’s descent into madness as she lived it.
Though she never participated in any of the group’s gruesome crimes and was purposely insulated from them, Dianne was arrested with the rest of the Manson Family, and eventually learned enough to join the prosecution’s case against them. With the help of good Samaritans, including the cop who first arrested her and later adopted her, the courageous young woman eventually found redemption and grew up to lead an ordinary life.
While much has been written about Charles Manson, this riveting account from an actual Family member is a chilling portrait that recreates in vivid detail one of the most horrifying and fascinating chapters in modern American history.
Member of the Family includes 16 pages of photographs.
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I began this book and almost quit reading it about 1/4 the way through. It was so upsetting and tragic that a young 14 year old girl would have to go through what Dianne did. I am glad that I finished it. Her strength and tenacity to not just survive but to come through it and to thrive is a miracle. It is a tough read, but Dianne is to be congratulated on her strength to even write this book.
What she went thru with her parents then the Mason is terrible. The system should be ashamed at how it failed her.
This book is a good read for anyone who wonders how someone could have gotten involved with this madman. It reads very honestly, warts and all, without being sensationalized. I applaud the author for sharing this with us all.
Charles Manson and his “family” from the view of a 14 year old girl who was a member. What amazed me was her real family knew she was with them. It was the 60’s!
There is something about mind control that is utterly fascinating to me, which is why I’ve always been intrigued by Charles Manson and the Manson Family. Cults in general have always been a repulsion to many, which also makes them alluring, many of us trying to answer the why’s and how’s. How do these cult leaders become so powerful in the first place and why do they do what they do when they have that power and control?
Member of the Family is Dianne Lake’s life story, mainly focused on her youth and time with the Manson Family. Also known as “Snake,” Dianne was the youngest member of Charlie’s inner circle in the Family and was there when the Tate-LaBianca murders took place. Though she wasn’t present during the actual murders, Dianne was a witness to the planning and gruesome details from the ones that were there and did take part, and was a key witness in the trails that put Charles Manson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, Leslie van Houten, and Charles “Tex” Watson away for the rest of their lives.
The novel starts at the beginning of Dianne’s life, including painful childhood experiences, and the transition her family took from being a normal suburban family, to “drop out” of normal society and join the hippie movement, living out of a bread truck in California. It is during this time, at the age of fourteen, that Dianne’s parents relinquish their parental rights and Dianne is on her own, moving from commune to commune, until she meets Charles Manson and immediately becomes apart of the Family.
Dianne does not shy away from details about her experiences with drugs, particularly LSD, and sexual encounters, including group sex with multiple partners and Charlie himself. There is also details about daily life, taking care of the children in the group, dumpster diving for food, and life in general in the hippie culture. Some of it was incredibly hard to read but luckily the details were just graphic enough to get the point across.
As I’m reading, and the story is drawing closer and closer to August 1969, I’m wondering what Dianne’s particular role was in the murders, since I haven’t read or seen too much about her in the past, and I found out that she was as close as you can be without actually witnessing the murders being committed. Dianne tells about the girls (Susan, Leslie, and Pat) being giddy, bragging about the murders and getting a taste for blood, so to speak. I had always been under the impression that the murders were committed out of obligation and obedience to Charlie and that there was no joy in the fulfillment but I was clearly wrong, and that sickens me to my core. How can a person find pleasure in doing something so heinous? That right there is evil in the purest form but evil personified will forever lie with Charles Manson.
I hate how Dianne was treated by Charlie in the final months both before and after the crimes were committed and how the Family as a whole went from being a peaceful hippie collective to paranoid murderers in training. I am so thankful that Dianne was able to escape that life and move past it all to live a normal and happy life. I spent a lot of time angry while reading her narrative, knowing Dianne wouldn’t have went through all she did if it weren’t for her selfish father, and hope that in writing her story that she was able to put a lot of feelings to rest.
I truly felt Dianne on these pages, that little girl that didn’t truly understand the why’s of everything that happened, and this was evident up until the very end. Though not eloquently written, it was raw, real, and 100% authentic, gripping your mind and imagination. I can’t say that I enjoyed reading this novel, due to the material it entails, but I did find it utterly engrossing and commend Dianne for having the courage to finally tell her story.
If any one really wants to know the true story of Manson weather you have no feelings for what he was or just to see how people get into this kind of clan this writer who tells her story is a must to read. Once you really get into it it was hard to put it down
Learned many details about this colorful group.
Very interesting account by an actual family member.
I lived in the area at the time and I remember seeing them at the Spahn Ranch and in Box Canyon.
A fascinating look back to an era I grew up in and had largely put out of my mind. What a courageous woman! Thank you, for sharing your story with the world.
It started out interesting but started being a little redundant toward the middle. I could not finish the book.
A very good read. The Manson family from within -fascinating!
The book was informative in describing the kinds of young people who were drawn into the Manson tribe and the ways they were recruited and made to feel a part of a family. The movement to the final tragedy unfolded step by step and made me wonder what people and/or events might have been able to change it.
This story is both tragic and fascinating.
Very informative
Good book.
I learned much about Manson and his family that was new to me.
Good insight into the Manson family from an insider. Sad but a good ending.
Well worth reading in order to understand better how the Manson family worked and how someone could get caught up in it.
Engaging and sometimes difficult honesty to read. Glad she turned out just fine.