Holy Men of the Electromagnetic Age: A Forgotten History of the Occult

by Raphael Cormack

An international history of the uncanny in the 1920s and 1930s.


The interwar period was a golden age for the occult. Spiritualists, clairvoyants, fakirs, Theosophists, mind readers, and Jinn summoners all set out to assure the masses that just as newly discovered invisible forces of electricity and magnetism determined the world of science, so unseen powers commanded an unknown realm of human potential.


Drawing on untapped sources in Arabic in addition to European ones, Raphael Cormack follows two of the most unusual and charismatic figures of this Tahra Bey, who took 1920s Paris by storm in the role of a missionary from the mystical East, and Dr Dahesh, who transformed Western science to create a panreligious faith of his own in Lebanon. Traveling between Paris, New York, and Beirut while claiming esoteric apprenticeships among miracle-working mystics in Egypt and Istanbul, these men reflected the desires and anxieties of a troubled age. These forgotten holy men, who embodied the allure of the unexplained in a world of dramatic change, intuitively speak to our unsettling world today.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Occult, Religion, Audiobook, Biography, Spirituality

304 pages, Hardcover

Published March 11, 2025

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cormack's writing is personable, passionate, and engaging, which draws you in even when he's talking about something as complicated and esoteric as Spiritualism and Daheshism. It was fascinating to hear about these figures from turn-of-the-century occultism. Tahra Bey and Dr. Dahesh are colorful and sordid in different ways, yet they both intersect with more recognizable figures, movements, and historical events. Overall, a fascinating and informative book that is just as good, if not better, than Midnight in Cairo.

Thank you NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review!

[Collin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"There is another question, though, that could be answered through their stories; it is the one posed at the start of this book: Is another world possible? The stories of these holy men of the early twentieth century told in this book suggest that the answer is no. All of their movements ended without fulfilling any of their great promises. Most ended in outright ignominy. They channeled desires for rebirth into vessels that were ultimately empty and could never be filled, harnessing the power of miracles to produce nothing. All messiahs are false; all their promises are broken. But these myths have real power and people will never stop seeking new prophets."

The book kind of fizzles out at the end, but that almost seems appropriate, given the subjects.

[Astrid · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a Daheshist, I was delighted to hear about the publication of Mr. Cormack's book, which was announced on Mario Henri Chakkour's podcast “Divine Magic: The Doctor Dahesh Chronicles.”
I didn't know exactly what to expect, but the prospect of a well-known author—and an academic at that—choosing to research Dr. Dahesh and devote the second part of his book to him seemed worthy of interest.

It was therefore with high hopes that I picked up this book, curious to discover how the
author would approach the life of this extraordinary man.

My enthusiasm quickly faded when I discovered that the author had devoted the first part of his book to Tahra Bey, a famous illusionist. Nevertheless, I did not give up hope that this choice had a specific purpose: perhaps to draw a distinction between an illustrious charlatan—on the one hand—and, on the other, Doctor Dahesh, a man who was exceptional in every way; who wanted to convey a divine message and fought all his life against vile beings willing to take advantage of human weakness and manipulate suffering souls.

I was quickly disillusioned: under the guise of a story based on historical context, Cormack unequivocally displayed his desire to put Dr. Dahesh, the founder of a new religion— Daheshism— on a par with Tahra Bey, a famous illusionist and hypnotist.

There is no doubt that the presence and charisma of Dr. Dahesh—from the 1930s in Palestine to Lebanon—sparked much controversy, even prompting the Lebanese government to want to physically get rid of him.

How could anyone accept the truth and recognize the supernatural powers that were truly manifested through Dr. Dahesh as a messenger? Since this was beyond our earthly understanding, it was much easier to accuse him of mastering hypnosis to perfection, claiming that he abused the weakest members of society. Throughout his book, it was much easier to accuse him of abusing the weakest members of society.

Throughout his book, we find Cormack's desire to rely on contemporary accounts that discredit the supernatural personality of Dr. Dahesh, relying on the testimonies of his many detractors who endorse the theory of deception justifying the persecution of Dr. Dahesh and his "companions.”

His account reduces him to:

(a) a man with extraordinary powers that boil down to perfect mastery of hypnosis,

(b) a man capable of revealing the most secret thoughts of individuals, which are merely the result of an extraordinary ability to perceive what no other human being would be capable of doing.

What about the early Daheshists who—inspired by Dr. Dahesh’s courageous and sense of mission to spread his divine message—embraced the Daheshist faith and dedicated their lives to defending Dr. Dahesh?

Can we reduce these women and men—brilliant minds, some of whom paid with their lives to defend the life of Dr. Dahesh—to mere weak-minded beings who allowed themselves to be lured and fooled by a beautiful mirage?

What can be said about those first Daheshists, those women and men of letters, those
scientists who loved the truth, for having relied on concrete and irrefutable facts that led them to follow the Daheshist faith?

Can thousands of witnesses, some of whom witnessed mind-boggling miracles, be all wrong?

What can be said about a woman like Marie Hadad, who opposed her family, suffered greatly at the loss of her daughter, and spent months in prison in appalling conditions, if not to defend her Daheshist faith?

How convenient is it for Mr. Cormack that many of Dr. Dahesh's first spiritual companions
are no longer with us and unable to give their testimonies.

But he is wrong. The Daheshist faith has not disappeared as he seems to suggest.

And how could Mr. Cormack—who I’m sure prides himself on having done serious research on the subject—not have spoken to one living Daheshist who knew the doctor, and whose testimonies would surely have challenged what he's written about this man?

Dr. Dahesh was an exceptional being, and I feel privileged to have known him. Yes, Mr. Cormack, when you touch the marvelous with your fingertips, you feel indebted, and it becomes necessary to show courage and to bear witness.

I can’t vouch for everyone who came in contact with Dr. Dahesh. However, based on my having known the true Daheshists on whose shoulders I stand: Believing in the Divine power that manifested itself through Dr. Dahesh (despite himself) does not make one a crank or a fanatic. Rather, one filled with a sense of responsibility and duty to defend the memory and spiritual message of this man (he was certainly human) who was a Divine messenger.

Furthermore, Mr. Cormack depicts Dr. Dahesh's house as a place where unspeakable things took place, a haven for the occult sciences: this description bears no resemblance to the reality I personally experienced.

Dr. Dahesh’s home was a place where women, men, and their children gathered, happy to see Dr. Dahesh. At no point does the warm and welcoming atmosphere of this home come through in this book. You have made Daheshism into a lifeless subject of study, disconnected from the thousands of people who knew Dr. Dahesh, who saw and who believed...

I feel sorry for the fact you never tasted some of the delicious meals that were prepared
there!

Also, I do not recognize the being of light who suffered so that each of us could evolve spiritually.

I do not recognize the man who sacrificed himself to spread his divine message.

I do not recognize the man that my loved ones and I knew and spent time with when I was a child.

I do not recognize the being of light I met at the age of 5, who was like my grandfather.

I do not recognize the noble soul who always showed immense respect towards us every time we met.

I do not recognize the being who turned my life upside down (in a good way!) and whose divine message gives meaning to my life.

I do not recognize the embodiment of kindness who gives me the courage to move forward and fight every day against the wickedness that surrounds us.


Mr. Cormack, I am sincerely sorry that you have chosen to follow the path laid out by those who have portrayed Dr. Dahesh as a charlatan. You have relied in particular and primarily on the testimony of a man who betrayed Dr. Dahesh.

The bibliographic source on which this book is based comes from a man who betrayed the Doctor, who was excluded from his circle, who went to prison and who, after serving his sentence, wanted to take revenge on him by publishing a collection of false and defamatory facts about Dr. Dahesh.

Please know that I have given you the benefit of the doubt… Why else would I have read
every single word you had written, hoping you would have the ability and intellectual honesty to ponder the true nature of Dr. Dahesh and his role on this earth?

But, alas…

As an academic, I invite you to open your mind and, as a human being, to open your soul: all of this may seem implausible; dizzying even. Nevertheless, the truth cannot be distorted as you have done in your book, and it will continue to shine without anyone being able to tarnish its brilliance.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book jumps into WWI and WWII era non-traditional spiritualism. We see the same thing, still, with clairvoyants, mind-readers, etc. Much like today, there are believers that will be so pulled in by these scammers that they get swindled. The different spiritualists from Europe to the Middle East are discussed. Overall, I found this very fascinating and completely new.

Thank you, Net Galley and WW Norton for an advanced copy of this book.

[Magdalene Jardine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciated the light historical dustings on Lebanon, Turkey, Armenia, Greece and Palestine. As a US citizen, can I ever truly understand what drove Dr. Dahesh and Tahra Bey to stun society into imagining, then believing in another world?
This book is mixed exquisitely with horrific and terrific. An incense drenched, velvet curtained expose of the space and time between both World Wars.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to W.W. Norton & Company for sending me the free ARC copy of this book! I have been reading more non-fiction books lately, and I really enjoyed this one. I was a bit skeptical at first, wondering if it was going to actually be non-fiction, or if this was going to be a book about unproven claims that the author wholeheartedly believed and was trying to convince his audience were real. I was greatly relieved to find it was the former.

I learned so much reading this book, as it was a topic I was totally unfamiliar with. There were very few things I actually knew about, and even those, like the death of Harry Houdini, had so many details I knew nothing about (not that I ever cared to research his life or death). More than learning about these men, I was horrified to learn of all of the atrocities against the Armenian people in the 1910s and 1920s. Not so much shocked, as people are always killing other groups of people just because, which is horrible that it wasn't shocking. But saddened that all these tragedies go forgotten. When they shouldn't.

On that note 😞 this is definitely worth reading if you love non-fiction. The only thing I didn't like about it was the title, as like I said earlier, I had no idea which way the author was going with it. Of course, I understand it, at the same time.

Anyway, loved it! 5 stars!

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for an advance copy of this new book that looks at the rise of occult and paranormal thinking that took place in Europe during the World War. A time in which many people were looking for meaning in the devastation they saw all around them, and the people who were willing to fill this spiritual vaccum and their pockets.

Everyday that passes we find ourselves in a brave new world of technology, though to many this does nothing to fill the holes this technology has created in our lives. Everything seems complicated, trusted people have let us down, governments are run by people with little clue or interest in people, and even the simple act of recycling a soda can for deposit takes an app and weeks to get one's cents back. The numerous apps, QR codes, emails, passwords weigh the soul down, and makes many think of how to make their inner world better, and make the outer world understandable. And that is where many can get lost, cheated, scammed and bamboozled by those who promise much, seem capable of great things, but with a cost. The dead can be talked to, but they would like to be remunerated. One can see the future, but a down payment is needed. One can cure the soul, but it will empty the pockets of the faithful. This happens alot in history, but the time between the World Wars in Europe seemed like a particularly spiritual time, with a rise in occult thinking, fakirs and more, helping others make sense of the war that had passed. Holy Men of the Electromagnetic Age: A Forgotten History of the Occult by scholar and writer Raphael Cormack is a look at some of this major players, men with lost paths, promising rich futures, using a mix of blather, philosophy, flimflam and sheer showmanship, to sell tickets, entertain many, and in a few instances be one step ahead of the law.

The industrial age can brought change to many things in the world, one of them the way that humans killed each other in war. New weapons, new ideas, and new policies like genocide had left millions dead, and millions suddenly stateless, their countries no more, or under the power of others, with no place for them. There was a general feeling of unease, among both victors and vanquished, that war was not over, the peace was not so peaceful, and that something had gone wrong. Men began to appear, sometimes with women accomplices, but many taking of the power of the mind and the body giving hope and entertainment to people, while making riches for themselves. One of the first of these was a man who called himself Tahra Bey. Claiming to be a doctor trained in the Ottoman empire, a fakir who dressed in the way Europeans viewed those from the mysterious East, Bey soon gathered a following and amassed a lot of money with acts of Eastern entertainment. Bey could bury himself in the Earth, pierce himself with needles, see the future, and help others with their past. Bey gained enemies, people who wanted to expose this fakir as he called himself as a fake, even as others imitated Bey, stealing his act in some ways. Though none of these prognosticators saw the future that was fast approaching them.

I was not sure what to expect from this book, but I loved it. A mix of occult studies, Lost Generation history, entertainment, fakes and fakirs and more. This book really does have a lot. Cormack had done a very good job of describing post-World War Europe, covering the various genocides, in Armenia, the situation in Jerusalem, and even the racism that was so common in Europe. That Italian men could pretend to be Middle Eastern mystics, without knowing Arabic, but looked dark enough to be. A fist fighting Bey, who was Armenian, destroying a bar in a brawl, being challenged on stage, and working later with Nazis, that is a lot of plot twists one does not see. I didn't even mention Doctor Dahesh, born in Jerusalem, thought dead more than once before passing away in Greenwich, Connecticut in the 80's. There is so much here. Cormack never loses the plot, and keeps everything moving and entertaining, while sharing a lot of different esoteric ideas, and the feeling of the people who wanted to believe. A fascinating read.

History fans, occult readers, and people who love stories full of information, and even better that are well-written will love this book. I laughed quite a bit, and bothered many people with quotes and comments from the book. A very good book, and one that I will remember for quite a while.

[Book Club of One · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the 1920s are often popularized by the world presented in The Great Gatsby, reality was more mixed, it was a time filled with grief over the losses of the Great War. Raphael Cormack's Holy Men of the Electromagnetic Age: A Forgotten History of the Occult traces the dual biographies of two particularly well known occult leaders, but presents a fuller history of many of the movements and key figures as well as how they were portrayed in the popular press.

The two main figures are Tahra Bey, who marketed himself as an Egyptian fakir capable of great acts of physical torture or strength and mental fortitude to trigger trance states to almost hibernate whilst buried alive. Bey was the toast of France and traveled to other nations gaining fame and of a time a fortune. The second most detailed figure was Dr. Dahest Bey from Beirut who wrote prolifically but was best known as a conjurer and great feats of mental acuity. Her could read what was written inside crumpled notes or within books. His fame and powers peaked in the 1940s.

It is detail laden, but could ask more critical questions of how or why people believe what they do, this psychological focus is not fully explored beyond the challenges many of these occult figures faced both legally, socially and as debunked by academics or journalists.

Much of fame is fleeting, and many of those detailed had a brief brush and then a long post fame career sometimes desperately seeking former glories to diminished returns.

Recommended to readers of the occult, 1920s international entertainment or the history of magic and public performance.

I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.

[Meredith Katz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This non-fiction historical study follows the history of Tahra Bey spreading spiritualism in Europe and Dr. Dahesh doing the same with occultism in the Middle East. It describes itself like so:

"The action will pass through six continents, touring the cabarets of Montmartre and Cairo, walking the streets of golden-age Beirut, passing through yoga retreats in Los Angeles, seeing riots in Jerusalem and carnivals in Rio, before finally returning to Dr. Dahesh's museum in Manhattan. Along the way, we witness some of the most devastating events of the twentieth century: the fire of Smyrna, the Great Revolt in Palestine, the Nazi occupation of Paris, and the Lebanese Civil War."

This is a pretty accurate description, though all the events mentioned are very much background and touched on only in terms of how their disruptions affected these occultists/scam artists, both in terms of upheaving their lives directly and in terms of how politics shifted the reaction to spiritualism and occult beliefs. But the biographies of these two men were stunningly complete, and it also went quite a bit into the people who inspired them and those that were inspired by them. I came out with a much stronger sense of the impact of hypnotism and fakirism in the early-mid 20th century. Really interesting reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[tapewitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't recommend this enough! I read this ARC through Netgalley - the book will be released on March 11, 2025. I was completely hooked on these stories of several men (of complex cultural backgrounds) who find success performing miraculous displays in the early to mid 1900s. The storytelling across decades was so fluid, it felt cinematic. The author is fair and compassionate to these historical figures, not casting judgment about the validity of the displays. Instead, the author presents all of the differing stories, looking at past newspapers, rumors, and ephemera. They thoughtfully consider the context of the performers' lives and shows, not shying away from the realities of surviving a genocide. The book does an excellent job of balancing these heavy realities with a curious exploration of hypnotism, miracle displays, live burials, Spiritualist acts, and more. The book discusses the fascination with Eastern mysticisms while creating a timeline of some major contributions of POC to popular metaphysical movements. The book is about a handful of men, but the author is caring toward the women discussed, calling out slut shaming and questioning storylines that never included women's voices. The book includes an accessible resources section in the back. I'm so thankful to this author for researching these Arabic-language primary sources and presenting them in such a readable and compelling page-turner!

[Emmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a complicated book, which makes it a complicated title to review. On the one hand, we're dealing with a fascinating topic of conmen, spiritualism, and pseudoscience. On the other hand, we're dealing with a book that can be somewhat dry at spots, and a little repetitive. Also, any time you're reading about a scoundrel, you're bound to find passages that leave you somewhat unnerved or even disgusted. The two subjects of this book certainly unnerved and disgusted me at times, as well.

Despite these detractions, I found the book to be really interesting. There's a certain cynicism, however, that sprung up in the afterward, that surprised me a little. And while it didn't detract from the information or message of the book, it did sour things a little for me in the last few pages.

My overall feelings on the book is that it's great for anyone who has an interest in the topic (as I certainly do). It's a complicated little book that takes you through an entire era, showcasing the good and the bad. It's a quick read, too, so if you're on the fence, that might persuade you. In the end, I found it to be really fascinating and a great way to spend a couple of snowy winter days, holed up inside.

Many thanks to W.W. Norton for sending me this book in exchange for a review.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raphael Cormack has uncovered a trove of interesting information about a period of history that is still relevant to this day. He introduces us to various Fakirs. Mostly men who were displaced by the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and under this mass movement of people being forced to flee, they created new identities and under difficult circumstances invented themselves into entertainers who had power to put on spiritual shows that dazzled their audiences. The shows could include live burials, hypnotism, disappearing things and then out of thin area finding them. Their abilities were constantly challenged and many of their miraculous feats got them thrown out of countries.

The movement of many of these men took place not only in Europe, but across the Middle East and even America. The world was fascinated, and some did well financially, and others not so. The findings are truly interesting, and the author clearly went to get lengths to find source material which gives the book historical value.

I highly enjoyed the read, and if anyone is interested in the 1900’s and what societies were like, please read. Some great information about the Middle East abounds, how Lebanon was once an international mecca, and how people seemed to be searching for understanding the world after the fall of the Ottomans and then the two great wars.

[Mario Chakkour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of professional courtesy, I am giving this book five stars because Cormack excelled in synthesizing decades’ worth of misinformation into a hit piece targeting Doctor Dahesh.

In short, it is the best worst example of how to commit character assassination.

Furthermore, because Cormack never interviewed one Daheshist, and built his thesis on the word of those who had worked very hard to destroy Doctor Dahesh’s reputation, this is the best worst example of confirmation bias.

I mean, the thing is so outrageous… so incomplete, and to quote physicist Wolfgang Pauli, it’s “not even wrong.”

For the record not only did I know Doctor Dahesh very well, I also knew his sister Antoinette (I even have an audio recording of her talking about Doctor Dahesh), and Antoinette’s daughter, Layla (Loulou).

And I also knew Mrs. Marie Hadad...

Anyway, check out my podcast, “Divine Magic: The Doctor Dahesh Chronicles” (which I launched on March 13, 2025, in honor of Cormack’s interview with Finnbar Anderson on The Lede, and prior to having received the book).

And, for the record, *I* wouldn’t even believe what I claimed on my other podcast, “The Daheshist Theory of Reincarnation.” Then again, *I* had the privilege of knowing Doctor Dahesh. And he was nothing like the monster Cormack makes him out to be.

[Bill Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The flow of esoteric disciplines from East to West probably began during the crusades and gained momentum with the attention of German romantic philosophers in the 19th Century. By the middle of the 20th, meditation, yoga, and other "mystic" practices had become absorbed into western traditions and popular culture.

I'd never thought about the counter-flow from west to east, but this book is a terrific account of the impact of exotic European and American practices -- mesmerism/hypnotism and spiritualism -- on the middle-eastern world. The two lives at the center here are Tahra Bey -- a self-described fakir -- and Dr Daresh (Salim Moussa Achi) -- author, entertainer, and messiah, their schticks borrowed from carnie magic, swindling mediums, and vaudeville hypnotists, blurring the line between entertainment and enlightenment. In the course of telling the two stories, Cormack passes through some of my favorite 20th Century territory, including the perception of magic, the profound effects of belief, and the special spot imagination holds in every faith. Excellent work.

[Steve Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I earned this text from a Goodreads raffle. I opened this book, not knowing much about the background. I am not a history buff and was leary of getting bogged down in the minutia of complicated history of Europe and the Middle East during such tumultuous time. That's not the case. I was worried for nothing. The storytelling was great. Such a difficult story to tell, considering how these men tried to control so much about what they were known about them. From creating backgrounds to stage presence, the truth about these two characters was probably buried extremely deep in dramatic BS. Yet by being honest about the research and melding these elements into a fun story, we have a dynamic look at our history through the lives of these two me. I thoroughly enjoyed the reading. I don't know if I agree with his conclusions about our current state of affairs. But I do agree that we may have charlatans building up elaborate stories to shape our future

[Chas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is for the faint hearted, the true believer, the lover of mysteries, and anything that goes bump at any time of the day, (or the night. ) The smell of incense hangs heavy as we go on tour with the travelling fakirs and magicians at the heart of the story. One of them founded a New Religion, he could make money appear in thin air at will, (a bit like certain politicians.) He even came back from the dead, or from Iran anyway, and most notably had his followers promulgating the idea that he was actually made up of four different beings who were, as it were, interchangable. I refer to Dr Dahesh. If there was ever an Orientalist lite text, then this is it, an entry level drug for the full Midnight at the Oasis course of treatment. The unexplainable and 'miraculous' are described, though not exactly explained, and the sad court transcripts, rivalries, feuds and all round bitchiness is all laid out for our prurient examination. Four stars due to bewilderment, mainly.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlatans, hucksters, and con-men are the rulers of this age, so going back and doing this deep dive into two mystic wonderworkers of debatable character was a pleasure. Cormack takes us through the lives of Tahra Bey and Dr. Dahesh, two charismatic figures from the early 20th century who hitched their wagons to that era's fascination with spiritualism.

Both succeeded in fleecing the rubes most impressively, using a blend of parlour tricks, sleight of hand, and credulity, and both became larger than life before crashing and burning. Cormack's writing is engaging, and he shows a sensitivity to the deep human yearning for meaning in our encounter with the unknown and unknowable...a yearning that all too often leads to our seeing what we wish to see, and placing our trust in untrustworthy souls.

[Mark Gallagher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read quite a few books on Spiritualism in its many guises. The careers of the two Middle Eastern practitioners viewed in detail in "Holy Men" were totally unknown to me and offered new perspectives on the subject. As is so often the case in books on spiritualist figures and fakirs, "their inner thoughts, their inner lives, and their true aspirations remain frustratingly out of reach," as author Raphael Cormack says in the epilogue. But the appeal of their claims, promises and visions may tell us as much about those who hear them, their millieu, and how they respond as about the charismatic characters at the center of the stories.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

_Holy Men of the Electromagnetic Age: A Forgotten History of the Occult_ by Raphael Cormack is a well-researched and detailed history of prominent occult figures of the 1920s and 1930s. Cormack delves into the lives of two of the most captivating men, Tahra Bey and Dr Dahesh, while also explaining societal context and why people adored and also vilified them. A great read for those interested in history and the occult.

This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Ronald Koltnow · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a study of two men, both mystic types, who traveled through the Arab world of the 1920s and 30s. It was the fakir craze. Cormac divides the book in two - the first section dealing with fakir Tarha Bey, the second with hypnotist Dr. Dahesh. Both are interesting stories, but the book picks up in the second half. It has redundancies and some pacing issues. All in all a good, not great, read.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was awesome. I went in hoping for a more comprehensive overview of occultism, but I left happy with this deep dive on a few case studies. This approach enabled the author to go really deep on these guys, their backgrounds, their rise, and their falls. Excellent, interesting, and highly recommended.

Final note: a lot of the less-than-high ratings and reviews seem to be from people offended that their personal beliefs are being rigorously scrutinized ...

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting and captivating look at men in the early 20th century who may have been supremely powerful or who may have been illusionists.

[nas jab · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not sure why this book doesn’t have 5 stars. This history and the stories in this book are just beyond wild and it should be turned into a film or a show.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

brilliant work. scholarly and well written.