Mitch Horowitz Speaks on Mysterious Beasts and Natural Wonders

Fairies, wood sprites, dragons, mermaids, man-bats, and “conventional gnomes”—fantastical creatures and mythical monsters appear in Manly P. Hall’s The Secret Teachings of All Ages, and throughout humanity’s record of encounters with the occult, symbolic, and anomalous. In this lively and intellectually serious evening, PEN Award-winning historian Mitch Horowitz considers ancient (and not-so-ancient) humanity’s fascination with fantastical and mysterious beasts. And Mitch asks whether, just maybe, they knew something we don’t (or don’t yet). Special attention is paid to the psychological, spiritual, and allegorical meanings of hallowed creatures, such as serpents, cats (Sekhmet), the sphinx, griffins, and the Set animal. The mysteries of the natural world exist both within and without us, and tonight we explore both. Speaker Bio: Mitch Horowitz, a widely known voice of esoteric ideas, is a writer-in-residence at the New York Public Library, lecturer-in-residence at the Philosophical Research Society, and the PEN Award-winning author of books including Occult America, One Simple Idea: How Positive Thinking Reshaped Modern Life, and The Miracle Club: How Thoughts Become Reality. Mitch has written on everything from the war on witches to the secret life of Ronald Reagan for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Salon, Time.com, and Politico. The Washington Post says Mitch “treats esoteric ideas and movements with an even-handed intellectual studiousness that is too often lost in today’s raised-voice discussions.” He narrates popular audio books including Alcoholics Anonymous and The Jefferson Bible. Mitch has discussed alternative spirituality on CBS Sunday Morning, Dateline NBC, NPR's All Things Considered, and throughout the national media. The Chinese government has censored his work.