What I found gratifying in this review was that finally, the lunacies about connections between The Process, Charles Manson and the totally crazy Son of Sam killer David Berkowitz are finally fading out of the picture. The book itself is too harshly candid about the group’s real failings and limitations to come across like a whitewash, and people who’ve been exposed to the original members at events such as this one are recognising that.
It’s been a long road to this point. Had The Process and its successor groups, The Foundation Faith and the Best Friends Animal Society been up-front about all this years ago, the dark shadows would have been dispersed and dismissed. But that didn’t happen until now; and pouring out years-old pain, gratitude, wonderment and anger was still too hard for some of the people who were approached to contribute.
Anyone who did write for the book feels a corner has been turned. If you’re at one of the cities where more Sabbath Assembly reconstructions are being held you can share in that. The details are on the Feral House website, adjacent to the info on the book.