RBB-2

It's been at least ten years since I read this book, but I still think about it all the time. How could a sincere, devout, learned monk - also be a kind of sociopathic mass murderer? Maybe it is like that yin-yang diagram from Daoism, where right in the center of the light, there is the dark. Huxley gives us really key history, the history out of which our modern world was born. This puzzle, this paradox, is central to our society. Ideological purity provides a solid foundation for brutality at vast scales, again and again. Huxley confronts this puzzle here, stares it in the face. Books don't get more important than this. ( )

A remarkable book that is well worth reading even if you don't like Aldous Huxley's other writing (and I don't very much).

He's never written better than this.

An investigation of Father Joseph, Cardinal Richelieu's aide, who spent his days leading the Thirty Years War and his nights in spiritual contemplation and prayer.

A look at what happens when Politics and Religion mix - this is still very relevant to today.

Huxley's brilliant narrative illuminates the connections between history, theology, psychology and politics.

( )

Le père Joseph fut conseiller du cardinal de Richelieu, fondateur d'un ordre de religieuses contemplatives, chef de redoutables services spéciaux, missionnaire et poète. Un mélange de saint Jean de la Croix, du père de Foucauld et de Talleyrand. Un politicien de pouvoir et un mystique pratiquant. Tout au long de cette biographie au galop, dans la foulée d'Alexandre Dumas, Aldous Huxley mène une réflexion passionnée sur les rapports entre politique et religion. Il y révèle aussi sa vision de l'humanité, rebelle aux idéologies ambiantes : marxisme et scientisme, libéralisme et freudisme. " Un monde privé de mystiques serait un monde totalement aveugle et insensé... Nous sommes dangereusement loin sur la route des ténèbres. " Un livre d'une remarquable intelligence. Un héros français vu par un Anglais.

I like how the Italian cover selected here, as well as the Vintage cover, both show a cowled monk with an unfathomable facial expression.
After reading this book by Aldous Huxley, will you be able to fathom the feelings and beliefs of François Le Clerc du Tremblay, an important French cleric.
If you want to see how the power of the organized church went hand in hand with the power of a sovereign monarchical state, just read this book. It is frightening to behold.
Currently, alliances of powerful elements in society are also present. But sometimes, until someone points out the existence--not of the elements, because they are plain for everyone to see--but rather, of the alliances, it may be surprising to know of their bonds. ... Conspiracy theory alert, conspiracy theory alert!! ...
But seriously, someone is controlling the world, or some people are controlling the world. Religious and economic groups give us lots of benefits, but at what price of sacrifice of freedom do they come to us? If you want to find out, read this book about an earlier time, and just apply the lessons learned to our own time.

There is a very helpful review at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Grey-Eminence-Study-Religion-Politics/dp/0837175089