Praise

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



