The Morning of the Magicians
by Louis Pawels & Jacques Bergier © 2009
Destiny
ISBN: 978-1-59477-231-1
480 pages
Paperback
$18.95 (U.S.)
Reviewed by: Mike Gleason
I must say at the outset that I was a bit disappointed with this reissue of a classic in the field of “Ancient Mysteries.” It was first published in France in 1960, and I was hoping that there would have been some revisions and updating done. This was not the case. It is a simple reissue of the original English translation.
This does not mean that it lacks value. There are obvious incongruities in this book, viewed through the lens of past events. Given the progress (???) that has been made in nearly half a century – politically, scientifically and culturally – there are obviously dated references which some younger readers may not understand. At the time this work was produced the Cold War was in full swing, the “Summer of Love” was unimagined and nuclear energy was only a dream (although nuclear weapons were already a nightmare).
Much of the information in this book is severely dated, as is to be expected after nearly half a century, but by the same token, much of it is still relevant. It follows in the footsteps of Charles Fort (Book of the Damned) and lays the ground work for Douglas Kenyon’s “Forbidden” series of books (Forbidden History, Forbidden Religion, and Forbidden Science) which draw attention to those events, beliefs, and phenomena which are routinely dismissed by “the authorities” as being mere anomalies, and therefore unimportant.
As an example of how our knowledge has expanded, the authors write concerning a secret Order unknown to the specialists – The Golden Dawn. They say that the Golden Dawn had one member (Florence Farr), while we now know that there were others (Dion Fortune, Anne Horniman, and Moina Mathers among others).
On the other side of the coin, they write from personal experience when dealing with the horrors of the Second World War, and the apparent motivations of some of the major players. This lends a sense of, if not urgency, validity to their observations.
Their speculations regarding man’s progress were perhaps a bit optimistic (or maybe we just aren’t aware of some of the research which has been undertaken and which continues within undisclosed locations). Their stated purpose in making these speculations public was to encourage research, and I am sure that many of their lines of investigation have been pursued, even if the “man on the street” isn’t aware of such investigations.
While I was hoping for more current data, this is a book which I recommend for two very important reasons. First, because it brings to the attention of the average reader information which has probably not bee seen before. And, second, because it is sure to inspire at least some readers to go further, and learn more about the anomalies in our world and how they affect the world in which we live.