The Morning of the Magicians

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The Morning of the Magicians
The Morning of the Magicians.jpg
Author Louis Pauwels and Jacques Bergier
Original title Le Matin des magiciens
Publication date

The Morning of the Magicians, first published as Le Matin des magiciens, was written by Louis Pauwels and Jacques Bergier in 1960. It became a best seller, first in French, then translated into English in 1963 as The Dawn of Magic, and later released in the United States as The Morning of the Magicians. A German edition was published with the title Aufbruch ins dritte Jahrtausend (Departure into the third Millennium).

In a generalized and wide ranging overview of the occult, the book speculates on a variety of Forteana, mysticism and conspiracy theories such as secret societies, ancient prophecies, alchemical transmutation, a giant race that once ruled the Earth, and the Nazca Lines.[1] It also includes speculations such as German occultism and supernatural phenomena conspiracy theory that the Vril Society and the Thule Society were the philosophical precursors to the Nazi party.[2]

The book has been credited with playing a significant role in bringing these kinds of ideas into the popular culture, spurring a revival of interest in the occult during the 1960s and '70s, and being a forerunner to the popularization of New Age ideas.[3] In a 2004 article for Skeptic Magazine, Jason Colavito wrote that the book's tales of ancient astronauts predated Erich von Däniken's works on the topic, and that the ideas are so close to the works of H. P. Lovecraft such as "The Call of Cthulhu" or At the Mountains of Madness (published in 1928 and 1931 respectively) that Colavito claims it is probable that Lovecraft's fiction directly inspired the book.[4] Notably short on references or sources, the book has also come under criticism.[1]

See also[edit]


  1. ^ a b Adams, Deborah (2009). "Review of "The Morning of the Magicians"". Curled Up With A Good Book. Retrieved 9 April 2010. 
  2. ^ Hodapp, Christopher; Alice Von Kannon (31 March 2008). "18". Conspiracy Theories & Secret Societies For Dummies. For Dummies. p. 350. ISBN 978-0-470-18408-0. 
  3. ^ Lachman, Gary (2003). Turn Off Your Mind: The Mystic Sixties and the Dark Side of the Age of Aquarius. The Disinformation Company. ISBN 0-9713942-3-7. Retrieved 12 May 2010. 
  4. ^ Jason Colavito (2004). "Charioteer of the Gods: An investigation into H.P. Lovecraft and the invention of ancient astronauts.". Skeptic (10.4)