Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism and the Politics of Identity (Hardcover)

by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke (Author) "AN EXOTIC IMPORT from Europe, American neo-Nazism has always transcended American nationalism..." (more)
Key Phrases: United States, Third Reich, Savitri Devi (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
This comprehensive inquiry examines the disturbing historical and contemporary connections between certain religious cults and Nazi ideology. Goodrick-Clarke (Hitler's Priestess; The Occult Roots of Nazism) begins with a consideration of the origins of American neo-Nazism and ends with a thorough discussion of well-known, current far-right groups: the European skinheads, the Aryan Nations and the World Church of the Creator movement, which inspired the 1999 shooting spree in the Midwest. In between, the author focuses on the intersection between Nazi ideology and religious and cultural oddities, showing, for example, how some Nazi leaders, particularly Heinrich Himmler, were obsessed with esoterica and strange historical justifications for pro-Aryan racial theory. Over the past 75 years, Nazi ideology has been mixed with Hinduism, magic, alchemy and the occult as a rebellion against the status quo. In Nazi Satanism, "the swastika and Third Reich imagery join black candles, skulls and magical pentagrams in a tableau of ritualized transgression." And during the post-WWII era, many fascists saw UFO sightings as an indication that Nazis would come back to rule the world. Throughout, Goodrick-Clarke catalogues the ideologies, histories, personalities and appeals of the groups, most of which have always found young white men to be their most receptive audience. There's little evaluation of the potential that the small, splinter groups now active might have to commit future atrocities, but the author adds to our knowledge of the broad, frightening tentacles of Nazi ideology. Illus.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Goodrick-Clarke's The Occult Roots of Nazism examined the influence of late 19th- and early 20th-century German and pagan mysticism on National Socialist thought. This sequel, based on the writings of past and contemporary adherents of these ideas, continues this study among modern American and European racist groups. The new angle is the glorification of Hitler and Nazism. Goodrick-Clarke shows how a strange mix of racism, paganism, Eastern religion, Christianity, Satanism, rock music, and science fiction is being used to support the revival of fascist ideas; adherents see Hitler himself as an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu who survived World War II at a secret German flying-saucer base located in Antarctica. This disturbing work presents a troubling picture of the mindset of the modern Far Right. For all libraries. Stephen L. Hupp, West Virginia Univ.
Parkersburg
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 371 pages
• Publisher: NYU Press (August 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814731244
• ISBN-13: 978-0814731246
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,480,493 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than most, despite its flaws, May 9, 2002

By	Jay Kinney (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke has written two outstanding books on Nazism and its links to religious/occult philosophies and figures: "The Occult Roots of Nazism" and "Hitler's Priestess." In both of those previous books (the first based on his doctoral dissertation at Oxford), he engaged in prodigious original source research and showed a bright light on subjects that had previously received either little attention or sloppy sensationalistic treatment.

If "Black Sun" is a trifle disappointing, it is so only by comparision with his own earlier achievements. This latest work is much more journalistic and relies, unfortunately, on others' research more often than not. Moreover, Goodrick-Clarke, in attempting a survey of current aryan/Neo-Nazi/Satanic/far right groups and writings, ends up covering ground already covered in books like Joscelyn Godwin's "Arktos," Kevin Coogan's "Dreamer of the Day," and his own "Hitler's Priestess" (which is about Savitri Devi, who combined Hinduism and Hitlerism).

It is not as if Goodrick-Clarke didn't spend his time in the trenches: it appears that he engaged in extensive correspondence with a number of his subjects and, as always, he has obviously read and digested much of the material that he summarizes in a clear-cut fashion. His chapter on Miguel Serrano breaks new ground in reporting on the extent of that author/diplomat's eccentric Hitler worship. But on other figures of the neo-nazi fringe, such as David Myatt, one is left with the impression that Goodrick-Clarke may have given too much credence to their own self-presentation or, conversely, to the hyperbole of their critics.

Make no mistake, this is as good a summary of present neo-nazi, extreme right ideas and personae as one is likely to find, but in dealing with the current scene - in a book that was written over the course of nearly a decade - "Black Sun" falls prey to the criticism, (voiced in some other reviews here,) that it is not entirely accurate or up to date. Especially in dealing with the knotty and ambiguous area of neo-nazi and Satanic overlaps, Goodrick-Clarke would have benefitted from inside information which was apparently beyond his grasp.

Still, it is never quite cricket to criticize a book for what a critic thinks it should be or might have been. There is much information here that cannot be found anywhere else, and with the caveat that one should double check any facts that may have been superceded by subsequent events, "Black Sun" is a compelling read.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Expected better from this author., March 4, 2002

By A Customer

This book is an obvious attempt at an 'apology' for his most popular book, _The Occult Roots of Nazism_, which became required reading for many of the neo-Nazi groups he speaks of in his latest offering. You would think Goodrick-Clarke would have seen this coming after sensationalising the title from its original (his doctoral thesis), and then plastering the black and red front cover with the swastika and dagger emblem of the Thule Society!

_Black Sun_ is simply an overview of the very marginalized groups that form the extreme neo-Nazi right, and a lot of the material is regurgitated from his book on Savitri Devi.

Nazi/UFO's/Antarctica/The Coming Race etc... is a very fun topic, but trying to ascribe its loony adherents with the terrorist label is sensationalism at best, and completely factually inaccurate at worst.

The nice front cover featuring a 'Black Sun' struck with the Sig rune will sell many copies at Aryan white-power rallies until they figure out what it's really about.

25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A sloppy, poorly researched mess, March 6, 2002

By A Customer

Savvy fundraisers that they are, it has always been the policy of watchdog groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center to pretend that their 'intelligence gathering' is necessary to ferret out sinister neo-Nazi conspirators, tucked away within ultra-secret underground enclaves and communicating through hidden networks only the watchdogs can sniff out. The reality, of course, is that anyone with access to the Internet can get the goods on the secret Aryans. The truly adventurous hate-hunter need only open a P.O. Box, sign a few postcards with a friendly "Sieg Heil," and prepare to be inundated in a sea of third-generation Xeroxed flyers, poorly-written fanzines, homemade stickers and other powerful and dangerous hate propaganda. The secret Aryans love to talk about themselves and their ideas. Despite Goodrick-Clarke's calculated and constant allusions to "terrorism," that's pretty much all they ever do.

Which brings us to the obvious question: Why does one get the impression that Goodrick-Clarke hasn't talked to any of these people? How is it that virtually every "factual" statement in his book is confused or incorrect? And what does George Lincoln Rockwell -- a fairly conventional, old-timey hatemonger in a Nazi Halloween costume -- have to do with "esoteric cults?"

Goodrick-Clarke is at his worst when trying to maneuver his way through the various youth culture phenomena vaguely relevant to his topic. This is a trait I've noticed with other academic writers, who tend to lose their bearings even around more innocuous genres like Punk Rock or Hip-Hop. The charitable explanation is that a tweedy old fogey like Goodrick-Clarke is simply out of his element. The less charitable explanation is that he hasn't bothered to do any research, being well-aware that the people he's writing about will never be in a position to contradict him.

An interesting book could have been written on the esoteric currents within the Far Right, and maybe someday one will be. It's not even important what sort of spin one might put on this (and here's one of many confusing things about Black Sun -- after going on and on about how bad the Aryans are, Goodrick-Clarke concludes his study very nearly expressing sympathy with many of their fundamental grievances). If Black Sun had managed to get the facts straight or provide some type of unique (or even coherent) insight as to "what it all means," it might have been a worthwhile read. But it does neither. A sloppy, poorly researched mess, which might make its author a few quick bucks, but has little to offer the rest of us. Avoid.