Albert Pike: The Man Behind the Monument

Scottish Rite Masons, Civil War buffs, historians, and the curious alike will enjoy this readable book. At first I was concerned that a tale about Mr. Pike would be a tough read full of lofty verbiage and abstract concepts, but this narrative is well presented and full of anectdotes which bring Brother Pike to life as a real man, practical jokes and all. The author stays focused on the humanity of Pike and his contributions without going off on "scholarly" tangents about Pike's sister's neighbor's dog, and keeping the book to a manageable size. A well done biography.

Tresner's knowledge of Pike is amazing. This book will hold your interest and is written in an east to understand manner. If you have ever wondered about Pike this book is for you.

Pike's Morals & Dogma stands as an unequalled classic to those for whom esotericism is a serious pursuit. One wonders how a man in a single lifetime could have come to amass such vast knowledge. In reading his biography, it's obvious. This is a man whose appetite for life & learning was voracious. This is a man whose capacity for action knew no bounds. He was patriot, mystic, adventurer, philosopher, writer, prankster, & pioneer. This is his story, much of it told in his own words.

As the author points out, most Scottish Rite masons are almost afraid to approach the subject of Albert Pike. Many find that his writings, written in the verbose victorian style of the 19th century, are beyond their comprehension. And the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry hasn't helped matters any by turning Pike into an almost mythological figure. As a result, most of us have been overwhelmed by him and have not felt worthy enough to approach the subject of so much awe and mystery. Tresner does an amazing job in showing us all that Pike is indeed approachable. He peels away the mythology and shows us that, while worthy of our respect and admiration, Pike was indeed as human as any of us. Tresner fleshes out this character that has been cast in stone for the last hundred years, thus making both the man and his writings more accessible to us today. Even if you are not a mason and don't know anything about the Scottish Rite, you will still enjoy this look at one of the most amazing figures of the 19th century. He was a lawyer, a civil war general, an author, an explorer, a musician and an early advocate of native American rights. He wrote about philosophy and religion and updated the rituals of the Scottish Rite. It is a shame that more attention hasn't been paid to the amazing life of this individual. This book is very readable, as it is written in down to earth language. The author is not out to impress anybody with multi-syllabic language. He is not a scholar trying to impress other scholars. Neither does he insult your intelligence by writing underneath you. He is a writer who truly admires his subject and will share that admiration with anyone who will spare a few minutes to listen. Besides it's easy to comprehend language, one thing that makes this book so enjoyable is it's layout. Unlike most biographies, which start at the subject's birth and chronologically list his achievements until death, Tresner devotes each chapter to a separate aspect of Pike's life. There is a chapter devoted to his relationship with the American Indians, one devoted to his lifelong pursuit of knowledge in Freemasonry, even one about his collection of pipes. Thus we can truly appreciate not only Pike's incredible achievements but those small character traits and quirks which made him so likable to those who knew him. By learning more about Pike, we learn about ourselves and about the infinite possibilities which life has to offer. It would be very difficult for someone to read this book and not want to start living life to it's absolute fullest as Pike did. Carpe Diem!