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The Secrets of Dr.Taverner

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THE SECRETS OF DR. TAVERNER is perhaps the best known work of fiction authored by renown Esotericist and Psychiatrist Violet Mary Firth (a.k.a. Dion Fortune). Dr. Taverner runs a very UN-conventional nursing home. He uses the ancient, arcane knowledge that he has learned as an Initiate of an esoteric secret order in his diagnosis and treatment of mental disturbances. Modern psychiatry could learn a lot from Dr. Taverner. While the book is actually a series of short stories, Fortune has expertly woven them into a meaningful tapestry of lessons-by-example, much like the texts I recall from my grammar school catechisms. Dr. Rhodes, a novice to the occult and the narrator of these tales, develops many insights and skills of his own as he witnesses and experiences the esoteric "therapies" that Taverner brings to bear in his unique treatment regimens for disturbances that allegedly have mental underpinnings. Along the way, the reader learns that it's often the things we DON'T see that can make or break an individual's sanity.

Despite Fortune's spiritual enlightenment, she was also a victim of the times in which she lived. I've read all of Fortune's other published works of fiction and, in my opinion, DR. TAVERNER is perhaps the only one of her novels that is largely free of the racist and nationalistic baggage that was so common in class-conscious, post-WW-I England. I suspect this just an artifact of the story's setting but it was a refreshing relief none-the-less.

As with Fortune's other novels, DR. TAVERNER represents a primer for the seeker looking to reclaim lost spiritual knowledge - a "How To" guide that reveals ancient and arcane secrets and practices sacred to Western secret societies and mystical orders. If you are a fan of Fortune's other work, you will love THE SECRETS OF DR. TAVERNER.

An interesting collection of short stories by Dion Fortune. Dr. Taverner, assisted by the young Dr. Rhodes, runs a nursing home in which patients suffer from a variety of "psychological" disturbances which are all psychic in nature. Very much a Sherlock Holmes bent, as Dr. Taverner, being an adept of an occult order, is able to hone in and cure these various problems using unconventional means.

I found the stories to be interesting reading in and of themselves, but according to Dion Fortune, they were all based on actual events that she witnessed in her early occult training. Supposedly, "Dr. Taverner" is based on one of her mentors, while "Dr. Rhodes" is based on herself. So, read with this in mind, it is doubly fascinating.

I also enjoyed the stories from the context of being written not terribly long after World War I, and many references are made to that event, with one story in particular, "Blood-Lust" telling of events occurring as a result of the war. In her book,"Psychic Self Defense," Fortune goes into more detail about this particular event, which indeed was toned down somewhat for the book.

I highly recommend this for anyone looking for an intro to Dion Fortune's fiction.

Dr. Tavener is a psychic Sherlock Holmes. In this book, Dion Fortune puts together different stories of strange tales, pulled together and solved with the wit and wisdom of Dr. Tavener, who knows how to read the signs and come up with the cure. Hard to put down.

The Secrets of Dr. Taverner is a fun book, with lots of esoteric philospophy lacing a Sherlock Holmeslike psychologist. The sperate stories take place in a "nursing home" -i.e a mental hospital. run by Taverner in a most eccentric way. The doctor uses his training as an initiate of the Western Mysteries to solve his clients "issues". These issues run the gammut, between vampirism and faery lineage, to psychic manipulation and past life transgressions. OF course, the book is absolutley studded with examples of the author's aristocratic prejudices. Once or twice I had to stop and exclaim to my self "God! Could this woman be WHITER?!!" That being said, Secrets really is a good book. Like all of Fortune's work, once you get over the initial shock of reading the words of an early 20th centurie bourgoise, its thourougly enjoyable

The Secrets of Dr. Tavernor is an easy and quick read, highly recommended for anyone interested in the occult.. Dion Fortune's adventures in the realm of early 20th century england wonderfully describe the practical side of studying the western mysteries.

Its chapters follow a series of case studies, allegedly pieced together from Dion Fortune's experiences during her training with Dr. Moriarty, this book allows the reader a great cross section of the experiences of a student studying under and adept.

This is an interesting and an entertaining book. Basically its with a guy (Dr. Rhodes) who works with Dr. Taverner who helps people according to his esoteric training where other more conventional methods fail in helping people. He is the witness of many of Taverner's techniques and so he is like an eye witness to the workings of the occult. Also Taverner has to battle against people who use the occult for purely personal gain. If you have some understanding of occult methods you will be able to grasp some of the things Dr. Rhodes is witness to. The Tree of Life by Israel Regardie is a great introduction to the Magical technique.

This is another must have book in my library. I wore out the old copy so had to get a new one. I read it every year and always wish it were longer. There are so many interesting stories in this book about modern day magicians and occult problems that ordinary psychiatrists don't recognize as such. The best part, for me, is that the stories are true. This from Dion Fortune's autobiographical Pscyhic Self Defense. Evidently, Dr. Taverner is the pseudonym for her real occult teacher.

Dion Fortune is one of the best occult writers of all times. She has not been surpassed by the younger generations. This book contains case-stories from Doctor Taverner's private hospital, something like a nursing home or general sanatorium where he looks after some very interesting patients. In each of the stories different esoteric phenomena are analysed, and the author's descriptions of both the symptoms and the doctor's decisions about each case are fascinatingly constructed. She (Dion Fortune) has a sophisticated, ironic literary style. In this intangible world of spiritual, karmic, astral-mental factors that co-exist around each patient, the author never looses her fine sense of reality. Very good British common sense, let us say. There is sense of humor, there is depth, there is love and punishment, vampires and strange "nature beings" in the collection ... I absolutely love this book.

I have always loved this collection of stories. Over the years, I have read them over and over again. Dr. Taverner really is like a true, metaphysical, occult Sherlock Holmes. What's more, they are based on a real character that Dion Fortune actually knew - and there are many elements in these stories that are true in the occult world! These stories are even better than Madame Blavatsky's "Nightmare Tales" - and they would make a fascinating occult adventure feature film or TV series (how about BBC America or SyFy?) - if done right.

It's an interesting book. The author claims that a lot in the book came from real experiences.....spooky :)