ritaer | Review: The Unicorn: William Butler Yeats' Search for Reality

Author Virginia Moore appears to have been the first biographer of Yeats to take seriously his interest in magical spirituality. In writing this book she was greatly aided both by interviews with Yeats' widow and with Maude Gonne, Irish activist, fellow member of the Golden Dawn and object of Yeats' long-term affection. Moore was also aided in understanding Yeats' magical work by Israel Regardie's publication of the Golden Dawn material. Yeats had been scrupulous in keeping his oaths of secrecy, but in reading the ritual material that Yeats had worked with for decades, Moore was able to understand his interests and many of the symbols that found their way into his literary work.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in Yeats, but also to anyone interesting in the effects of lifelong occult studies on the person involved.