Dark Star Rising - by Gary Lachman (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Within the concentric circles of Trump's regime lies an unseen culture of occultists, power-seekers, and mind-magicians whose influence is on the rise. In this unparalleled account, historian Gary Lachman examines the influence of occult and esoteric philosophy on the unexpected rise of the alt-right.

Did positive thinking and mental science help put Donald Trump in the White House? And are there any other hidden powers of the mind and thought at work in today's world politics? In Dark Star Rising: Magick and Power in the Age of Trump, historian and cultural critic Gary Lachman takes a close look at the various magical and esoteric ideas that are impacting political events across the globe. From New Thought and Chaos Magick to the far-right esotericism of Julius Evola and the Traditionalists, Lachman follows a trail of mystic clues that involve, among others, Norman Vincent Peale, domineering gurus and demagogues, Ayn Rand, Pepe the Frog, Rene Schwaller de Lubicz, synarchy, the Alt-Right, meme magic, and Vladimir Putin and his postmodern Rasputin. Come take a drop down the rabbit hole of occult politics in the twenty-first century and find out the post-truths and alternative facts surrounding the 45th President of the United States with one of the leading writers on esotericism and its influence on modern culture.

Review Quotes

PRAISE FOR BEYOND THE ROBOT

"An enthralling account of the life and work of Colin Wilson, the often controversial writer who explored the nature of human consciousness in dozens of books ... Lachman writes about philosophical and mystical ideas with exceptional grace, forcefulness and clarity."
--Michael Dirda, The Washington Post

"Colin Wilson came to a sudden and unparalleled celebrity with his first book, The Outsider, in 1956, and after that was strenuously ignored by every respectable critic. So much for respectability. Gary Lachman has written an intellectual biography of a writer who might be called the only optimistic existentialist, and done him justice. Wilson was always far better and more interesting than fashionable opinion claimed, and in Lachman he has found a biographer who can respond to the whole range of his work with sympathy and understanding, in a style which, like Wilson's own, is always immensely readable. I enjoyed Beyond the Robotvery much."
--Philip Pullman

"Without question, the definitive guide to the life and ideas of one of the most stimulating writers of our time. Highly recommended."
--David Fideler, author of Restoring the Soul of the World

"Gary Lachman makes ideas thrilling."
--Ptolemy Tompkins, author of Paradise Fever

"In Beyond the Robot: The Life and Work of Colin Wilson, author Gary Lachman has done us a great service in illumining what an original and inspired thinker Wilson was. In the process of doing so, the question arose in my mind as reader: Is Lachman himself stepping into becoming the modern-day Colin Wilson? This is one of those rare books that I read cover to cover, not wanting to miss a word. I simply loved it!"
--Paul Levy, author of Dispelling Wetiko: Breaking the Curse of Evil

PRAISE FOR ALEISTER CROWLEY

"Clocking in at 394 pages jam-packed with in-depth information, factoids, anecdotes and insights from the first sentence to the last. A historical biography through and through, Lachman's book is meticulously researched and it is quite easy to believe that the author, like a professor well-versed in their subject, could analyze and extrapolate at much greater lengths. The oft touted declaration of Crowley as the Wickedest Man in the World, may well have been overblown in it's own time, but he's certainly not an individual with whom it is easy to empathize. As detestable as he is, there is an undeniable fascination in his exploits, and Lachman seems the perfect man to deliver them."
--The Examiner

"Gary Lachman has become an increasingly prolific engine of literate, well-written, and clear-headed books about esoteric history and 'occulture.' "
--Erik Davis, author of TechGnosis

"Thinking outside the box, Lachman challenges many contemporary theories by reinserting a sense of the spiritual back into the discussion."
--Leonard Shlain, author of Art & Physics and Alphabet versus the Goddess

About the Author

Gary Lachman is the author of many books on consciousness, culture, and the Western esoteric tradition, including The Secret Teachers of the Western World; Beyond the Robot: The Life and Work of Colin Wilson; Rudolf Steiner: An Introduction to His Life and Work; In Search of P. D. Ouspensky; A Secret History of Consciousness; Politics and the Occult; and The Quest for Hermes Trismegistus. He writes for several journals in the US and UK and lectures on his work in the US, UK, and Europe. His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and he has appeared in several radio and television documentaries. He is assistant professor in Transformative Studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies. A founding member of the rock group Blondie, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. He can be reached at GaryLachman.co.uk