Wilhelm Reich in Hell

Every time I read one of these books it changes my perspective. Somehow Wilson constantly manages to bring up concepts that convict me and force me to look in, as well as over my shoulder.

Harness sexual energy to power the world? Of course, the man was mad. Anyone in that time who would proclaim such a thing would be the Victorian equivilant of a Salem witch! Of course, the port-o-potty booth he made to help, um...harness that power, was a little too weird for the time, but he was on to something. He had notes and everything! He was a free thinker! A psychologist! A student of the greatest minds of the time! But even these days, it would mean a trip to the psyche ward for you to proclaim such a thing. However, I doubt the FBI would burn down his house and destroy all his notes these days...right? Wilhelm Reich in Hell is an interesting collection of thoughts and ideas regarding the "truth" about Orgone enery, the man behind the ideas and his ultimate downfall. It's a weird read, but sharp, funny and exciting a read as anything Robert A. Wilson puts out. Good stuff.

Wilhelm Reich was many things in his lifetime- a student of Freud, a political activist, a research scientist, and an inventor. His work was decades ahead of its time and is finally being rediscovered and reevaluated by the public. If, like me, you are interested in Reich and his work, you might want to check out a novel called We All Fall Down, by Brian Caldwell. it draws heavily on Reich's theories, particularly Listen Little Man and The Mass Psychology Of Facism. It's a great introduction to Reich's work and the entire novel draws heavily on his theory. It's very interesting watching an author explore his theories in a fictional setting. Well worth reading.

I noticed this book on a roommate's bookshelf at 2:30 AM one night, grabbed it (intending to flip through the preface to find out what it was about) ... and ended up reading the whole thing through before dawn. Wilson's like that.This play is absolutely vintage RAW. From the lengthy introductions, where I finally found out where most of his tirades against organizations like CSICOP came from (he reveals that they were one of the major forces behind the book-burnings that played a central role in Reich's disintegration), to the play itself, new ideas are thrown out at a dizzying pace. Social commentary (such as the persistent beeping within the play of a computer tracking nuclear arms buildup), philosophy and a detailed and even-handed examination of Reich's later life (and eventual degradation into insanity) meld seamlessly.The play itself is full of shocks -- both the prurient (some instances of actor nudity and simulated sex) and the brilliant. To avoid spoiling the surprises, I won't go too deeply into the latter, except to say that the boundaries between performance and reality at times disappear. This little gem is definitely worth a read.

A short and sweet play about eternal damnation, the flaws of science, reality (or what passes for it), the blindness of the dominant paradigm and impending armageddon. Great book. A quick, but mind blowing, read centering around a little known scientist. Wilson's second best play (next to Reality is What You Can Get Away With!). I highly recommend it.