Posted on 01/13/2007 3:04:49 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Robert Anton Wilson, co-author of the cult classic "The Illuminatus! Trilogy," a science-fiction series about a secret global society, has died. He was 74.
Wilson died peacefully of natural causes at his home Thursday in Capitola in Santa Cruz County, his daughter Christina Pearson said Saturday.
Post-polio syndrome had severely weakened Wilson's legs, leading to a fall seven months ago that left him bedridden until his death, Pearson said.
Wilson wrote 35 books on subjects such as extrasensory perception, mental telepathy, metaphysics, paranormal experiences, conspiracy theory, sex, drugs and what he called quantum psychology.
He wrote the "Illuminatus" trilogy with his friend Robert Shea in the late 1960s, when they were both editors at Playboy.
The books "The Eye in the Pyramid," "The Golden Apple" and "Leviathan" were all published in 1975. They never hit the best-seller lists, but have never gone out of print. Shea died in 1994.
"There are lots of drug references in the book," said Mark Frauenfelder, a co-editor of boingboing.net, a pop culture Web site that started as a print magazine in the 1980s and for which Mr. Wilson wrote many articles.
"In part because it dealt with conspiracies in a science-fiction way, the trilogy achieved a cult following among science fiction readers, hippies, the psychedelic crowd," Frauenfelder said.
Inspired by a thick file of letters that the authors received from conspiracy buffs, the trilogy traces the conflict between the Illuminati and the Discordians.
The Illuminati are elite authoritarians who pull the puppet strings of the world's political establishment while seeking to become super-beings by sucking the souls from the masses. The Discordians resist through convoluted tactics that include a network of double agents.
After completing the trilogy, Mr. Wilson began writing nonfiction books.
Perhaps his most famous is "Cosmic Trigger" (Pocket Books, 1977), a bizarre autobiography in which, among many other tales, he describes episodes when he believed he had communicated with extraterrestrials while admitting that he was experimenting with peyote and mescaline.
Mr. Wilson contended that people should never rule out any possibility, including that lasagna might fly.
On Jan. 6, in his last post on his personal blog, he wrote: "I don't see how to take death seriously. I look forward without dogmatic optimism, but without dread. I love you all and I deeply implore you to keep the lasagna flying."
Born in Brooklyn 1932, Wilson attended Brooklyn Polytechnical College and New York University. He worked as an engineering aide, a salesman and a copywriter, and was an associate editor at Playboy from 1965 to 1971.
Besides his daughter Christina, Wilson is survived by another daughter and a son. His wife of 39 years, Arlen Riley, died in 1999.
fnord
Robert Anton Wilson, RIP ^
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1766501/posts
Posted by oblomov
On News/Activism ^ 01/12/2007 7:20:03 AM PST · 22 replies · 851+ views
Reason Online ^ | 1/11/2007 | Jesse Walker
The libertarian novelist, journalist, humorist, and philosopher Robert Anton Wilson died at about 4:50 this morning, Pacific Coast time. As far as I'm aware, the last thing he wrote was this, posted on his blog last Saturday: Various medical authorities swarm in and out of here predicting I have between two days and two months to live. I think they are guessing. I remain cheerful and unimpressed. I look forward without dogmatic optimism but without dread. I love you all and I deeply implore you to keep the lasagna flying. Please pardon my levity, I don't see how to take...
In one of his books he said he wanted to make it to at least 12/21/12 ("Timewave Zero"). ...and I was rooting for him.
They got him. It's best not to mess around with secret global societies.
The Grays are deeply saddened : )
Mr. Wilson contended that people should never rule out any possibility, including that lasagna might fly.
________
This I can attest to seeing.
Surrrrrre he did.
Wilson wrote 35 books on subjects such as extrasensory perception, mental telepathy, metaphysics, paranormal experiences, conspiracy theory, sex, drugs and what he called quantum psychology.
A pioneer of quack art.
I CAN hear the grass grow. RIP.
Caught this on re-read. "Playboy" reference is sure to get the thread kick-started. You should have put it in the title.
"It stems from Wilson's insight that marijuana smokers and pro gun righters form a numerical majority in the United States and that if they could only resolve differences and reach enough internal consensus to form a libertarian coalition then no other political group would be able to oppose it."
Well done! RAW
"Do Not Spit On The Floor" -- Mgt
His Eschaton has finally been immanentized
Employees may not leave the floor,
or go to the door.
No, just one less leftist nut...
RIP
One of favorites.
Enough about your genitalia!
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