Customer Reviews

Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation

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Mitch Horowitz rescues many colorful characters from obscurity in this entertaining tour through the byways of American religious history. My favorite sections of the book were those describing individuals whose teachings flourished in the early twentieth century but are almost forgotten today. Psychiana was a successful mail-order religion that did not long survive the death of its founder Frank Robinson. Baird Spaulding concocted tall tales about encounters with Oriental spiritual Masters in books that were widely read in the 1930s and 40s. The Moorish Science Temple is a fascinating amalgamation of occult doctrines with black nationalism, whose founder Noble Drew Ali has been little studied by historians. Manly P. Hall authored an occult classic, The Secret Teachings of All Ages, in his twenties and led an organization that epitomized southern California eclecticism through most of the twentieth century. Benjamin Williams popularized astrology and Tarot under his pen name C.C. Zain, but like Hall was famous mainly in the Los Angeles area. All these individuals are given their place in the American religious landscape as pioneers of a movement Horowitz calls occultism or "the occult" which he concludes "resulted in a vast reworking of arcane practices and beliefs from the Old World and the creation of a new spiritual culture." The obscure characters are placed into historical context with exploration of occult ideas in better known movements like Mormonism and New Thought, which contributed to a new spiritual culture. Familiar but little-understood topics like Hoodoo and the history of the Ouija board are illuminated in new ways by Horowitz's groundbreaking research.

While amusing and entertaining, Occult America is grounded in years of scholarship and depicts its subjects with a mixture of respect and detachment that might be called "sympathetic objectivity." The final chapter about Edgar Cayce is the most thoughtful, balanced account of the "sleeping prophet" seen in years, appreciative without being credulous. On Theosophy, Horowitz is well-informed and wise, recognizing its contribution to religious pluralism along with its penchant for fantastic claims and scandal. Andrew Jackson Davis was far more the founder of Spiritualism than the Fox sisters, and Horowitz gives him the attention he deserves as an American original. Having written on those subjects I can endorse the author's scholarship as thorough and his commentary as insightful; in areas less familiar to me the book gives every indication of consistent reliability. I have been reading books on what might be called "occult history" for thirty years, and cannot recall one that is more enjoyable to read, or more informative about a diverse cast of characters, than Occult America.

This is a fascinating and long overdue look at a largely ignored side of American history. This is must-reading not just for history buffs and students of esotericism, but for anyone wanting to better understand the roots of the American character, since it's all-too-easily overlooked how profoundly these mystical undercurrents have shaped this nation's values, politics, and dreams. I knew a fair amount this topic before going in, but he's managed to unearth some facts and characters even I knew nothing about.

I notice some of the other reviews here mentioning what this book leaves out, but as an editor and writer myself, I can't agree with that. By focusing on the key characters and episodes that he does, Horowitz gives us a concise overview of a very complex subject, leaving the reader to pursue its many leads if they so choose--and in so doing will certainly reach a far wider audience than otherwise, in the respectable tradition of writers like Stephen Jay Gould. He's managed to take a potentially dry subject and make it extremely accessible--and that's no small feat. Kudos.

Mitch Horowitz, as editor-in-chief at Tarcher/Penguin has brought forth many excellent volumes of esoteric and New Age books. The same depth of understanding of his material and outstanding research also contributes to this important historical account that he has delivered in "Occult America." In my opinion, this book is important because it ties together much of the esoteric history of the U.S. from a journalistic perspective, in a very readable manner. Horowitz knows his subject intellectually, historically, and as one who has cultivated the promotion of these ideas as his life work. His passion for, and depth of understanding of, his subject is obvious throughout this book. I found "Occult America" to be extremely interesting and entertaining, providing a view of the people and ideas that shaped the religious and philosophical life of the country, including Paul Foster Case, Manly Hall, Henry Steel Olcott, Ernest Holmes, Edgar Cayce, Joseph Smith, Henry A. Wallace, Frederick Douglass, Mary Baker Eddy, and the list goes on.

Among the profiles of religious seekers, prophets, teachers, and often colorful individuals, one important point Horowitz makes is that some of these "New Age" beliefs have become widely-accepted, including:

"1. Belief in the therapeutic value of spiritual or religious ideas.
2. Belief in a mind-body connection in health.
3. Belief that human consciousness is evolving to higher stages.
4. Belief that thoughts, in some greater or lesser measure, determine reality.
5. Belief that spiritual understanding is available without allegiance to a specific religion or doctrine."

Another important point made by Horowitz is that new thought has been openly promoted in this country since the very beginning as the land of religious freedom and experimentation. Much of this fascinating history and its tremendous impact has been overlooked, ignored, and in some cases, maybe suppressed. As part of the historical record, none of it should not be pushed under the rug. Thankfully, Horowitz has reminded us all about the diverse and esoteric spiritual heritage of this country, treating the subject with scholarship and respect.

Mitch Horowitz's podcast interviews are a wonderful introduction to the subjects in "Occult America" for anyone who is still on the fence about reading it.

I found Occult America to be an absolutely engaging historical account of the spiritual leaders and movements that helped pave the way for Mysticism in the world today. Many people were brought to my attention that I had never before heard of, but have played such a pivotal role in the spiritual movements such as Johannes Kelpius, Ann Lee, and Jemima Wilkinson to name just a few.

Occult America also discusses well known historical figures such as Mary Todd Lincoln (Abraham Lincoln's wife) and her fascination with the occult and occult practices, often getting her husband involved in White House seances. Lincoln was well-known for her involvement in Occult matters, especially after the assassination of her husband, the President. Another interesting "celebrity" involved in the occult, so I have found through Occult America, is Sylvia Plath who used the Ouija board along with her husband, Ted Hughes. This is to believed to have been the inspiration for her poem, "Ouija". It is eerily said that the Ouija predicted fame for Plath, which would cost her both her life with her husband, and her own life. It is a little spooky, if you ask me.

Horowitz's brief history of the Ouija that both thrilled and terrified me. The account taken from an excerpt in the 2001 International Journal of Parapsychology of an 18 year old's experiences with the Ouija is enough to give you nightmares for a day or two.

Although Occult America is brief in the subjects it does introduce the reader to (and that is my only true complaint), Horowitz did a wonderful job of introducing subject matters not before heavily discussed. However, because of this - I really felt as if this was almost more of an introductory book about the history of the occult rather than any sort of true detailed literature. Because Occult America frequently jumped from subject to subject, it did have the potential to cause headaches in some readers, who really wish to get more involved in one topic at a time before transitioning to the next. Because of Horowitz' obvious amount of time spent in research, I hope that this is only a sign of more to come from Horowitz, and am hoping he'll continue to delve deeper into detailed historical accounts in future books so readers can gain a better understanding of each subject matter.

As there were so many peopled discussed I felt that there were many sections in Occult America that could truly be its own standalone book. I feel it is important that Horowitz takes the introductory information presented in Occult America and use that information as a skeleton for his next books, adding a little bit more meat to the bones so that the reader may truly gain an in depth understanding of the history of Mysticism.

Starting in the nineteenth century science began to lay the groundwork for what would be a revolution in our understanding of how the world comes into existence. Culminating in relativity theory and quantum mechanics science has gained a new appreciation of the role that the mind plays in the creation of this world we live in. With that appreciation Newton's materialistic world morphs into the ideal world of Einstein, the maya of eastern philosophies. And while science can look upon its achievements with pride it should be realized that this was not so much and original idea of the scientist but rather an idea whose time had come. The idea itself dates back to Greek times but it really began to flower in the mid-nineteenth century not only in scientific thought but also among non-scientists. Filtered though many minds the idea ended up as philosophy's stepchild, New Age thought.

New Age thought has a colorful history which has faded with time until today few remember it. It is this lack that Mitch Horowitz seeks to remedy with his highly entertaining look at some of histories most colorful characters. In trying to fit this entire history into a single volume he perhaps doesn't give each subject the treatment that it deserves, but with such a wealth of material this is necessary if one is to have a manageable book. If nothing else he brings to life people of great influence in their own time, who are now all but forgotten. Take Frank B. Robinson, an Idaho druggist who, during the 1930's and 1940's, ran a mail order religion that he called Psychiana which was, at his death, the eighth-largest religion in the world. And certainly the only one to offer a money back guarantee. The list is practically endless. Take Timothy Drew, known to his followers as Noble Drew Ali, who founded the Moorish Science Temple in the 1920's. Frank Anton Mesmer, the founder of modern hypnosis, Andrew Jackson Davis, known as the Poughkeepsie seer, the Fox sisters, or Madame Blavatsky the founder of Theosophy. From the Ouija board to Mary Todd Lincoln's attempts to reach her murdered husband to Manly P. Hall author of one of the classics of new age literature, The Secrete Teachings of All Ages, to Edgar Cayce, perhaps the greatest mystic of them all, the book doesn't miss a beat. It was a brawling messy time whose spirit is not easy to capture but Mr. Horowitz does remarkably well bringing to the book that most indispensable of qualities, it is fun. Whether you are a life-long follower of New Age thought or the merest of dilettantes looking for a pleasant way to spend the evening, you will find this book to be time well spent.

It's September 15, 2009, the day that millions of Americans will plunge into the false pop esotericism of Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol." If I could wave my magic wand -- or Freemasonic compass & square -- I would have all these readers first read Mitch Horowitz's "Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation." Freemasonic symbols bedeck the cover of both books, but inside "Occult America" you'll find a cast of real mages and mystics who influence American destiny. Instead of silly tales of Freemasonic conspiracy, the book gives reliable insights into the ambitions of American Freemasons, and Masonry takes its place as one stone in a much more variegated and intriguing pyramid of American occultism. Once one has toured Mesmerism, Mormonism, Spiritualism, Theosophy, Christian Science, New Thought, hoodoo, and other indigenous spiritual movements with Horowitz, and met characters as compellingly curious as Andrew Jackson Davis, Frank B. Robinson, Black Herman, William Dudley Pelley, Baird T. Spalding and Edgar Cayce, the ersatz esotericism of Dan Brown will seem like a distraction from America's authentic "secret history."

While "Occult America" neatly narrates many familiar episodes of American occultism - Joseph Smith's homegrown religion; the birth of Blavatsky's Theosophy; FDR's Vice-President Henry Wallace's politically disastrous flirtation with occult internationalist Nicholas Roerich - it is the exploration of the more arcane corners of the nation's surprisingly vast occult landscape that makes the book valuable. "Go Tell Pharaoh," a chapter on the rise of Afro-American magic, opens with the teenage Frederick Douglass finding his first steps toward freedom with the magical assistance of hoodoo worker Sandy Jenkins, who gave the young slave a piece of "John de conker" - a testicle-shaped magical root that Jenkins swore would protect Douglass from the brutality of his slavemasters. From this surprising anecdote Horowitz moves on to provide a rich portrait of "black" - Afro-American - magical culture. The complex interplay of genuine magical practice with theatrical magic can have no more intriguing exemplar than Black Herman, whose story Horowitz tells with his characteristic balance of scholarly detail and entertaining narrative voice. The calls for self-improvement by black-nationalist leader Marcus Garvey are shown to be rooted in the motivational metaphysics of New Thought; Noble Drew Ali's Moorish Science creatively mixed Garveyite uplift with eccentric theories of theological history and the pageantry of esoteric ritual and symbolism to conjure a hybrid mystery faith popular in urban black neighborhoods in the 1920s.

No nation has excelled like America in spiritual hucksterism, and Horowitz's history doesn't flinch from acknowledging the dross that is mixed in with the metaphysical gold. It is no mere coincidence that Mormonism's founder Joseph Smith, bestselling proto-New Age author Baird T. Spalding and the "sleeping prophet" Edgar Cayce all dabbled in actual treasure-hunting. American history at its basest level can surely be seen as one long, self-serving gold rush, where the metaphysical and moral had always been sacrificed on the altar of personal wealth. "Occult America" rescues its cast of occult characters and movements from both their uncritical hagiographers and cynical critics, providing a nuanced overview that makes the book an important contribution to American cultural history as well as to the popular literature of esotericism. Horowitz makes excellent use of a wide range of sources (thoroughly documented and discussed in an appendix, freeing the book from footnotes), and - maddeningly missing from many works of this genre -- he includes a well-composed index.

"Occult America" is not without its blind spots. The role of psychical research in America's cultural conversation about the paranormal goes largely unexplored, as do popular literary figures like Upton Sinclair, Stewart Edward White, and John Neihardt. The "hidden hand" hypothesis of Spiritualism's origins in the magical manipulations of secret brotherhoods is barely mentioned in a single paragraph, despite its holding a key to a deeper and more challenging occult conspiracy than Dan Brown could ever dream up. I yearned for a more ambitious interpretation of the cultural meaning of the varied histories uncovered here. But to satisfy these personal longings of mine, the author would have to have written a different - and undoubtedly much less readable - book. "Occult America" will do much to both stimulate more responsible popular thought on America's occultisms, and encourage new exploration of these hidden, but vital, histories.

Occult America looks at the people and movements that made magic, Spiritualism, self-help and secret societies part of American culture. It is well written, accessible and unusually fair about subjects that tend to inspire ridicule or paranoia. (Try mentioning the Freemasons in mixed company and see what happens).

What I liked best is the attention paid to overlooked areas, such as home-study courses in metaphysics, occult supply houses, and publishers that made esoteric books available to the general public. When discussing the development of magic in the black community, the author goes beyond traditional root-work or voodoo, and looks at people like Black Herman, a stage magician who was both an entertainer and sorcerer. In addition, there is some fascinating material about Henry Wallace, Manley P. Hall, and Edgar Cayce.

Among the gaudy birds in the psychic aviary, Cayce is a peahen. His trance-inspired hemorrhoid remedies and silly predictions about Atlantis have obscured a sophisticated and sensitive outlook that deserves more attention.

Mitch Horowitz offers a new perspective on familiar subjects and has flushed out enough topics to keep a dozen researchers busy. Let's hope it results in a shelf of fat new books.

Horowitz, editor-in-chief at Tarcher/Penguin, writes from a base of knowledge that comes from deep experience in publishing (and selling) literature in the "New Age" genre. However, although his book does contain references to new editions of books that he has produced, such as The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Reader's Edition) and The Tarot: A Key to the Wisdom of the Ages, it is remarkably free of the hucksterism, credulity, and outright gullibility that accompanies so much New Age writing. While so many writers in this genre intentionally obscure or ignore the long history of esoteric thought--especially through the 19th century--that is behind their claims, Horowitz goes a long way towards dispelling the ignorance that is so often a foundation for fallacious belief, whether within "occult" traditions or mainstream thought.

The book presents a fascinating array of characters, from Johannes Kelpius to Nicholas Roerich. The historical scope runs from the late 17th to the early 20th century, with relatively little discussion of the revival of esoteric traditions in Sixties counterculture or afterwards. While it profiles well-known figures such as Joseph Smith, Jr., Andrew Jackson Davis, Helena Blavatsky, Manly Palmer Hall, Marcus Garvey, and Edgar Cayce, it also provides colorful biographical sketches of lesser-known figures, quirky personalities who nonetheless had a profound and lasting effect on esoteric and alternative thought in the U.S. There are discussions of Freemasons and Rosicrucians, as well as the origin of the popular Ouija board. There is a profile of "American dreamer" Henry Wallace, a member of FDR's cabinet who flirted with "occult" beliefs in the 1930s. There is also a thoughtful discussion of "Prophet of Hate" William Dudley Pelley, whose fame for a near-death experience with "Spiritual Mentors" transformed into a white supremacist movement that spawned the notorious Posse Comitatus and Aryan Nations.

Despite its breadth, as noted by other reviewers, the book is far from comprehensive. For example, it makes no mention of either mystic Alice Bailey or astrologer Dane Rudhyar, both of whom were major contributors to New Age trends in 20th century America. With the exception of a fascinating chapter on African-American occult traditions, including hoodoo (and its influence on abolitionist Frederick Douglass), most of the individuals discussed were from the majority, Anglo-American culture. There is little to no discussion of Jewish, Chinese, or Hispanic mystics, all of whom contributed to the rich melting pot of American "occult" thinking. There is also no discussion of the contributions to esoteric thought in America by Native American mystics and visionaries, or the effects that Shakerism, Mormonism, and Spiritualism had on the Paiute leader Wovoka's ill-fated Ghost Dance and subsequent syncretistic blends of Native, Western, and Eastern spirituality by "plastic shamans" and others.

The book's principal emphasis is on trends of thought, rather than on individuals, with an aim towards providing evidence for the author's central thesis: That ideas once considered "fringe" have now been integrated into mainstream thought. What I enjoyed most about the book is the author's effort to avoid ridicule or mockery in his presentation of a parade of admittedly eccentric and off-beat characters whose own autodidactic and uncritical approaches, as well as their personal revelatory experiences, led them to interpret the world in some exceedingly strange ways. Horowitz does make the compelling and fascinating case that "occult" thinking was not a stereotypical or imagined Satanism, but infused the origins of American religious traditions in Christianity and Islam that continute to thrive today.

Occult America provides a highly readable introduction to the subject for non-academic readers. Two other books I highly recommend for a much more comprehensive and in-depth treatment are A Republic of Mind and Spirit: A Cultural History of American Metaphysical Religion by Catherine Albanese and Claiming Knowledge: Strategies of Epistemology from Theosophy to the New Age, by Olav Hammer. Although currently out-of-print, Fantastic Archaeology: The Wild Side of North American Prehistory by Stephen Williams, will appeal to readers who are interested in how misguided "occult" beliefs about ancient Native Americans conditioned popular thought in 19th century America. The Invention of Sacred Tradition, edited by James Lewis and Olav Hammer, offers a collection of pertinent essays with a more global perspective.

I thought this book was excellent, and take issue with some of the negative reviews here. I think the book does exactly what it says it will do, both in the subtitle and the introduction: It describes the major occult/spiritual trends and individuals that have shaped the religious, spiritual and occult dialogues of the U.S., from its inception through now. It does not claim to be an academic history, and therefore does not say it is comprehensive; and it is therefore written in a chatty style that makes it easy for anyone - even those not familiar with any of this history - to read (which I consider a plus, not a minus.) This book also does not claim to be an occult manual for seekers and aspirants, so I think reviewers criticizing it for not providing enough detail about this-or-that technique, or not taking this-or-that metaphysical practice seriously, are misguided. Get a how-to book if that is what you are looking for - this doesn't claim to be that.

As for what it does do, this book tells an engaging historical tale of the trends and individuals that have shaped America's history, often behind the scenes. This includes early religious leaders, including some women I had never heard of (and that is my main area of interest), such as the 'Universal Friend.' It also includes many seers and spiritualists, such as Andrew Jackson Davis and Edgar Cayce, that I had been familiar with, but learned new things about. And of course it includes some of the major occult 'thinkers' and writers, such as Madame Blavatsky and Manley Hall, that I enjoyed reading about again.

I particularly liked that the author made an effort to tie past trends to today's. Things like 'positive thinking' and an ecumenical approach to spirituality really do seem to have been 'born in the USA', and they have a particularly American flavor, even though they have now become popular in other parts of the (developed) world.

It's true that the author does not write about the personages in this book with unquestioning reverence - if they had shadows in their past, he mentions them. None of these people are 'gods' or 'masters' to him, although he clearly likes some more than others. But I didn't find any of it disrespectful. Again, it is meant to be an accessible history of trends, not an occult manual or academic treatise.

I highly recommend it for anyone interested in these topics.

I was astounded by the information in Mitch Horowitz's Occult America, and particularly saddened that much of this information will never be taught in America's schoolrooms. I read an online biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Vice President Henry Wallace. No where did it mention his interest in the Occult, or how he helped to change the look of today's dollar bill. Instead, the biography says, he was too liberal for the Democratic party, and so Truman became the Vice President. It is clear when reading Occult America that Mitch Horowitz spent a great deal of time and research on his subject matter.

When Americans think of African American icons like Marcus Garvey, and Frederick Douglass, spirituality is not the first word that comes to mind, and yet Horowitz shows the incredible spirituality of both men. As a person raised in New thought, and Science of Mind, it is heartening to see that the positive message of creating the world that you wish to live in was so much a part of Garvey's thinking. He used it to uplift the spirit of oppressed African Americans. I would have never seen that connection if not for Mitch Horowitz's Occult America.

When you read about the horrors of slavery inflicted on Frederick Douglass, and have the opportunity to read Mitch's account of Douglass' profound transformation through the help of a root worker, it is just astounding. That is the power of the mind, and what lifts Horowitz's book up from a mere history book. He brings a movement, and an occult history that has a straight line through America alive with his words, and research.