Biography: religious and spiritual Books

Book SynopsisWilliam G. Gray was a real magician, a kind of primeval spirit who worked his magic as an extension of the Life Force, not as a sop to ego. He reeked of psychism like he often reeked of incense, could give you the uncomfortable feeling that he could see right through you and beyond, and had been to places in spirit that we could scarcely imagine. Many of the books on magic and the Qabalah which appear today owe a huge if unrecognised debt to his pioneering writing. If there is anything evolutionary about the current urge to work with harmonic energies within the Earth and ourselves - whether through green eco-movements, the Celtic Revival or the Wiccan arts - then it is due in no small degree to the work that was done by an old bastard who lived near the bus station in a town in Gloucestershire. Bill Gray met and worked with many of the most important figures in the British esoteric scene. His boyhood meetings with Dion Fortune and Aleister Crowley are described here in his own words, along with his personal recollections of working magic with Pat Crowther, Doreen Valiente, Ronald Heaver, Robert Cochrane and many others. This lively, entertaining and authoritative biography tells the story of how a difficult, psychic child grew into a powerful adept who challenged established and stagnating traditions within paganism, magic and Qabalah alike, and revitalised them from within - often falling out with those he worked with but maintaining their affection and respect. Generously illustrated with photographs, many never published before, the book also includes contributions by R.J. Stewart, Gareth Knight, Evan John Jones, Marcia Pickands and Jacobus Swart, plus, of course, W.G. Gray himself.

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Book SynopsisWilliam Sharp (1855-1905) was a prolific writer; friend and confidant to the literati of the day; an active member of the occult world of the late Victorian period; and a man who spent his life cloaked in layers of secrets - the most important being that he was the pen behind the writings of the mysterious Fiona Macleod. He kept her true identity a closely guarded secret. Many famous people - W.B. Yeats, "AE", MacGregor Mathers, Dante Gabriel Rossetti - were involved in Sharp's short life; he was a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and Yeats' secret Celtic Mystical Order; and he and Fiona Macleod were involved with the mysterious Dr. Goodchild whose ancient bowl was proclaimed by many to be the Holy Grail. But the enduring legacy of these two fascinating writers is the wealth of Faery magical lore contained in the writings of Fiona Macleod. For the first time this book reveals previously unknown secrets from the life of William Sharp and shows clearly how to recover the Faery lore contained in Fiona Macleod's literary output. These writings are not only about the Realm of Faery, they are the first authentic first-hand accounts from the Realm of Faery, revealing previously unknown Faery gods and goddesses, Faery belief, lore and magic. The Little Book of the Great Enchantment adds significantly to the corpus of serious writings on this greatly misunderstood subject.

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Book SynopsisDavid Miscavige, the Church of Scientology's current leader and successor to founder L. Ron Hubbard, hasn't always ruled with a dictator's iron fist - nor was Scientology even part of his destiny. It was his father, Ron Miscavige, who signed his family up, and David bought in totally, even as a boy. Years later, Ron could only watch with dismay as his bright, carefree son transformed into the ruthless leader he is today. Ruthless is David's story told by the person who knows him best - his father. Ron traces the arc of David's life from his early years to David's eventual, stellar rise to power in Scientology; his brutal approach to running the organization today; and the disastrous effects that his leadership has had on countless numbers of Scientologists and their families.

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Book SynopsisLouise Omer was a Pentecostal preacher and faithful wife. But when her marriage crumbled, so did her beliefs. Haunted by questions about what it means to be female in religion that worships a male God, she left behind a church and home to ask women around the world: how can we exist in a patriarchal religion? And can a woman be holy? With less than £300 in her pocket and the conviction that she was following a divine path, Louise began a pilgrimage that has taken her to Mexican basilicas, Swedish cathedrals, Bulgarian mountains, and Moroccan mosques. Holy Woman combines travel writing, feminist theology, and confessional memoir to interrogate modern religion and give a raw and personal exploration of spiritual life under patriarchy.Trade Review‘Omer leads by example, showing us how to re-imagine heroism, grace, and redemption — above all, in our own lives. A vital story, so powerfully written.’ -- Sarah Krasnostein, author of The Trauma Cleaner and The Believer‘Holy Woman is a delight. Raw, honest, and probing, at times furious, Omer’s journey toward the feminine divine is one that both entertains and inspires.’ -- Monica Dux, author of Lapsed‘Her writing is riveting and genuinely insightful … Her descriptions of herself as a teenager who fell into religion as both a way to feel normal and to feel exceptional, and, most stunningly, the intricacies of her marriage, are astoundingly good passages.’ -- Lucy Sweeney Byrne * The Irish Times *‘What could have been an Eat Pray Love–style travelogue is satisfyingly furious (and beautifully written), as Omer realises the error in her premise: monotheistic religions are inherently patriarchal and will never be feminist in practice. The interesting, intelligent women Omer meets interpret scripture to carve out spaces for themselves — but always in the face of great opposition and threat.’ * The Guardian *‘Holy Woman is an accomplished work of narrative nonfiction that does what the best memoirs should, in using personal experience and reflection as a springboard for an in-depth interrogation of society and culture. It’s an intelligent and fiercely felt piece of writing that urges readers to think deeply, and to find their own ways to be holy, whatever that might look like.’ -- Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen * The Sydney Morning Herald *‘Beautifully written, honest, and wise, Holy Woman is a search for meaning — and a very personal feminist reckoning with spirituality and self.’ -- Cheryl Akle * The Weekend Australian *‘[Holy Woman is] written with forthright intelligence and gut-wrenching honesty.’ -- Bob Moore * Good Reading Magazine *‘Holy Woman is an intriguing combination of memoir, travel writing, history, and feminist theology. An interesting and thought-provoking book.’ -- Jeff Popple * Canberra Weekly *‘An intercontinental search for the Goddess and for the roots of male-centric faith systems, as well as hard-won insights into the life Omer had previously accepted, but no longer will … Holy Woman is similar in genre to Eat Pray Love and readers of Elizabeth Gilbert will enjoy Omer’s personal story, in particular its funny personal vignettes … Holy Woman will challenge assumptions about religion and faith and the culture we accept. Perhaps for some, as it did for me, it will solidify their doubts.’ -- Rebecca Whitehead * Books+Publishing *‘[Holy Woman] cleverly weaves between past and present … Omer has some exquisite turns of phrase, and a skillful handling of syntax, both of which elevate her prose … At its heart, Omer’s memoir is a “feminist confrontation of patriarchal religion”. It is also, in part, a handbook for people who might feel dissatisfied with traditional religious structures … [but even] for readers who are not religious, Holy Woman remains a fruitful read.’ -- Ellie Fisher * ArtsHub *‘Omer is a sensitive investigator, at every turn unflinchingly honest, aware of her privilege and particular world view. Combining travel writing, biography, and cultural critique, Holy Woman is a fascinating call to arms for everyone to question the role of patriarchal religions in male supremacy.’ -- Kara Nicholson * Readings *‘Omer is a keen observer and her writing is meticulously descriptive … [where she] particularly excels is in analysing how symbols, rituals, and language are used to condition belief and fortify power structures. As she reiterates throughout the book, when the language and images used to denote divine perfection are exclusively male, men see their identities represented and affirmed in a way no one else can. Omer concludes not with a single, definitive solution, but with an invitation to reclaim rituals and rethink conventions, and above all to keep asking difficult questions.’ -- Megan Koch * InDaily *‘Few authors will strip themselves bare (literally and metaphorically) in the primal and honest way Omer does in this work. Holy Woman is an intense read, and yet one which (like Omer’s God) never asks more of the reader than she is able to handle … The humility with which Omer approaches her search never tips into either self-pity or an inverted ego-trip. And above all, Omer is simply a beautiful, beautiful, writer. She crafts sentences, paragraphs, and observations that sometimes take the breath away … This is a spiritual book which goes beyond the strictly religious to tap into an essence in all of us. It is an outstanding work of memoir, self-discovery, and feminist inquiry.’ -- Tracey Korsten * Glam Adelaide *‘Louise Omer’s Holy Woman is an earnest memoir based around informal pilgrimages to meet women faith leaders in search of a spirituality free of men’s domination … Pairing an insider’s perspective on religion with a seeker’s curiosity, Holy Woman is both a personal story and a feminist theology taster.’ * Foreword Reviews *‘Emotionally raw … [Holy Woman] is a novelistic, blow-by-blow account of peeling off the layers of self-loathing, as well as a search for a more feminine side of religion.’ -- Nick Mattiske * Insights *

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