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The Unlikely Occultist: A Biographical Novel of Alice A. Bailey
Discover the fascinating life of Alice a long-forgotten occultist widely regarded as the Mother Of The New Age.
Back in 1931, Alice is preparing to give a speech at a Swiss summer school. Soon after, she is put on Hitler's blacklist. What Alice doesn't realize is the enormity of her influence to the world, and the real enemies who are much closer than she thinks.
A dynamic and complex figure, Alice Bailey’s reach was huge. She was influential among people and organizations of global power, including the United Nations. Yet today she is maligned by fundamentalist Christians, Theosophists, Jews, academics and above all, by conspiracy theorists.
Are any of these groups justified in rejecting the unlikely occultist?
“Blackthorn’s exploration of Alice Bailey’s life and work provides a unique and intimate insight into Bailey’s life and the times in which she lived. For anyone seeking to explore the roots of Bailey’s influence on the New Age movement as well as her unsought role as the bête noire of the conspiracy scene, there’s no better place to begin.” - Aaron John Gulyas, associate professor and author of Conspiracy Theories
Back in 1931, Alice is preparing to give a speech at a Swiss summer school. Soon after, she is put on Hitler's blacklist. What Alice doesn't realize is the enormity of her influence to the world, and the real enemies who are much closer than she thinks.
A dynamic and complex figure, Alice Bailey’s reach was huge. She was influential among people and organizations of global power, including the United Nations. Yet today she is maligned by fundamentalist Christians, Theosophists, Jews, academics and above all, by conspiracy theorists.
Are any of these groups justified in rejecting the unlikely occultist?
“Blackthorn’s exploration of Alice Bailey’s life and work provides a unique and intimate insight into Bailey’s life and the times in which she lived. For anyone seeking to explore the roots of Bailey’s influence on the New Age movement as well as her unsought role as the bête noire of the conspiracy scene, there’s no better place to begin.” - Aaron John Gulyas, associate professor and author of Conspiracy Theories
- GenresHistorical Fiction
321 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 4, 2018
75 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
Isobel Blackthorn
49 books176 followersIsobel Blackthorn is an award-winning author of unique and engaging fiction. She writes across a range of genres, including dark psychological thrillers, gripping mystery novels, captivating travel fiction and hilarious dark satire. Isobel holds a PhD in Western Esotericism for her groundbreaking study of the texts of Theosophist Alice A. Bailey. Isobel carries a lifelong passion for the Canary Islands, Spain, her former home. A Londoner originally, Isobel currently lives in Spain.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 23, 2019
Before being asked if I would like to join the blog tour for this book I will admit that I had never heard of Alice Bailey. I also didn’t realise it would be a biographical novel as that bit had been left off the synopsis. Had I known I most likely would have turned the book down as I hate biographies so I entered the book a little bit cautiously and not expecting to enjoy the story, however, I glad to say was wrong.
The book is set in two periods, present-day with Heather Brown a librarian and the past with Alice Bailey beginning when she was just a young child and into her adult life.
In the present Heather has been going through some old records at the Victoria State Library, Australia and comes across work by late Professor Samantha Foyle which talks about Alice Anne Bailey. She is intrigued by this woman and wants to know more about her. She is drawn into Alice’s world and finds coincidences that make her more determined to find out all she can about this woman. As well as her research Heather’s private life is complicated.
Alice Bailey is a woman who not only wanted to learn, she believed in global peace and spiritual belief. She was also a novelist who wrote books on Theosophy. She had many followers and wealthy friends, but her look on life and the future and the spiritual world also gained her a few enemies too, including Hitler. She was a woman who stood up for what she believed in and in the 1920s and 30s this was a very brave thing to do.
The book is a fictional account of Alice Bailey who lived between 1880 and 1949. She was a writer, teacher, believer, and mother. Heather is a fictional character. The two stories set in these two periods interweave and it was interesting to get to know about a woman that was a big part of the past yet most won’t ever of heard of her.
I found myself flying through the pages and intrigued by the whole plot, so much so that I went on to learn about Alice Bailey and her real life. She was a fascinating woman and you should look her up.
The book is set in two periods, present-day with Heather Brown a librarian and the past with Alice Bailey beginning when she was just a young child and into her adult life.
In the present Heather has been going through some old records at the Victoria State Library, Australia and comes across work by late Professor Samantha Foyle which talks about Alice Anne Bailey. She is intrigued by this woman and wants to know more about her. She is drawn into Alice’s world and finds coincidences that make her more determined to find out all she can about this woman. As well as her research Heather’s private life is complicated.
Alice Bailey is a woman who not only wanted to learn, she believed in global peace and spiritual belief. She was also a novelist who wrote books on Theosophy. She had many followers and wealthy friends, but her look on life and the future and the spiritual world also gained her a few enemies too, including Hitler. She was a woman who stood up for what she believed in and in the 1920s and 30s this was a very brave thing to do.
The book is a fictional account of Alice Bailey who lived between 1880 and 1949. She was a writer, teacher, believer, and mother. Heather is a fictional character. The two stories set in these two periods interweave and it was interesting to get to know about a woman that was a big part of the past yet most won’t ever of heard of her.
I found myself flying through the pages and intrigued by the whole plot, so much so that I went on to learn about Alice Bailey and her real life. She was a fascinating woman and you should look her up.
May 23, 2019
This isn’t the normal type of book I would go for but after reading other reviews, as well as the blurb, I have to say my intrigue was well and truly piqued.
Now Alice Bailey is someone I had never heard of before picking up this book. Whilst this is a biography of sorts and is based on real life, the author does use her own imagination in the day to day life of Alice so that we get more of a sense of the type of person she was so it reads like more of a story in parts.
The story alternates between present day and the past. In present day we meet Heather who is a librarian and becomes quite fascinated with Alice and goes out of her way to find out more about her. She also has things going on in her own life so we get a mix of her personal life as well as her discovering more and more about Alice
Past, obviously focuses on Alice, starting off when we meet her as a child and then following her as she grows up and her life into the work she gets behind. I did enjoy getting to know her better and what her life was like. I have to admit the work she was involved in was slightly above me and probably didn’t quite hold the appeal that it does for Heather in the book but never the less, it was still an interesting read of which I have a lot more knowledge now about Alice and what she stood up for than I did before picking the book up.
The Unlikely Occultist is a solid and intriguing read. I think if you like history and finding out more about iconic figures, then this is definitely one you should try. You can tell the author has done a lot of research and has done well to put as much of that into this book to keep the reader interested.
My thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Now Alice Bailey is someone I had never heard of before picking up this book. Whilst this is a biography of sorts and is based on real life, the author does use her own imagination in the day to day life of Alice so that we get more of a sense of the type of person she was so it reads like more of a story in parts.
The story alternates between present day and the past. In present day we meet Heather who is a librarian and becomes quite fascinated with Alice and goes out of her way to find out more about her. She also has things going on in her own life so we get a mix of her personal life as well as her discovering more and more about Alice
Past, obviously focuses on Alice, starting off when we meet her as a child and then following her as she grows up and her life into the work she gets behind. I did enjoy getting to know her better and what her life was like. I have to admit the work she was involved in was slightly above me and probably didn’t quite hold the appeal that it does for Heather in the book but never the less, it was still an interesting read of which I have a lot more knowledge now about Alice and what she stood up for than I did before picking the book up.
The Unlikely Occultist is a solid and intriguing read. I think if you like history and finding out more about iconic figures, then this is definitely one you should try. You can tell the author has done a lot of research and has done well to put as much of that into this book to keep the reader interested.
My thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
December 4, 2018
In her introductory note to The Unlikely Occultist, author Isobel Blackthorn, describes the work as “a dramatization of Alice Bailey’s life and influence … a portrait based on deep and prolonged study of her life and works.” Blackthorn’s description is, at once, accurate and inadequate. It is accurate insofar as the biographical details of the life and work of Alice A. Bailey are all there; but it is inadequate in that Blackthorn does considerably more with her narrative than simply sketch a portrait of the prolific writer, teacher, and founder (with her second husband Foster Bailey) of an influential movement in the theosophical tradition. Blackthorn does not just fill in the gaps in the historical record but, rather, rounds out the story, giving it a thoroughly human aspect that invites serious consideration (and reconsideration) of this remarkable, and often contentious, woman. And, she goes further, setting the investigation and elaboration of Bailey’s life in present day Australia, thereby managing to co-opt the reader into the investigative and discovery process.
Alice Ann Latrobe Bateman Bailey was born in England in 1880. If the name ‘Latrobe’ sounds familiar to Australian readers, it is because Alice’s grandfather’s cousin was Charles La Trobe, the first governor of Victoria who, amongst many accomplishments, was the instigator of the idea of the State Library of Victoria. Blackthorn makes clever use of the ‘family connection’ by focusing the present-day action of the story on Heather Brown, a librarian at that very library. Heather, mourning the sudden death of her beloved aunt, Hilary, is assigned the task of sorting through boxes of material on Alice Bailey, acquired by the library following the death of Professor Samantha Foyle whose research interest had been centred on esotericism in general and theosophist, Alice Bailey, and her influence on the New Age movement in particular. Reluctant at first, Heather soon becomes intrigued by what she discovers in those boxes, and her investigation yields not only new insights into Bailey but also leads her to reassess her own life.
Alice A. Bailey was the subject of Blackthorn’s doctoral thesis and so it is no surprise that the presentation of Alice’s life – her struggles; her movement away from a strict Christian upbringing and narrow way of thinking; her disastrous first marriage; the birth of three daughters; her entrance into and embrace of Theosophy; her mystical encounters with, and inspiration from ‘The Tibetan’; her teaching and travels; her efforts to reform and redirect Theosophy on a new path; and so much more – is extremely detailed. To bring such detail to a ‘fictional’ work and, at the same time, retain readers’ attention, requires the skills of a very good writer and Blackthorn is certainly this. Nevertheless, the book’s detail in turn calls for attentive and thoughtful readers as the names and ideas, and associations of those names and ideas, take them down some complex routes at times. Leadbeater, Krishnamurti, Carl Jung, the Roosevelts, Rudolph Steiner, Eileen and Peter Caddy and the Findhorn community, U Thant, are a few names among many that are encountered on the way and invite further investigation beyond the limits of the book itself for those who are interested. Blackthorn’s inclusion of an excellent bibliography is a gift for those who want to delve more deeply. It is obvious that Balckthorn admires her subject but this does not prevent her from exploring some of the controversies that beset Alice (and Theosophy) during her lifetime and afterwards, thereby bringing a critical balance to the work.
The novel’s denouement pivots on an intriguing and unexpected synchronicity (which protagonist Heather prefers to see as ‘fate’) that brings the narrative full circle and provides a very satisfying end to a very full and satisfying read.
Alice Ann Latrobe Bateman Bailey was born in England in 1880. If the name ‘Latrobe’ sounds familiar to Australian readers, it is because Alice’s grandfather’s cousin was Charles La Trobe, the first governor of Victoria who, amongst many accomplishments, was the instigator of the idea of the State Library of Victoria. Blackthorn makes clever use of the ‘family connection’ by focusing the present-day action of the story on Heather Brown, a librarian at that very library. Heather, mourning the sudden death of her beloved aunt, Hilary, is assigned the task of sorting through boxes of material on Alice Bailey, acquired by the library following the death of Professor Samantha Foyle whose research interest had been centred on esotericism in general and theosophist, Alice Bailey, and her influence on the New Age movement in particular. Reluctant at first, Heather soon becomes intrigued by what she discovers in those boxes, and her investigation yields not only new insights into Bailey but also leads her to reassess her own life.
Alice A. Bailey was the subject of Blackthorn’s doctoral thesis and so it is no surprise that the presentation of Alice’s life – her struggles; her movement away from a strict Christian upbringing and narrow way of thinking; her disastrous first marriage; the birth of three daughters; her entrance into and embrace of Theosophy; her mystical encounters with, and inspiration from ‘The Tibetan’; her teaching and travels; her efforts to reform and redirect Theosophy on a new path; and so much more – is extremely detailed. To bring such detail to a ‘fictional’ work and, at the same time, retain readers’ attention, requires the skills of a very good writer and Blackthorn is certainly this. Nevertheless, the book’s detail in turn calls for attentive and thoughtful readers as the names and ideas, and associations of those names and ideas, take them down some complex routes at times. Leadbeater, Krishnamurti, Carl Jung, the Roosevelts, Rudolph Steiner, Eileen and Peter Caddy and the Findhorn community, U Thant, are a few names among many that are encountered on the way and invite further investigation beyond the limits of the book itself for those who are interested. Blackthorn’s inclusion of an excellent bibliography is a gift for those who want to delve more deeply. It is obvious that Balckthorn admires her subject but this does not prevent her from exploring some of the controversies that beset Alice (and Theosophy) during her lifetime and afterwards, thereby bringing a critical balance to the work.
The novel’s denouement pivots on an intriguing and unexpected synchronicity (which protagonist Heather prefers to see as ‘fate’) that brings the narrative full circle and provides a very satisfying end to a very full and satisfying read.
August 22, 2019
I’ll be honest, The Unlikely Occultist isn’t a novel I’d typically reach for, however, when I see Isobel Blackthorn, I go for it. I’ve enjoyed her work in the past, so this was worthwhile to pick up and try.
This is a biographical story about Alice Bailey. Isobel Blackthorn proves once again, she has the ability to do the research necessary to make a novel like this feel authentic. While some of it is obviously fabricated for story purposes, it is very realistic feeling and true to what I imagine Alice Bailey’s personality and life was like.
This story alternates between the past and the present and the information presented is fascinating. I think for the type of novel this is, it was placed evenly and was enjoyable to read through.
If you enjoy history and historical fiction, The Unlikely Occultist is something worth checking out. Again, I enjoy Isobel Blackthorn’s writing, so while this might not have been a book I’d normally read, the writing is beautiful and I’m glad I took a leap.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
This is a biographical story about Alice Bailey. Isobel Blackthorn proves once again, she has the ability to do the research necessary to make a novel like this feel authentic. While some of it is obviously fabricated for story purposes, it is very realistic feeling and true to what I imagine Alice Bailey’s personality and life was like.
This story alternates between the past and the present and the information presented is fascinating. I think for the type of novel this is, it was placed evenly and was enjoyable to read through.
If you enjoy history and historical fiction, The Unlikely Occultist is something worth checking out. Again, I enjoy Isobel Blackthorn’s writing, so while this might not have been a book I’d normally read, the writing is beautiful and I’m glad I took a leap.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
March 30, 2019
Having been a serious student of Alice A. Bailey's teaching for many decades I was excited to come across a 'new' way of viewing Alice A. Bailey's teaching and Heather provided a refreshing insight that guides the reader through a new understanding and comprehension of the work of Alice who may be unknown to many who are not of an esoteric bent. Alice Bailey is the very foundation (along with principally H.P. Blavatsky) of the modern Esoteric/Theosophical genre.
We are guided into Heather's world as she traces and discovers Alice and the author softly, and cleverly, weaves a web of wonder. We discover Alice, almost through a looking glass, but definitively through the lens of wisdom as we gain a fascinating glimpse into the world of Alice A. Bailey.
This book was designed to reach a wider audience than Alice's 'teachings' alone might have achieved. It ambitiously joins the novel with the known story and achieves that aim magnificently. Highly recommended to those who might not know much about our 'Alice' but are called to know more. Splendid book, well written, and a credit to the author and may it shine in those places where Alice might sit in the shadows awaiting further light.
We are guided into Heather's world as she traces and discovers Alice and the author softly, and cleverly, weaves a web of wonder. We discover Alice, almost through a looking glass, but definitively through the lens of wisdom as we gain a fascinating glimpse into the world of Alice A. Bailey.
This book was designed to reach a wider audience than Alice's 'teachings' alone might have achieved. It ambitiously joins the novel with the known story and achieves that aim magnificently. Highly recommended to those who might not know much about our 'Alice' but are called to know more. Splendid book, well written, and a credit to the author and may it shine in those places where Alice might sit in the shadows awaiting further light.
August 26, 2019
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I thought that this was a fascinating book – this was one that I wanted to read as soon as I read the blurb and couldn’t wait to get started when the copy landed on my Kindle!
I have read a few books by this author and she has an excellent writing style so I knew this was a book I would enjoy and I was right!
I had not heard of Alice Bailey but boy was she an interesting character! I loved finding out about her and I even found myself on online after I’d finished the book to find out more – that for me is the sign of excellent characterisation – she certainly piqued my interest!
I thought it was well written and another great story from this author and she has brought the character of Alice Bailey to life – a solid 4 stars from me for this one –highly recommended!!
I thought that this was a fascinating book – this was one that I wanted to read as soon as I read the blurb and couldn’t wait to get started when the copy landed on my Kindle!
I have read a few books by this author and she has an excellent writing style so I knew this was a book I would enjoy and I was right!
I had not heard of Alice Bailey but boy was she an interesting character! I loved finding out about her and I even found myself on online after I’d finished the book to find out more – that for me is the sign of excellent characterisation – she certainly piqued my interest!
I thought it was well written and another great story from this author and she has brought the character of Alice Bailey to life – a solid 4 stars from me for this one –highly recommended!!
August 21, 2019
"Alice A. Bailey is a woman who had dedicated her life to righting the wrongs of power, only to be shafted and duly shunted into the margins of history."
I seem to be among the many who have never heard of Alice Bailey and was intrigued by how she described herself "as a rabid orthodox Christian turned occult teacher." She was born in England in 1880 to an aristocratic family and the book follows her difficult and significant life explaining why she was called "the mother of the New age in the 1920s and 1930s". Her vision of a unified society included a global "spirit of religion" different from traditional religious forms and including the concept of the "Age of Aquarius".
Ms. Blackthorn's way of telling the story through an archivist's discovery of Ms. Bailey's biography through the papers of a deceased professor is creative and original.
An interesting and enjoyable read about a very charismatic woman who wrote more than twenty-four books on theosophical subjects.
Thank you to Ms. Blackthorn for giving me the opportunity to review this book with no expectation of a positive review.
I seem to be among the many who have never heard of Alice Bailey and was intrigued by how she described herself "as a rabid orthodox Christian turned occult teacher." She was born in England in 1880 to an aristocratic family and the book follows her difficult and significant life explaining why she was called "the mother of the New age in the 1920s and 1930s". Her vision of a unified society included a global "spirit of religion" different from traditional religious forms and including the concept of the "Age of Aquarius".
Ms. Blackthorn's way of telling the story through an archivist's discovery of Ms. Bailey's biography through the papers of a deceased professor is creative and original.
An interesting and enjoyable read about a very charismatic woman who wrote more than twenty-four books on theosophical subjects.
Thank you to Ms. Blackthorn for giving me the opportunity to review this book with no expectation of a positive review.
July 8, 2019
Who was Alice Bailey? NEW YORK
No, I had never heard of Alice Bailey either! She was active in the first half of the 20th Century writing many books on theosophical subjects and gradually developing New Age philosophies, exploring themes like spirituality, meditation and healing (including a Treatise on White Magic, of which Lou Reed was very fond – apparently).
Heather in the present is going through files and she is often found at the Victoria State Library, sifting through documents and records. She is really drawn to the person of Alice Bailey, whose details are there for the finding amongst the paperwork. She herself is preoccupied with personal loss and so her research, in some ways, is a balm for the sadness she is carrying within her. Her time is taken up with delving into the files but she is also left a legacy which she has to manage.
Heather herself believes in synchronicity – her grandmother Katherine died on the day Heather was born. Perhaps there is more to this apparent coincidence, although Heather’s undermining mother dismisses the idea out of hand. Heather – much like Alice – has to negotiate her way through family issues.
Now, the interesting and little known thing about her was that she was one of the initiators for the Meditation Room at the U.N. in New York, a room comprising iron ore, with a stone at its centre, all reminders of the earth beneath our feet. A place for quiet and peace. There is a beautiful peace window by artist Marc Chagall too. The State Library of Victoria is also one of the settings and you can read more in the author’s #TalkingLocationWith… feature here.
Alice’s story grows apace, this is a woman who travels the world to gain further understanding. A woman who goes through the gamut of domestic abuse with her first husband. A woman who has developed quite a rigid formula for her beliefs, standing firm “on the side of the utmost purity and high moral values“.
She had quite some illness and had to grapple with dissenters. This ‘mother’ of the New Age seemed to have been a very determined woman, cleaving her way through a male dominated society and raising three daughters on her own. But she is charismatic enough to engender a movement, a group of “dedicated individuals with big ideas on how to change the world for the better“.
The author details a great deal of her life, no doubt founded in meticulous research, and indeed it is a biographical novel which makes her life feel very real. The author has an elegant writing style and tailors her idiom to the era – either present day or back to the formality of the early 20th Century.
The title, considering the content, is really very apt (and if like me you are not drawn to books with ‘occult’ or similar in the title, don’t be put off!). A very interesting and unusual read!
No, I had never heard of Alice Bailey either! She was active in the first half of the 20th Century writing many books on theosophical subjects and gradually developing New Age philosophies, exploring themes like spirituality, meditation and healing (including a Treatise on White Magic, of which Lou Reed was very fond – apparently).
Heather in the present is going through files and she is often found at the Victoria State Library, sifting through documents and records. She is really drawn to the person of Alice Bailey, whose details are there for the finding amongst the paperwork. She herself is preoccupied with personal loss and so her research, in some ways, is a balm for the sadness she is carrying within her. Her time is taken up with delving into the files but she is also left a legacy which she has to manage.
Heather herself believes in synchronicity – her grandmother Katherine died on the day Heather was born. Perhaps there is more to this apparent coincidence, although Heather’s undermining mother dismisses the idea out of hand. Heather – much like Alice – has to negotiate her way through family issues.
Now, the interesting and little known thing about her was that she was one of the initiators for the Meditation Room at the U.N. in New York, a room comprising iron ore, with a stone at its centre, all reminders of the earth beneath our feet. A place for quiet and peace. There is a beautiful peace window by artist Marc Chagall too. The State Library of Victoria is also one of the settings and you can read more in the author’s #TalkingLocationWith… feature here.
Alice’s story grows apace, this is a woman who travels the world to gain further understanding. A woman who goes through the gamut of domestic abuse with her first husband. A woman who has developed quite a rigid formula for her beliefs, standing firm “on the side of the utmost purity and high moral values“.
She had quite some illness and had to grapple with dissenters. This ‘mother’ of the New Age seemed to have been a very determined woman, cleaving her way through a male dominated society and raising three daughters on her own. But she is charismatic enough to engender a movement, a group of “dedicated individuals with big ideas on how to change the world for the better“.
The author details a great deal of her life, no doubt founded in meticulous research, and indeed it is a biographical novel which makes her life feel very real. The author has an elegant writing style and tailors her idiom to the era – either present day or back to the formality of the early 20th Century.
The title, considering the content, is really very apt (and if like me you are not drawn to books with ‘occult’ or similar in the title, don’t be put off!). A very interesting and unusual read!
August 12, 2019
The novel itself is an interesting read, dense in places, light and illuminating in others, which will give anyone interested in Bailey’s life plenty of food for thought.
Heather Brown is an Australian archivist at the State Library of Victoria who is sorting through the papers of the late Professor Samantha Foyle. This deceased professor was working on a biography of ‘the mother of the New Age’ Alice Bailey and it’s Heather’s job to catalogue and research all of the Professor’s work that has been donated to the library. This piques Brown’s interest in Alice Bailey and gradually her and Bailey’s stories become, in a sense, intertwined.
Novel-wise, the narrative is split between the librarian and Alice Bailey`s lives, which is fascinating enough no matter what you believe or don’t believe, for Bailey was a writer and teacher who was one of the first people to coin terms like ‘New Age’ and ‘The Age of Aquarius’ and claimed to have had her books dictated to her by a Tibetan Master of Wisdom – a human-like divinity steeped in Eastern esoteric religion.
Heather Brown is an Australian archivist at the State Library of Victoria who is sorting through the papers of the late Professor Samantha Foyle. This deceased professor was working on a biography of ‘the mother of the New Age’ Alice Bailey and it’s Heather’s job to catalogue and research all of the Professor’s work that has been donated to the library. This piques Brown’s interest in Alice Bailey and gradually her and Bailey’s stories become, in a sense, intertwined.
Novel-wise, the narrative is split between the librarian and Alice Bailey`s lives, which is fascinating enough no matter what you believe or don’t believe, for Bailey was a writer and teacher who was one of the first people to coin terms like ‘New Age’ and ‘The Age of Aquarius’ and claimed to have had her books dictated to her by a Tibetan Master of Wisdom – a human-like divinity steeped in Eastern esoteric religion.
July 3, 2019
I am always keen to learn about people and their lives, so I was eager to read about Alice Bailey. I’m surprised that I had never heard of her before I read this book. The author has written a biographical novel about her life. The author supplements the facts of Ms. Bailey’s life with well-written fictional accounts of Alice’s day-to-day life, which brings this enigmatic person to life.
In addition to Ms. Bailey’s story from the past, we also read about a fictional woman, Heather, who lives in present-day Australia and is researching the life of Alice Brown. Heather is at a turning point in her own life, so she bonds with Alice. Again, this helped me to care about Alice and made me realize Alice Bailey still has a following in the present day.
So who was Alice Bailey? She lived from June 16, 1880 – December 15, 1949. She was born in England to an aristocratic family. She was deeply religious and felt a strong desire to serve. As a young woman, she worked at a Soldier’s Home, in Ireland and India, which were gathering places for British soldiers that provided snacks, entertainment and Bible services, Ms. Bailey married a young soldier and they moved to America and started a family.
However, Ms. Bailey’s husband physically abused her and she finally left him. This traumatic time led her to get to know some of the new Theosophy Centers in California. This would change her life. From then on she became committed to this cause and eventually was a major factor in the idea of a New Age of Aquarius. Living through two world wars also inspired her to focus on peace and enlightenment.
Bailey's works, written between 1919 and 1949, describe a wide-ranging system of esoteric thought covering such topics as how spirituality relates to the Solar System, meditation, healing, spiritual psychology, the destiny of nations, and prescriptions for society in general. She channeled writings from “The Tibetan” a spirit.
I truly have no interest in any of Alice Bailey’s writing or thoughts. However, I enjoyed reading the book as it is quite engaging. Thanks to the author and Rachel’s Random Resources for a review copy. This is my honest review.
In addition to Ms. Bailey’s story from the past, we also read about a fictional woman, Heather, who lives in present-day Australia and is researching the life of Alice Brown. Heather is at a turning point in her own life, so she bonds with Alice. Again, this helped me to care about Alice and made me realize Alice Bailey still has a following in the present day.
So who was Alice Bailey? She lived from June 16, 1880 – December 15, 1949. She was born in England to an aristocratic family. She was deeply religious and felt a strong desire to serve. As a young woman, she worked at a Soldier’s Home, in Ireland and India, which were gathering places for British soldiers that provided snacks, entertainment and Bible services, Ms. Bailey married a young soldier and they moved to America and started a family.
However, Ms. Bailey’s husband physically abused her and she finally left him. This traumatic time led her to get to know some of the new Theosophy Centers in California. This would change her life. From then on she became committed to this cause and eventually was a major factor in the idea of a New Age of Aquarius. Living through two world wars also inspired her to focus on peace and enlightenment.
Bailey's works, written between 1919 and 1949, describe a wide-ranging system of esoteric thought covering such topics as how spirituality relates to the Solar System, meditation, healing, spiritual psychology, the destiny of nations, and prescriptions for society in general. She channeled writings from “The Tibetan” a spirit.
I truly have no interest in any of Alice Bailey’s writing or thoughts. However, I enjoyed reading the book as it is quite engaging. Thanks to the author and Rachel’s Random Resources for a review copy. This is my honest review.
January 15, 2019
The unlikely Occultist is a biographical story about Alice Baily. The author uses historical references and record in order to write a fictional tale about Alice’s life. A few characters are invented and fabricated in order to produce a beautiful narrative, however; she stays true to Alice’s personality and character teachings.
The story is written in two parts and I believe had a very nice flow to it. I had never heard of Alice before, so to me, she was just as fictional as the other characters, however, after reading the book I realized that the author had filled all the gaps of what once was uncertain about Alice.
The literature was stunningly written. Alice’s story and life were not easy. Raising three children alone after separating from her husband was truly delicately transcribed. What did exist was a blend of realness and fiction, which at times, made it inseparable.
The female lead and character were portrayed as strong and inspirational. Alice was a woman ahead of her time and era. I found the book very enjoyable to read. I recommend this book to historical fiction readers.
The story is written in two parts and I believe had a very nice flow to it. I had never heard of Alice before, so to me, she was just as fictional as the other characters, however, after reading the book I realized that the author had filled all the gaps of what once was uncertain about Alice.
The literature was stunningly written. Alice’s story and life were not easy. Raising three children alone after separating from her husband was truly delicately transcribed. What did exist was a blend of realness and fiction, which at times, made it inseparable.
The female lead and character were portrayed as strong and inspirational. Alice was a woman ahead of her time and era. I found the book very enjoyable to read. I recommend this book to historical fiction readers.
November 23, 2018
‘THE UNLIKELY OCCULTIST’
At first glance of a synopsis of ‘The Unlikely Occultist’, an unsuspecting reader might think they were in for a bit of a dull read. They would be wrong.
Although almost forgotten today, and only occasionally mentioned as a prime mover for some of the more outrageous conspiracy theories, Alice Bailey was a major historical figure of her time and her influence is still felt today in some quarters. If it is true, that ‘history is written by the victors’, then Alice’s descent into notoriety and subsequent obscurity can be easily understood. A somewhat rigid and at times difficult woman, she none the less wound up being thought of as the mother of the ‘New Age’ movement of the 20’s and 30’s, and as a result, made both influential friends and powerful enemies. That her enemies won would seem surprising, but there is much that is surprising about Alice Bailey.
Isobel Blackthorn’s meticulously researched novel does much to fill the gap and more importantly introduces us to the ‘zeitgeist’ of the times between the two world wars.
Starting with the bookish Heather, an archivist in the manuscript section of the State library of Victoria in Melbourne Australia, a routine examination and inventory of a Dead Professor’s papers leads back into the past and the world of the Theosophists and Alice Bailey. Still trying to deal with the death of her favourite aunt, Heather plunges herself into what starts to become an historical and literary mystery.
As the story progresses, Alice and Heather seem to become in some way almost interchangeable, and the reader has to constantly be on guard for time shifts. This gives, even the present day narrative, an almost reminiscent, dreamlike quality, and the occasional references to Osho, throughout the work help to remind the reader, that this is not purely an historical topic, but one with resonances even to the present day.
The novel, although I hesitate to call it that - to this reviewer, its form is more along the lines of Truman Capotes ‘documentary fiction’, although not as grim or quite so dark - has an essentially classical structure of three parts, subdivided into shorter chapters. This makes the reading of it, a bit like going through old photo’s of strangers and wondering who they were and what their lives were like? In terms of Alice Bailey herself, it’s nice to see her shade dusted off and her life being re-assessed.
The author strikes just the right balance in the writing; although it is clear she finds much to admire in her subject, there is also a much more troubling aspect to some of what is being portrayed, that also needs to be acknowledged. The result being that she comes out at the end as a concerned but largely dispassionate observer and recorder of events, leaving it very much up to the reader to decide how they react.
For this reader, ‘‘The Unlikely Occultist’ is something you don’t find much of anymore, a ‘leisurely read’. You don’t feel you are being whipped from plot point to plot point, and you are allowed the time to just wander through the past a little, admire the scenery and meet some of people who live there, and then come back to the now, with perhaps a new perspective on where we are, and perhaps why we’re here.
To anyone familiar with the 1960’s, the term ‘New Age’ seems to be synonymous with that heady time. But in fact its provenance goes much further back, and in these days where Bhagwan Rajneesh of the famous ‘orange people’ can re-invent himself as Osho, and every second Facebook post is from Rumi, or some other such spiritual luminary, to have the means to re-visit a time when spirituality was not such a trivial matter, or could be so easily commercialised and reproduced, can be a very refreshing journey to take…
Alice Bailey as an Internet meme’… I’d like to see that?
Philip A. Wallis
At first glance of a synopsis of ‘The Unlikely Occultist’, an unsuspecting reader might think they were in for a bit of a dull read. They would be wrong.
Although almost forgotten today, and only occasionally mentioned as a prime mover for some of the more outrageous conspiracy theories, Alice Bailey was a major historical figure of her time and her influence is still felt today in some quarters. If it is true, that ‘history is written by the victors’, then Alice’s descent into notoriety and subsequent obscurity can be easily understood. A somewhat rigid and at times difficult woman, she none the less wound up being thought of as the mother of the ‘New Age’ movement of the 20’s and 30’s, and as a result, made both influential friends and powerful enemies. That her enemies won would seem surprising, but there is much that is surprising about Alice Bailey.
Isobel Blackthorn’s meticulously researched novel does much to fill the gap and more importantly introduces us to the ‘zeitgeist’ of the times between the two world wars.
Starting with the bookish Heather, an archivist in the manuscript section of the State library of Victoria in Melbourne Australia, a routine examination and inventory of a Dead Professor’s papers leads back into the past and the world of the Theosophists and Alice Bailey. Still trying to deal with the death of her favourite aunt, Heather plunges herself into what starts to become an historical and literary mystery.
As the story progresses, Alice and Heather seem to become in some way almost interchangeable, and the reader has to constantly be on guard for time shifts. This gives, even the present day narrative, an almost reminiscent, dreamlike quality, and the occasional references to Osho, throughout the work help to remind the reader, that this is not purely an historical topic, but one with resonances even to the present day.
The novel, although I hesitate to call it that - to this reviewer, its form is more along the lines of Truman Capotes ‘documentary fiction’, although not as grim or quite so dark - has an essentially classical structure of three parts, subdivided into shorter chapters. This makes the reading of it, a bit like going through old photo’s of strangers and wondering who they were and what their lives were like? In terms of Alice Bailey herself, it’s nice to see her shade dusted off and her life being re-assessed.
The author strikes just the right balance in the writing; although it is clear she finds much to admire in her subject, there is also a much more troubling aspect to some of what is being portrayed, that also needs to be acknowledged. The result being that she comes out at the end as a concerned but largely dispassionate observer and recorder of events, leaving it very much up to the reader to decide how they react.
For this reader, ‘‘The Unlikely Occultist’ is something you don’t find much of anymore, a ‘leisurely read’. You don’t feel you are being whipped from plot point to plot point, and you are allowed the time to just wander through the past a little, admire the scenery and meet some of people who live there, and then come back to the now, with perhaps a new perspective on where we are, and perhaps why we’re here.
To anyone familiar with the 1960’s, the term ‘New Age’ seems to be synonymous with that heady time. But in fact its provenance goes much further back, and in these days where Bhagwan Rajneesh of the famous ‘orange people’ can re-invent himself as Osho, and every second Facebook post is from Rumi, or some other such spiritual luminary, to have the means to re-visit a time when spirituality was not such a trivial matter, or could be so easily commercialised and reproduced, can be a very refreshing journey to take…
Alice Bailey as an Internet meme’… I’d like to see that?
Philip A. Wallis
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April 13, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/13/2019)! 🎁
April 3, 2019
This is an extract of my review, which is quite long. Read the full review at www.patricialeslie.net
Isobel Blackthorn’s fictionalised biography of Alice Anne Bailey brings to light a life, and life’s purpose, that has been denigrated, downplayed or completely ignored. She became a shadow in the background of the momentous events and changes that impacted the Western World from late 1800s to mid 1900s; from the pre-world war period to the establishment of the United Nations. With The Unlikely Occultist, Alice is back in the light where she deserves to be.
The Unlikely Occultist, cleverly intertwines two story lines, that of Alice Anne Bailey, the dedicated, passionate believer in the urgent need to save souls on a global scale, and the fictional Heather Brown an Australian archivist at the State Library of Victoria who comes across Bailey’s story through the papers of the late Professor Samantha Foyle (also fictional). The deceased professor was working on a biography of Alice Bailey, and it is Heather’s job to check and record all of the Professor’s work that has been donated to the library. In so doing, she is drawn into the world of theosophical thought and the work of Alice Bailey, throughout the first half of the 19th century to unify spiritual belief and bring about peace.
I thoroughly enjoyed the way Isobel Blackthorn tied the story up at the end. Her observations, through Heather are razor sharp and her description of Alice, driven and ambitious in her pursuit of truth and world unity is insightful, thoroughly researched, and a great learning experience. We dive into Alice A. Bailey’s world alongside Heather as she obsessively follows every lead, every clue into this woman’s hidden, and unexpected, gifts to the world.
Isobel Blackthorn’s fictionalised biography of Alice Anne Bailey brings to light a life, and life’s purpose, that has been denigrated, downplayed or completely ignored. She became a shadow in the background of the momentous events and changes that impacted the Western World from late 1800s to mid 1900s; from the pre-world war period to the establishment of the United Nations. With The Unlikely Occultist, Alice is back in the light where she deserves to be.
The Unlikely Occultist, cleverly intertwines two story lines, that of Alice Anne Bailey, the dedicated, passionate believer in the urgent need to save souls on a global scale, and the fictional Heather Brown an Australian archivist at the State Library of Victoria who comes across Bailey’s story through the papers of the late Professor Samantha Foyle (also fictional). The deceased professor was working on a biography of Alice Bailey, and it is Heather’s job to check and record all of the Professor’s work that has been donated to the library. In so doing, she is drawn into the world of theosophical thought and the work of Alice Bailey, throughout the first half of the 19th century to unify spiritual belief and bring about peace.
I thoroughly enjoyed the way Isobel Blackthorn tied the story up at the end. Her observations, through Heather are razor sharp and her description of Alice, driven and ambitious in her pursuit of truth and world unity is insightful, thoroughly researched, and a great learning experience. We dive into Alice A. Bailey’s world alongside Heather as she obsessively follows every lead, every clue into this woman’s hidden, and unexpected, gifts to the world.
January 3, 2019
An unlikely treat
I must make clear that, prior to reading this book, I had never heard of Alice Bailey. However, a book so well written certainly deserved my attention. When a historical novel leaves one wondering which parts are true and which parts are fictional, you know the author has done a good job.
I found myself being slowly pulled into the life and times of Alice Bailey, and the hardships she endured as she struggled to raise three daughters after separating from her first, abusive husband. Somehow, through sheer power of will, Alice forged an organisation that sought to bring people together, often going against the accepted means of the era in which she lived. How much of the book is fact and how much is fiction is hard to say, and that is the beauty of the book. This is the story of a remarkable woman, told in a way that is wholly believable. A definite 5 stars.
I must make clear that, prior to reading this book, I had never heard of Alice Bailey. However, a book so well written certainly deserved my attention. When a historical novel leaves one wondering which parts are true and which parts are fictional, you know the author has done a good job.
I found myself being slowly pulled into the life and times of Alice Bailey, and the hardships she endured as she struggled to raise three daughters after separating from her first, abusive husband. Somehow, through sheer power of will, Alice forged an organisation that sought to bring people together, often going against the accepted means of the era in which she lived. How much of the book is fact and how much is fiction is hard to say, and that is the beauty of the book. This is the story of a remarkable woman, told in a way that is wholly believable. A definite 5 stars.
February 15, 2019
Occasionally, but very rarely, an author will pluck a topic from history that flummoxes me & this is such a book. Prior to reading this wonderful book I had never heard of Alice Bailey or her amazing life. It’s hard to broach a topic that it controversial, mysterious & tangled all at once but Isobel Blackthorn does it perfectly in this sympathetic yet detailed biography. I loved every page & thank the author for introducing me to one of history’s greatest women.
August 24, 2019
Prior to picking up this book, I had never heard of Alice A. Bailey and although that wasn’t an issue whilst reading about Alice’s life, there did seem to be the assumption that the reader would have some knowledge of Western Esotericism and Theosophy. Sadly I do not, and this made The Unlikely Occultist a challenging read for me. Although in the chapters told from Heather’s perspective there was a great deal of information, facts and figures about the movement to which Alice Bailey belonged, unfortunately this just baffled me. I suspect this is largely down to my own understanding, and for a more academic mind than mine, I am sure this would make fascinating reading.
Despite the fact that I struggled with the esoteric thinking behind Alice’s work, I found that I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her life, and the decisions and events that led her down the path that she eventually took. She is truly an inspiring lady who fought back against adversity time and again to remain true to her beliefs, and as I read I found myself, much like Heather, longing to know more about her and fill in the undocumented gaps in her life and what would seem to be her spectacular fall from grace. Reading about Alice’s work made me want to read up on her work more, and then perhaps return to this book with fresh eyes to gain a better understanding of her influence in the New Age movement.
Added to my new found interest in Alice, I have some researching of my own to do, having stumbled across a family name in the book – whether this person was an actual relation, or it just a big coincidence, remains to be seen, but finding out will certainly make for an interesting project for me.
Despite the fact that I struggled with the esoteric thinking behind Alice’s work, I found that I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her life, and the decisions and events that led her down the path that she eventually took. She is truly an inspiring lady who fought back against adversity time and again to remain true to her beliefs, and as I read I found myself, much like Heather, longing to know more about her and fill in the undocumented gaps in her life and what would seem to be her spectacular fall from grace. Reading about Alice’s work made me want to read up on her work more, and then perhaps return to this book with fresh eyes to gain a better understanding of her influence in the New Age movement.
Added to my new found interest in Alice, I have some researching of my own to do, having stumbled across a family name in the book – whether this person was an actual relation, or it just a big coincidence, remains to be seen, but finding out will certainly make for an interesting project for me.
September 11, 2020
This is a dual timeline novel.
Alice Bailey was an aristocrat and an evangelical Christian. As a young woman, she did missionary work in soldiers’ homes in Ireland and India. Marriage to a violent man produced three daughters. When he abandoned them, Alice was destitute. She worked for several years packing sardines in a canning factory in order to feed herself and her children. But she was a purposeful and ambitious woman determined to rise above these appalling conditions. Seeking some intellectual stimulation, she attended a meeting of theosophists and found her calling.
Heather is an archivist, who has a hundred boxes of a late professor’s work on Bailey dumped on her, including many of Bailey’s books. Heather is soon engaged, and we see Bailey’s life and work through her sensitive and sympathetic eyes. She has her own issues: a recently dead and beloved aunt and a domineering mother.
This was not an easy read and I found myself having to read parts again. Bailey was not only an occultist and an esoteric, but her teachings also encompassed metaphysics, spirituality, and cosmology among other arcane subjects, all of which are on the very periphery of my core of knowledge. She was called by some the Mother of the Aquarian New Age, and she was certainly an important influencer. Others denigrated her as a disciple of the Antichrist.
As Heather digs deeper, she embarks on a quest to discover why Bailey was loved and revered by some, reviled by others and largely ignored by eminent historians and academics. The answer may surprise. Despite all, Bailey’s teachings and the organisations she founded have endured.
Not all of Bailey’s writings are her own. She transcribed telepathic messages from an entity she called the Tibetan whose purpose was to found a new world order, with one government, one people, peace and harmony. The nearest we have come is the United Nations.
While this book is interesting, it’s not for everyone. Like its subject, it is erudite and deep. But it did something for me few other books have done by opening a whole world of new thoughts and ideas.
*****
Alice Bailey was an aristocrat and an evangelical Christian. As a young woman, she did missionary work in soldiers’ homes in Ireland and India. Marriage to a violent man produced three daughters. When he abandoned them, Alice was destitute. She worked for several years packing sardines in a canning factory in order to feed herself and her children. But she was a purposeful and ambitious woman determined to rise above these appalling conditions. Seeking some intellectual stimulation, she attended a meeting of theosophists and found her calling.
Heather is an archivist, who has a hundred boxes of a late professor’s work on Bailey dumped on her, including many of Bailey’s books. Heather is soon engaged, and we see Bailey’s life and work through her sensitive and sympathetic eyes. She has her own issues: a recently dead and beloved aunt and a domineering mother.
This was not an easy read and I found myself having to read parts again. Bailey was not only an occultist and an esoteric, but her teachings also encompassed metaphysics, spirituality, and cosmology among other arcane subjects, all of which are on the very periphery of my core of knowledge. She was called by some the Mother of the Aquarian New Age, and she was certainly an important influencer. Others denigrated her as a disciple of the Antichrist.
As Heather digs deeper, she embarks on a quest to discover why Bailey was loved and revered by some, reviled by others and largely ignored by eminent historians and academics. The answer may surprise. Despite all, Bailey’s teachings and the organisations she founded have endured.
Not all of Bailey’s writings are her own. She transcribed telepathic messages from an entity she called the Tibetan whose purpose was to found a new world order, with one government, one people, peace and harmony. The nearest we have come is the United Nations.
While this book is interesting, it’s not for everyone. Like its subject, it is erudite and deep. But it did something for me few other books have done by opening a whole world of new thoughts and ideas.
*****
March 6, 2020
Saddening, Inspiring, Striking . . .
The Unlikely Occultist immediately caught me in its spell. Alice A. Bailey's quest to enable humanity to live in as interconnected spiritual beings proved striking. Her battles both within and without left me eager to turn each page and discover new meanings and insights into human nature and the quest for enlightenment. Sadness overcame me with the purity of her vision obscured and often unrecognized, at times plainly overlooked. This volume deserves a place in the library of those pursuing the life-long study of consciousness, spirituality, and truth to self.
The Unlikely Occultist immediately caught me in its spell. Alice A. Bailey's quest to enable humanity to live in as interconnected spiritual beings proved striking. Her battles both within and without left me eager to turn each page and discover new meanings and insights into human nature and the quest for enlightenment. Sadness overcame me with the purity of her vision obscured and often unrecognized, at times plainly overlooked. This volume deserves a place in the library of those pursuing the life-long study of consciousness, spirituality, and truth to self.
October 24, 2019
I enjoyed your book...its been a long time since i read her Unfinished Autobiography, so reading your story was refreshing as you added a personal dimension to the story, plus a little intrigue of literary detective work in seeking insights into the negative reactions to AAB's work. Never knew about the Jung disconnection. She was a remarkable woman and you did her justice.
October 30, 2019
The conclusion that the protagonist of this biographical novel drew as to why Alice Bailey is not a household name in relation to other thought leaders of her era, ie Carl Jung, was an eyes-wide-open moment for me. It took me a couple of chapters to warmly settle into this story, but after that I could not put it down. It’s my new favourite book to gift to book loving friends.
October 29, 2019
This was an excellent look at a woman I had never heard about, but whose influence ripples through the world of what we call "the occult."
September 15, 2019
This a thoroughly interesting and informative read. We’re told from the beginning which characters are real and which are fictional (the major characters are all real although their stories are told with artistic licence) and it left me wanting to research and learn more about Bailey!
The story starts with Heather (a fictional character) who, through her work, has been thrown into Alice’s life. She starts off on a trip, visiting places which were important to Alice and then the story unfolds as to how this happened. Heather needs to sort through paperwork and books written by Alice….to which Alice story unfolds. Some of the chapters are told by Heather, others are about Alice.
Alice is an intriguing and interesting character who has been through some trying times. She spends her life trying to do things for the greater good and is one of the first people to talk about areas of the occult. She writes about meditation, white magic, spiritualism etc and is one of the first people to use the term New Age. Her story is an interesting one and you’re completely pulled in to her world.
This is quite a long story, but it’s to Isobel’s credit that she doesn’t rush through the story she has to tell. Alice has had a long and interesting life which is covered brilliantly in this biographical novel. Make sure you have time to invest into this if you’re going to read it – rushing through it isn’t an option!
Overall, I really did enjoy this and am looking forward to doing some investigating into Alice; especially as she has links to Kent!
The story starts with Heather (a fictional character) who, through her work, has been thrown into Alice’s life. She starts off on a trip, visiting places which were important to Alice and then the story unfolds as to how this happened. Heather needs to sort through paperwork and books written by Alice….to which Alice story unfolds. Some of the chapters are told by Heather, others are about Alice.
Alice is an intriguing and interesting character who has been through some trying times. She spends her life trying to do things for the greater good and is one of the first people to talk about areas of the occult. She writes about meditation, white magic, spiritualism etc and is one of the first people to use the term New Age. Her story is an interesting one and you’re completely pulled in to her world.
This is quite a long story, but it’s to Isobel’s credit that she doesn’t rush through the story she has to tell. Alice has had a long and interesting life which is covered brilliantly in this biographical novel. Make sure you have time to invest into this if you’re going to read it – rushing through it isn’t an option!
Overall, I really did enjoy this and am looking forward to doing some investigating into Alice; especially as she has links to Kent!
September 17, 2019
Historical fiction depicts a fascinating real-life figure.
Alice Bailey is often referred to as the mother of the New Age Movement, but such a description misses the nuances of who she was and what she worked for. In this fictionalised account of her life, Blackthorn explores her work in establishing the modern esoteric movement , but also brings Bailey to life through depictions of her relationships, illness and legacy. Through the frame of a modern researcher, she also considers where the barriers came from that thwarted Bailey, and why she is is not held in the same regard as contemporaries such as Carl Jung. Blackthorn wrote a PhD on Alice Bailey and that is evident in her confident, assured writing. She beautifully evokes the places and lifestyle of Bailey's era. A fascinating read.
Alice Bailey is often referred to as the mother of the New Age Movement, but such a description misses the nuances of who she was and what she worked for. In this fictionalised account of her life, Blackthorn explores her work in establishing the modern esoteric movement , but also brings Bailey to life through depictions of her relationships, illness and legacy. Through the frame of a modern researcher, she also considers where the barriers came from that thwarted Bailey, and why she is is not held in the same regard as contemporaries such as Carl Jung. Blackthorn wrote a PhD on Alice Bailey and that is evident in her confident, assured writing. She beautifully evokes the places and lifestyle of Bailey's era. A fascinating read.
October 27, 2019
I really enjoyed this book, I had never heard of Alice Bailey but Isobel Blackthorn really brings her to life here.
This is a brilliant insight into a woman I suspect not many people of heard of. It is obvious that a lot of research has gone into it as she weaves the story of librarian Heather Brown and Alice Bailey’s story.
A fascinating read.
This is a brilliant insight into a woman I suspect not many people of heard of. It is obvious that a lot of research has gone into it as she weaves the story of librarian Heather Brown and Alice Bailey’s story.
A fascinating read.
October 25, 2019
This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
"While this book is interesting, it’s not for everyone. Like its subject it is erudite and deep. But it did something for me few other books have done."
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
"While this book is interesting, it’s not for everyone. Like its subject it is erudite and deep. But it did something for me few other books have done."
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews