Eccentric Lives, Peculiar Notions

_Eccentric Lives & Peculiar Notions_, published in 1984, by British writer John Michell is a fascinating and fun examination of the lives of various individuals who held to peculiar notions often to the point of obsession. John Michell (1933 - ) is a British author who has written extensively on ancient mysteries and ancient wisdom traditions and considers himself to be a "radical traditionalist". This book examines the lives of various obscure and eccentric individuals and their peculiar ideas on particular topics. The book is a pleasure to read and offers much fascinating material. It is certain to be enjoyed by any who delight in learning about the extremes of the human condition and the limits of human sanity. This book includes the following topics: "A dreadfully persistent lover" - The life of the man known as Woodcock Carden who pursued his love to extremes despite her refusal of his advances. "The strange adventure of a Somerset genealogist" - The life of Sir Ian Stuart-Knill and his wife Lady Eve and their research into the earliest history of King Arthur. "Loyalists of the flat earth" - The history of the belief that the earth is flat, beginning with the Greek monk Cosmas and culminating in various fundamentalists in modern times who continue to cling to the biblically based belief in a flat earth despite the globularists. This section also includes discussion of attempts to determine which theory was correct, pitting the two theories against each other and featuring such characters as Alfred Russell Wallace and Lady Blount. "The community that dwelt within the earth" - The followers of Dr. Cyrus Teed who advocated a utopian religion called Koreshanity and their belief that the earth was a hollow sphere (as well as attempts to prove this through measurement). "The diehard priest who opposed capitalism" - The life and exploits of the diehard priest Father Jeremiah O'Callaghan who opposed the lending at interest (usury), basing his arguments on church tradition and Scripture, including mention of William Cobbett who largely embraced his ideas. "A most conservative M.P. and the royal boycott of Lincoln" - The life of the arch-conservative Colonel Sibthorp who opposed all reform and change to the English Constitution of his youth. "The first lady of conspiratology" - A thorough discussion of the notion of conspiracy theory, focusing on the life of Nesta Webster and her early involvement in the occult and her unveiling of a conspiracy against Christian civilization. This section also includes discussion of the Bavarian Illuminati and the nefarious Adam Weishaupt, as well as mentioning conspiracy theory in America including in modern times such as propagated by the magazine _The Spotlight_ and the U. S. Labor Party. "The man who got letters from statues" - A discussion of the Fox sisters and spiritualism as well as Baron Ludwig de Guldenstubbe who received letters from statues. "Two unusual landowners" - The lives

Well I got to meet John Michell at the INFO Fortfest back in 1998 after he did a talk on Ignatius Donnelly and I was the only Minnesotan in attendance. Donnelly gets an amazing chapter as the greatest genius the U.S. ever produced, more or less. There's such a fascinating description of a wide range of eccentrics in this book that it's really a great window into an era when individuality really meant something.

An enjoyable compilation of interesting stories.Each chapter is self contained, making this book ideal bathtub/bedtime reader.I was thouroughly entertained by this book. It is a quick and fun read. The bibliography and index lets you conduct any further investigations on those subjects that particularily interested you.Try it, you'll like it.

I read this book after reading another by the author as I liked him so much and I was not dissapointed! The book provides detailed, fasinating accounts of people with eccentric hobbies that they have devoted their lives to. For example, Mrs Elizabeth Wells Gallup, the baconian cipherer. A great read. enjoy.