Pagan, Shinto & Spiritual Book Reviews March 2017

Robin C. Douglas, Greek Mysteries: An Introduction to the Ancient Esoteric Traditions

(CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017)

I was initially rather sceptical of Robin C. Douglas’ Greek Mysteries, as it is an independently published work. This is a prejudice I really need to get over. Indeed, the book I chose for Pagan Book of the Year 2016 was independently published! But I still find myself less enthusiastic about reading independent publications than those by well-known and well-trusted publishers. Could Greek Mysteries help to rid me of my anti-independent biases?

As it turns out, yes. Greek Mysteries bills itself as “the first accessible English language introduction” to the subject ancient Greek esoteric philosophy, and while I’m not absolutely convinced it’s the first of its kind, it certainly is a accessible introduction. A relatively slim volume considering the enormity of the subject, this book manages to cover the Orphic traditions, Pythagoreans, Platonists, Gnostics and Hermetics, among others.

Balancing a relatively informal tone with a peppering of more academic touches and original source quotations, Greek Mysteries succeeds in its goal of being an easy, entry-level text into this subject. It’s rather like a “Greek Mysteries for Dummies.” It’s also well-structured and well-written – better, in fact, than many works I’ve read that have had the benefit of a publisher. It certainly gave me a greater understanding and appreciation of the subject. It should also be noted that Greek Mysteries’ publication is quite timely. The subject of the direct influence that classical esoteric traditions has had on Neopagan practices today is a very hot one and I wouldn’t be surprised if we’ll see other, similar works by more well-known authors appearing soon.

One thing that Greek Mysteries really could have included would be a bibliography. It’s clear from the text that Douglas has done his research, but a bibliography pinpointing all his sources would have given this book a more scholarly edge while also helping readers to continue their studies on the subject following this little taster. But overall, it’s a really decent read. I wonder if Douglas will be picked up by a publisher in the near future, as he’s clearly a writer with potential. One to watch!