I wouldn't look for scapegoats in his staff or other people. this is what it is. and I resonate with your thoughts, moreover because I am an author myself. critical reviews, good and bad, are important and hater reviews are easily identifiable and much different from a critical one.
I also read that book and I agree with some arguments presented by Manson; on the other hand, a lot of what's written is ludacris, nothing new but a form of revisited/rewritten concepts from very popular past books - case in point: read Carnegie's popular How to Stop Worrying and Start Living...and I dont see Manson paying any tribute...
I second endorse Dale Carnegie's books.
I also recommend Napoleon Hill's books (Think and Grow Rich)
They are basically the well spring of almost everything that came after.
But hey, all works are derivative. We are all a collection of what we read and our experiences.
Thanks. That is interesting. I am not aware of the Carnegie book, I will need to check it out.
weird, a true classic. many of the popular modern books are regurgitations of classics. and yes, I am deliberately biased here, especially because things like this that happened to you.