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Appreciate your positive comments Ted, yes it is a fascinating subject. Recently the Theosophical Society Network contacted me to join their discussions on the book, which may be of some interest. http://theosnet.ning.com/profiles/blogs/jack-the-ripper-and-black-magic-new-book-examines-ts-connection-t?xg_source=activity ________________________________ From: Ted Hand <[log in to unmask]> To: Spiro <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, 15 September 2011 11:37 AM Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Jack the Ripper & the Victorian Occult Revival very interesting stuff Spiro, thanks for sharing (and especially for making the google preview available! I read hundreds of those per month...) On Wed, Aug 31, 2011 at 7:46 AM, Spiro <[log in to unmask]> wrote: Hi all, > >There has been some interest shown on this list for my book, "Jack the Ripper and Black Magic: Victorian Conspiracy Theories, Secret Societies and the Supernatural Mystique of the Whitechapel Murders". The study is now released with a Google Books preview also available for those who may like to review it first. > >As this list is concerned with an academic study of the subject, I would like to give some further details and perhaps welcome any discussion on the issues raised. > >First, a thank you to Dave Evans and the list owners for their hospitality and interest in this study. Some other names familiar to this list and to whom I am grateful for their support are; Caroline Tully, Mogg Morgan, Keith Richmond, Ben Fernee, Dr. David Waldron and Professor Ronald Hutton. > >The book is a study of the Whitechapel murders of 1888 and how and why they intersected with the Victorian Occult Revival to produce theories and suspects that, in some cases, were investigated by Scotland Yard. There are so few studies made of the occult and crime that this seemed an ideal opportunity to review the historic events as a case study on general perceptions of magic, magick and criminal elements. There is much misconception that any involvement, and indeed study of, freemasonry, magical or pagan practices is a precondition and tendency to crimes of passion. Most notably those regarded as Satanic or Black Magic. This of course, as a trend, is a historical nonsense. > >In the Victorian period, with the flux occurring in main and non-mainstream religious thought and progressive occult movements, Jack the Ripper was personified as a ritual murderer due to extensive and macabre mutilations. These theories have persisted with influence upon modern criminal cases and police investigations. The only or few commentaries I could find on these general and in some cases academic perceptions, were by detractors on the subject. > >After a careful study, I have come away with an entirely different view of how Victorian occult movements were perceived by mainstream English society and hope you will consider reading and reviewing my book for academic readers. It was surprising, for instance, the extent to which the Whitechapel murders were regarded within occult societies, particularly the Theosophical Society. Contained in the book is a complete examination of Aleister Crowley's interest and writing on Jack the Ripper. A full biography on Vittoria Cremers, the first secretary and treasurer of Crowey's Mysteria Mystica Maxima, a precursor of the A.A. and Order of the Silver Star, is also presented. > >Cheers >Spiro Dimolianis > >