http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Occult-Twenty-Research-Paranormal/dp/1905857837
Beyond the Occult: Twenty Years' Research into the Paranormal Paperback – January 1, 1999
by Colin Wilson - Author
Colin Wilson has explored the paranormal universe ever since he researched his first highly successful work, The Occult: “the most interesting, informative and thought-provoking book on the subject.”* Now, 20 years later, he offers an even wider examination of the mystical and paranormal. And what he has produced is amazing—a thoroughly convincing general theory of the occult. Wilson powerfully posits that our so-called “normal” experience may in fact be subnormal, and that evolution has brought us near the edge of a quantum leap into a hugely expanded human consciousness. Combining fascinating glimpses into the paranormal world with the latest scientific thinking on the nature of “physical reality,” he reveals the usually unseen powers of the human mind and discusses why he has become convinced that disembodied spirits do exist.
This book is a sequel to Wilson's cornerstone work, The Occult, and continues the author's investigation into the world of the supernatural and unexplained. What is so delightful about Wilson is his breezy, yet intelligent style. It was so easy to read this book...never found myself getting bored (and it's a big book) and certainly found myself reading well past my bed time (I mean I'm in my forties, but I do have to get to work the next day and I need my sleep!). While there is a little overlap with The Occult, Beyond the Occult nonetheless stands on it's own as a superb overview of just how interesting our world really is. I love science. Have read dozens of books in that discipline over the years, but I do also love books that are philosophical and question the nature of our existence. Colin Wilson never preaches, he just gives us concise powerful histories and allows our imaginations to soar. I did like The Occult just a tad bit better but that might have been because it was the first Colin Wilson book I read. That being said, this is book works both as a sequel and a stand alone. Terrific fun! Plus, I felt like I was given an immense education of the arcane and the unexplained. Since I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first book in this series, I was really looking forward to reading `Beyond the Occult'. I wasn't disappointed... it was, again, well written and interesting: hopefully it will also get you thinking about occult subjects in a different light and understanding their common thread.
After reading this book I feel that Colin Wilson does an excellent job in examining `topics that are beyond the realm of our current comprehension'.
Colin Wilson has written a wide variety of titles and is one of the most prolific, versatile and popular writers at work today. Books on subjects such as philosophy, the occult (obviously!), crime and sexual deviance as well as many novels have been written. After he had spent years working in various industries his first book The Outsider was published in 1956. It became an immediate bestseller. Wilson's work has been translated into many languages.
To give you an idea of the breadth of `Beyond the Occult', some of the chapter titles are: Mediums and Mystics, Memories of the Future, Minds without Bodies?, The Truth about Magic, Visions, and plus many more. There is an enormous amount of information covered in this book that will interest anyone with even the smallest interest in the unusual.
Considering the breadth and depth of the topic that Wilson covers in this title, I think he has done an exceptional job of weaving in many differing fields and subjects in a cohesive way. The end result is a finely crafted theory that has been well thought out and researched in depth. Once again, the author has done an exceptional job in bringing together the many different fields under the umbrella of `the occult' successfully, and helping the reader to understand the similarities that bring these together: rather than the differences that set them apart.
The Occult is a title that will appeal to the reader who is even remotely interested in the mysteries of life. Whether you intend to purchase it for yourself or as a gift it is sure to please the reader who is looking for a very thorough investigation of the supernatural aspects of life and/or unexplained aspects of our lives. This is DEFINITELY a must have for your library if you are interested in occult subjects.
Colin Wilson is both a prolific and talented writer, whose numerous books always reflect a lot of serious research and thought. He educates me and gets me thinking about occult subjects in a different light. As always, Wilson uses unpretentious language, and manages to hold the reader's attention from cover to cover. Have you wondered like I have, what can the occult and paranormal tell us about ourselves and our purpose in life? Wilson attempts to join many historical "pieces of the puzzle" together and lend some meaning and perspective to such phenomena. Over the decades, he has read a ton of literature on such topics, has interviewed numerous paranormal witnesses and researchers, and has even investigated some interesting cases of his own. He is one of my favorite and most relaiable sources on these subjects. The number of books he has written and the amount of research he has conducted in this area is truly astounding. Broad in scope, Beyond the Occult is divided into two parts. The first part, `Hidden Powers', is largely philosophical, with chapters like `the hidden self', mystical experiences, split brain physiology, hypnagogic phenomena, psychometry, synchronicities, time slips, etc. Wilson stresses the point that our everyday state of consciousness is limited at best, and has a much greater potential. We often conclude that `everyday consciousness' is normal, when we could be utilizing other states of consciousness, some of which allow us tap into our `hidden powers'.
Part two of Beyond the Occult, `Powers of Good and Evil', was particularly intriguing, dealing with mysterious topics like black magic, poltergeist disturbances, spirit possession and shamanism. There is an enormous amount of information covered in this book that will appeal to anyone who is even remotely interested in the mysteries of consciousness and life.