A countercultural icon of the 1960s, John Michell (1933-2009) was perhaps best known for his books on sacred geometry, Earth mysteries, and unusual phenomena. He was also beloved and reviled for his radical, idealistic, yet classically traditional views on a wide range of heretical topics, from sacred practices of the Stone Age to the evils of the metric system to the madness of modernity and the unfolding apocalypse. Carefully selecting 108 of Michell's most insightful, erudite, witty, and occasionally scathing essays from his column in the monthly magazine The Oldie, esoteric scholar Joscelyn Godwin presents a colorful collection of Michell's writings and rants that cover nearly every aspect of society, history, and traditional wisdom. In these short essays, Michell takes on agribusiness, Darwinism, superstition, Stonehenge, the insanity of modern society, UFOs, Jesus, fairies, the Grail legend, among many other topics. No matter how small the topic under consideration, Michell always takes a larger view on it, illuminating it with light from above. Godwin's artful selection and ordering of essays reveals Michell's overarching grand view of the world at large. We glimpse the heart of Michell as idealistic Platonist and radical traditionalist, absorb his common sense lessons for living in tune with the divine order, and are reminded that the elusive "paradise of the philosophers" of ancient times is still within reach for those with the strength of vision to see it.

Table of Contents:
Introduction “A Prophetic Vision” by Joscelyn Godwin Pa r t I The Good Old Days 1 Why Are We So Short of Time? 2 Fireside Wisdom 3 The Deserted Village 4 Fear and Loathing of the Greens 5 Staying Put and Rushing About 6 Victoria’s Enchanted Realm 7 A Good Protestant? How and Why 8 Kings of Glory 9 Drink, Drugs, and the Art of Conversation 10 Manx Fairies 11 Nothing to Sing About 12 Population Control and Feng Shui, Again P a r t II Albion 13 Albion, the Spirit of the Party 14 A Lost Cause 15 The Re-Conversion of England 16 Anglo-Saxon Attitudes 17 Brassy Britain 18 The Centre of Britain 19 Citizens of Stonehenge 20 Sacred Monarchy 21 Taking the St. Michael 22 A Musical Enchantment 23 A Dream of Old Tracks 24 When Jesus Came to England Pa r t III Phenomena 25 Abductions 26 UFO Abductions and the End of Innocence 27 Bogus Social Workers 28 Just a Coincidence 29 Just Another Coincidence 30 The Persistence of Crop Circles 31 Dreams of Ape-Men 32 Roll Your Own Superstitions 33 Demonic Reality 34 The Demons among Us 35 Lost and Found 36 The Flight from Reason P a r t I V People 37 Beyond the New Age 38 A Man You Can Trust 39 The Philosopher’s Ideal Woman 40 Our Silent Queen 41 Building the Future 42 Enoch Powell and the West Indians 43 Science for Us Simple Folk 44 Sheldrake and the Revolution 45 New Light on Old Stones 46 A Rad-Trad Englishman, and an Italian 47 Bruce Chatwin’s Glimpse of Truth 48 How Can Jesus Be God? P a r t V Sacred Cows 49 Television, Degradation, and the Ideal 50 Cannabis and the Law 51 The Demon of Sex Obsession 52 Down with School 53 A Good Irish Education 54 Outliving the Experts 55 A Rotten Genius 56 Freudian Analysis 57 The Bohemian Myth 58 Art, Money, and Revolution 59 The Art of Going to Hell 60 A Fox’s View of Foxhunting P a r t V I Science 61 The Missing Link Fantasy 62 Darwin and the Damage 63 The State Myth 64 Stopping the Unstoppable 65 Too Noisy and Violent 66 Collisions with God 67 A Shiver of Cold Fusion 68 The Agribusiness Racket 69 How Talking Began 70 Who Settled America? 71 Geller, Adler, and Beyond 72 Don’t Worry, It’s All Taken Care Of P a r t V II Modern Madness 73 Jews, Christians, and the Heavenly Jerusalem 74 The Temple at Jerusalem 75 Two Dogs and a Bone 76 God’s Flower Garden 77 A Multicultural Dream 78 The New Crusaders 79 The Crusade Against Islam 80 The Matter of Ireland 81 The Burning of a Prophet 82 Bringing Light to Europe 83 The Closed Loop 84 Evil Conspiracies Pa r t V III Apocalypsis 85 The Modern Illusion 86 Chasing the Millennium 87 The End Is Nigh-ish 88 What of the Future, My Friend? 89 Millennial Prognostications 90 The Beast in Man 91 Old Boys, New Agers, and Sacred Order 92 The Horror That Spoils Breakfast 93 Horrors and Real Horror 94 After Blair, the Antichrist 95 Six-Six-Six and the Coming of the Beast 96 Prophets, Saviours, and Fanatics P a r t I X Paradise of the Philosophers 97 Turn On and Tune In to God’s Kingdom 98 What Is the Point of Love? 99 What Good Manners! 100 Life, the Universe, and Everything 101 How to Be Lucky 102 Platonic National Service 103 Visions of Heaven and Hell 104 Mirrors of Celestial Harmony 105 Totally Stoned 106 More Tea, Vicar? 107 Buried Treasures 108 Finding Firm Ground Appendix Dynamic Symmetry in the Work of Maxwell Armfield About John Michell