Best Selling Books by Colin Wilson

The seminal work on alienation, creativity, and the modern mind-set. "An exhaustive, luminously intelligent study...a real contribution to our understanding of our deepest predicament."—Philip Toynbee.

The best of Colin Wilson in one fantastic volume. Containing extracts from Wilson's work on existentialism, criminology, psychology and the occult, this is an invaluable introduction to one of the late twentieth-century's most incisive thinkers. This is a new edition of the classic Colin Wilson collection The Essential Colin Wilson (first published in 1985), updated and introduced by Wilson's bibliographer Colin Stanley. It is the only book to contain extracts from Colin Wilson's most important work in one volume, including The Outsider (1956), A Criminal History of Mankind (1983), The New Existentialism (1966), The Occult (1971), New Pathways in Psychology (1972) and Mysteries (1978), as well as three of his novels and many other texts. Subjects covered include existentialism, criminology, psychology, consciousness studies, the occult and much more. This second edition includes all of the original volume plus six essential post-1985 essays and chapters chosen by Stanley and other Colin Wilson experts including Gary Lachman. These essays provide a much needed update covering aspects of Wilson's work from the 28 years that followed the publication of the first edition to his death in December 2013. This is an invaluable introduction for those approaching one of the late twentieth century's most incisive thinkers for the first time and also a timely reminder, to Colin Wilson's many fans and scholars worldwide, of a unique and challenging body of work.

This “immensely stimulating story of true crime down the ages” tells the history of human violence, from Peking Man to the Mafia (The Times, London). This landmark work offers a completely new approach to the history and psychology of human violence. Its sweep is broad, its research meticulous and detailed. Colin Wilson explores the bloodthirsty sadism of the ancient Assyrians and the mass slaughter by the armies led by Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, Ivan the Terrible, and Vlad the Impaler. He delves into modern history, exploring the genocides practiced by Stalin and Hitler. He then takes a chilling look into the sex crimes and mass murders that have become symbols of the neuroses and intensity of modern life. With breathtaking audacity and stunning insight, Wilson puts criminality firmly in a wide, illuminating historical context. “A work of massive energy, compulsively readable, splendidly informative . . . it establishes Wilson in a European tradition of thought that includes H. G. Wells, Sartre and Shaw.” —Time Out London “A tremendous resource for crime buffs as well as a challenging exposition for some of the more subtle criminological thinking of our time.” —Kirkus Reviews

This follow-up to the international bestseller, The Occult, is essential reading for anyone interested in the mystical and the paranormal—from ESP and clairvoyance to poltergeists and spirit possession Colin Wilson has explored the paranormal universe ever since he researched his first highly successful work, The Occult—hailed as “the most interesting, informative and thought-provoking book on the subject” The Sunday Telegraph). Now, he offers an even wider examination of the mystical and paranormal. The result is a thoroughly convincing general theory of the occult. Wilson powerfully posits that our so-called “normal” experience may in fact be subnormal, and that evolution has brought us near the edge of a quantum leap into a hugely expanded human consciousness. Combining fascinating glimpses into the paranormal world with the latest scientific thinking on the nature of “physical reality,” he reveals the usually unseen powers of the human mind and discusses why he has become convinced that disembodied spirits do exist.

" We consider that we are constantly aware of the passage of time, and yet we understand next to nothing of its nature. In an instinctive way, we accept time as invariant, immutable, and feel somehow that the foundations of our world are rocking when we are told that the passage of time does indeed vary, depending on the situation of the person measuring that passage. Our surprise is a result of thousands of years of conditioning, during which Man has measured time with ever greater accuracy and hence come increasingly to rely upon its inviolability. The book takes as its subject time and Man's relationship with it. The scope includes many aspects of philosophy, hstory, anthropology, horology and physical science, and it is this multidisciplinary nature which is the source of The Book of Time's unique fascination. Among the topics discussed are the measurements of time, from the earliest crude sundials to the most refined modern atomic clocks, the development of the calendar, the cycle of the seasons, biological clocks and 'bodytime', the measurement of the timescales of the reote past over the thirteen billion years since the Universe was born, and the phenomena that defy all normal rules of common sense and yet are direct manifestations of the real nature of time. 'The Book of Time' is, in addition, full of absorbing sidelights on subjects as diverse at the harmony of the spheres, the reasons why all human beings have approximately the same pulse-rate, the evolution of the clock escapement, and the possibilities of time travel and the paradoxes inherent therein. 'The Book of Time' is by a panel of seven distinguished authors, each of whom has written that section of the book most closely allied to his own field." -- Book Jacket.

Extraordinary accounts of forensic crime detection—from poisoners in ancient Rome to modern day serial killers—by the bestselling author of The Outsider. In 44 BC, a Roman doctor named Antistius performed the first autopsy recorded in history—on the corpse of murder victim Julius Caesar. However, not until the nineteenth century did the systematic application of scientific knowledge to crime detection seriously begin, so that the tiniest scrap of evidence might yield astonishing results—like the single horsehair that betrayed the murderer in New York’s 1936 puzzling and sensational Nancy Titterton case. Many such dramatic tales appear in this updated edition of the most gripping catalog of crimes by acclaimed criminologist Colin Wilson. The book follows the progress of forensic science from the first cases of suspected arsenic poisoning right up to investigations using an impressive armory of high-tech methods: ballistic analysis, blood typing, voice printing, textile analysis, psychological profiling and genetic fingerprinting. “Colin Wilson has made himself the Philosopher-King of forensic speculation, the Diderot of the path labs.” —The Times Literary Supplement “Will enthrall connoisseurs of violent crime.” —The Glasgow Herald

Novel based on the historical crime case of Peter Kürten, who was executed for murder in Germany in 1931.

Creatively and intellectually there is no other species that has ever come close to equalling humanity’s achievements, but nor is any other species as suicidally prone to internecine conflict. We are the only species on the planet whose ingrained habit of conflict constitutes the chief threat to our own survival. Human history can be seen as a catalogue of cold-hearted murders, mindless blood-feuds, appalling massacres and devastating wars, but, with developments in forensic science and modern psychology, and with raised education levels throughout the world, might it soon be possible to reign in humanity’s homicidal habits? Falling violent crime statistics in every part of the world seem to indicate that something along those lines might indeed be happening. Colin and Damon Wilson, who between them have been covering the field of criminology for over fifty years, offer an analysis of the overall spectrum of human violence. They consider whether human beings are in reality as cruel and violent as is generally believed and they explore the possibility that humankind is on the verge of a fundamental change: that we are about to become truly civilised. As well as offering an overview of violence throughout our history – from the first hominids to the twenty-first century, touching on key moments of change and also indicating where things have not changed since the Stone Age – they explore the latest psychological, forensic and social attempts to understand and curb modern human violence. To begin with, they examine questions such as: Were the first humans cannibalistic? Did the birth of civilisation also lead to the invention of war and slavery? Priests and kings brought social stability, but were they also the instigators of the first mass murders? Is it in fact wealth that is the ultimate weapon? They look at slavery and ancient Roman sadism, but also the possibility that our own distaste for pain and cruelty is no more than a social construct. They show how the humanitarian ideas of the great religious innovators all too quickly became distorted by organised religious structures. The book ranges widely, from fifteenth-century Baron Gilles de Rais, ‘Bluebeard’, the first known and possibly most prolific serial killer in history, to Victorian domestic murder and the invention of psychiatry and Sherlock Holmes and the invention of forensic science; from the fifteenth-century Taiping Rebellion in China, in which up to 36 million died to the First and Second World Wars and more recent genocides and instances of ‘ethnic cleansing’, and contemporary terrorism. They conclude by assessing the very real possibility that the internet and the greater freedom of information it has brought is leading, gradually, to a profoundly more civilised world than at any time in the past.

Newman and Littleway are two researchers who make astonishing discoveries abou the human mind. Armed with unheard-of powers of heightened consciousness, they catapult themselves into the deep recesses of history--finally to a confrontation with the creators of the human race.

Poet, Magician, Mountaineer, Polemicist and Pornographer, Aleister Crowley was the most famous, or infamous, name in twentieth century occultism. With his usual flair and style, Colin Wilson brings this complex and enigmatic figure to life and provides an engrossing portrait of the self-styled Great Beast, the man whom the contemporary press dubbed "The Wickedest Man in the World".The popular image of him as, in the words of Francis King, 'an insatiable sexual athlete, a pimp who lived on the immoral earnings of his girl-friends, and a junkie who daily took enough heroin to kill a roomful of people', has a basis in fact; but there were other, less obnoxious and despicable, aspects of this highly original character. Crowley's greatest legacy is his eclectic occult system: his Magick persists, a potent synthesis of Golden Dawn magic, oriental esoteric techniques, sexual magic, and the all-encompassing Law of Thelema with its two fundamental principles, 'Every man and woman is a star' and the notorious 'Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be the Whole of the Law'.

Crashing noises and disembodied voices, coming from nowhere and everywhere at once. Invisible tormentors slapping and pinching and pulling hair. Fires starting spontaneously, pools of water materializing out of thin air, pots and pans and knives and knick-knacks flying through the room. These are the hallmarks of the poltergeist phenomenon. In this classic book on destructive hauntings, Colin Wilson, renowned authority on the paranormal, examines the evidence and develops a definitive theory of the poltergeist phenomenon. Countless true-life cases of poltergeist infestations have been recorded since the days of ancient Greece and Rome to the present. But what are poltergeists? Where do they come from? And why do they appear in our world? From the case of a black-robed monk that terrorized a family for years, to the investigation of a talking mongoose, to true stories of gnomes, sorcerers, witches, and demons, this guide explores a bone-chilling gallery of the mysterious entities known as poltergeists.

An examination of the motives for murder from the bestselling author of The Outsider—“Colin Wilson puts the Manson murders in coldly sharp perspective” (Evening Standard). Why is the “motiveless” murder an increasing phenomenon today? What is the mentality behind the Manson massacres and other shocking cases of brutal killing—too frequent to be written off as isolated cases? In his penetrating exploration of murder, Colin Wilson suggests that the apparently meaningless violence so frighteningly prevalent today is the result of boredom and frustration induced by a repressive society. Particular individuals of high creative potential are thwarted in their natural drives and ambitions and are forced to tread the deadly path of homicide. Colin Wilson traces this path, describing in detail many instances of violent crime, and provides valuable insights that may point to an explanation.

Wilson has blended H.P. Lovecraft's dark vision with his own revolutionary philosophy and unique narrative powers to produce a stunning, high-tension story of vaulting imagination. A professor makes a horrifying discovery while excavating a sinister archaeological site. For over 200 years, mind parasites have been lurking in the deepest layers of human consciousness, feeding on human life force and steadily gaining a foothold on the planet. Now they threaten humanity's extinction. They can be fought with one weapon only: the mind, pushed to--and beyond--its limits. Pushed so far that humans can read each other's thoughts, that the moon can be shifted from its orbit by thought alone. Pushed so that man can at last join battle with the loathsome parasites on equal terms.

Colin Wilson revitalised existentialism with a completely new approach to the philosophy. The six volumes of his ‘Outsider’ series created an existentialism that is not paralysed by its own nihilism. This book, first published in 1966, is a clear summary of the ideas of the ‘Outsider’ cycle, and also develops them to a new stage. Wilson’s ‘new existentialism’ sees philosophy as an intellectual adventure that aims at a real command and control of human existence, and this book is its clearest exponent.

In this classic book on UFOs, bestselling author Colin Wilson, a renowned authority on the paranormal, examines the evidence and develops a definitive theory of the alien contact phenomenon. Alien Dawn covers Wilson's investigation into documented evidence of strange and unexplained phenomena, including UFOs, poltergeists, ancient folklore, time slips, out-of-body experiences, mystical awareness, and psychic travel to other worlds. The result: a fascinating and encyclopedic study of the complex nature of reality. This is one of the most comprehensive explorations of the subject undertaken, with conclusions sure to shock the reader, whether believer or skeptic. Features a new introduction by the author.

In this compelling book, Colin Wilson argues that thousands of years before ancient Egypt and Greece held sway, there was a great civilization whose ships traveled the world from China to Antarctica. Their advanced knowledge of science, mathematics, and astronomy was passed on to descendants who escaped to Egypt and South America. From Atlantis to the Sphinx bases this assertion on a true fact: that archaeologists and geologists are at odds over the age of the Sphinx. Archaeologists claim that the Sphinx dates to classical dynastic Egypt, around 2,400 b.c. But some geologists claim that it could have been built as early as 7,000 to 10,500 b.c. The geologists' claim is based on the curious fact that the erosion of the Sphinx is more characteristic of water erosion than that of wind and sand. Starting from the assumption that there was an advanced civilization in existence much earlier than previously thought, Wilson goes on to claim that it could very well be Atlantis--not a literal island that sank, but more of a great civilization that either declined naturally or experienced a great catastrophe, passing on only a fraction of its knowledge to other peoples. From Atlantis to the Sphinx delves into what might have been a completely different knowledge system from that of modern man--one as alien to us as that of the Martians. The book sets out to reconstruct that ancient knowledge in a fascinating exploration of the remote depths of history, a ground-breaking attempt to understand how these long-forgotten peoples thought, felt, and communicated with the universe.

Throughout history there have been references and examples in literature, art and philosophy of an increased awareness of life while under the influence of extreme emotions - these have become known as Peak Experiences. Here, Colin Wilson investigates the effects and history of the phenomenon.

"Colin Wilson looks at the troubled history of charlatan messiahs, taking as a starting point the most famous 'prophet' of recent times. But Koresh was neither the most excessive of cult leaders, nor was he the most misguided. Others trod the path before him, and Colin Wilson looks at the lives of cult leaders from the earliest days of Christianity, through the stories of, among many others, the 'Rev' Jim Jones - some 900 of his followers died 'committing suicide' - and Jeffrey Lundgren, who tried to back his claim to be a Mormon prophet by brutally killing an entire family." "Colin Wilson goes on to consider what it is that makes these messiahs believe they are who they claim to be; and why there are those prepared to follow them - a messiah is nothing without someone to believe in him. What starts out as a study of self-delusion and powermania, leads Colin Wilson into an exploration of the human psyche, as he untangles the history of the charlatan messiahs and explores their world view."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Now available in one tremendous volume is a compelling and remarkable history spanning over two thousand years of the greatest unsolved mysteries known to mankind, including: Atlantis the Bermuda Triangle Bigfoot crop circles crystal skulls the Holy Shroud of Turin the Hope Diamond and other cursed jewels the mystery of the Mary Celeste mummies and their curses poltergeists sea monsters spontaneous human combustion Tunguska and other falling meteors vampires zombies Includes a mystery never examined before - the missing maps of Atlantis Colin Wilson is an acknowledged expert in the field of the unexplained and is in constant demand by the media Colin has a track record of proven successes with the Mammoth series, including, most recently, The Mammoth Book of Murder

Once the Earth was ruled by human, and insects were very small, with even the largest no bigger than a man's fist. But now, in the 25th century, humans serve giant beetles and spiders as slaves and often as food. Slaves all, or servants--except for those who live in the desert, spending most of their time underground. For Niall and his family, life is hard, but together they eke out an existence until the day Niall does what was said to be impossible: He kills a spider. This powerful act brings Niall to the attention and seat of the Spider Lord. But as he finds himself deep within the hostile city of the spiders, Niall also meets allies: Odina, a spider servant born and bred, and Bill, no mere man but an honorary beetle. Niall's special gift makes him useful to the spiders, who want access to their city's greatest mystery: an impenetrable white tower. But Niall alone can enter, and what he finds inside are the very facts of our planet's history and humanity's last chance for freedom and a future. Armed with the secrets of the white tower, the humans mount an epic struggle for power against the vast and brutal forces of the tyrannical Spider Lord.

Wilson, who shares his home with over 20,000 books, pinpoints the books that have made a difference in his life and challenged him to learn.

One of the most original thinkers of the twentieth century, Pyotr Demianovich Ouspensky was a complex and romantic soul. A promising young intellectual in Tsarist Russia, he won recognition as a novelist and philosopher, yet descended into self-chosen obscurity as a teacher of 'the Work', the system of his great contemporary Gurdjieff. Today, it is as Gurdjieff's chief disciple that he is remembered, yet Colin Wilson argues convincingly that he is to be considered a major writer and man of genius in his own right. A nostalgic melancholy Russian, on of Ouspensky's deepest instincts was that man can find his own salvation, yet towards the end of his turbulent life he lost faith in the System and drank himself to death. With sympathy and admiration, Colin Wilson throws new light on this gentle man and deep thinker.

'What an unforgettable, really great evocation. Terrible and tragic insight ... An important book.' - Sunday Times 'Not since Dickens has a British fiction writer dealt with murder in a book of such size and seriousness.' - Sunday Express 'Brilliant ... Magnificent! Murder mystery raised to major art!' - Chicago Sun-Times '[A] powerful metaphysical thriller.... It is fascinating to think about; but it is no less fascinating to read and re-read.' - Nicolas Tredell Gerard Sorme is a lonely young Londoner at work on his first novel, in which he intends to express his belief in the meaninglessness of life. His life changes suddenly in unexpected ways when he befriends Austin Nunne, a wealthy and charming gay man with violent sexual desires, and meets Austin's circle of friends: Gertrude, his well-meaning but naive Jehovah's Witness aunt, the ugly but kindly Father Carruthers, and a strange and fanatical artist named Oliver Glasp. Meanwhile, someone else is busy exposing life's meaninglessness in a different way: a serial killer is brutally murdering women in Whitechapel in a manner reminiscent of the Jack the Ripper slayings. The police suspect a crazed sex maniac, but Gerard has his own theory of the killer's motives. As the killings continue and the investigation proceeds, Gerard suddenly finds himself haunted by a terrible suspicion: could his new friend Austin Nunne have anything to do with the crimes? Colin Wilson's classic first novel, Ritual in the Dark (1960), remains a chilling page-turner, a brilliant fusion of murder mystery and existential philosophy. This edition is newly typeset from the first London edition and includes the author's introduction to the 1993 edition and a new foreword by Wilson scholar and bibliographer Colin Stanley.

In The Misfits Colin Wilson examines sexual deviance and pornography from de Sade to Mishima--covering, along the way, the lives and works of Samuel Richardson, Lord Byron, James Joyce, T.E. Lawrence, and Henry Miller. Wilson sees deviant sexual behavior as an effort to break through our daydream life into a greater reality.

Presents the author's ideas on literature, philosophy, religion, and human freedom