Tag Archives: Henry Klein

Forgotten Templars

Forgotten Templars: The Untold Origins of Ordo Templi Orientis [also] by Richard Kaczynski arrived at the Reading Room.

Richard Kaczynski's The Forgotten Templars

“An unlikely cocktail of actors and musicians, doctors and merchants, anarchists and sexual reformers populated the occult underground of the late nineteenth century. One by-product of this strange brew was the magical order known as Ordo Templi Orientis, or the Order of Oriental Templars, with its controversial mix of esoteric Freemasonry, yoga and sex magic. While its name is familiar thanks to its second Grand Master, Edwardian enfant terrible Aleister Crowley, its origins have subsisted as shadowy mytho-history. Until now. This revelatory study brings into sharp focus the perfect storm of personalities, movements, and circumstances that gave rise to one of the largest and most influential secret societies of our time. It is a story that has waited a century to be told.”

“Limited edition of 777 copies · viii + 322 pages · over 250 b&w illustrations · quarto (9×12) format on 70 pound paper · cloth hardcover with gold-foil stamping and dust wrapper · $79.95.” [via]

Colin Campbell reviews Richard Kaczynski’s The Forgotten Templars

Hermetic Library fellow Colin Campbell reviews Richard Kaczynski‘s The Forgotten Templars.

“For the most part, people equate O.T.O. with the most famous of its members, and second Grand Master, Aleister Crowley, but beyond that knowledge of the founders drops off precipitously. In fact, Crowley was not even a founding member, though it is argued that he really did ‘get the ball — pun intended — rolling’ as it were. Those more familiar with the history might be able to come up with Theodore Reuss, but fewer still would be capable of listing out names like Klein, Harttman, Kellner, or Krumm-Heller.” [via]