Curtis Shumaker - Science Fiction and Magick

On the Hermetic Hour Thursday, April 12, 2012, host Poke Runyon will introduce Professor Curtis Shumaker who teaches English literature at Cal State and specializes in the study of science fiction. Curtis is also an occultist and a Masonic scholar. He will discuss the recent book on occult writers in literature "The Dark Muse" (recently reviewed in The Seventh Ray) and the concept of the "Weird" as a manifestation of an incomprehensible, irrational universe, as opposed to a "supernatural" universe where everything follows the rules of magick -- which seem reasonable in their own context. We will touch on Lovecraft's scientific/magical mythology, moving on to the later writers in the Lovecraft cycle: Fritz Leiber ("Our Lady of Darkness"), Matheson, Charles Beaumont, Jack Williamson ("Darker Than You Think") and even a Jungian perspective on GD/Crowley type magick. -- So, get your note books ready to write down some books you'll want to read.