The L.A. Review of Books just published a review of Douglas Rushkoff’s Aleister & Adolf a fictional work done in collaboration with illustrator Michael Avon Oeming. In part, the review states:
“With the impact of real history and the possibility of what might have happened in mind, Rushkoff begins Aleister & Adolf by noting, ‘Most of the stuff in this story really happened. The rest may as well have.’ The book’s narrative blends reality with fiction in a way that unfolds from this opening line. The history of World War II is mostly remembered for famous battles and the Nazis’ crimes against humanity. Rushkoff, however, views this period as a test case of how symbols can influence action. Both Crowley’s ‘magick’ and Hitler’s Nazism depended heavily upon the power of icons to attract and control people.
“Rushkoff’s story does not limit itself to Crowley’s hexagram and Hitler’s swastika, however. It also invokes many of the most iconic symbols of the 20th century, such as the Allies’ ‘V for Victory’ sign. While World War II was a complex and multilayered international struggle, Rushkoff views it here as a conflict over propaganda. From this perspective, reality is of no consequence and all that matters is what people believe, the truth be damned. Aleister & Adolf suggests that the power of images is reinforced when people don’t know their origins: from mystery springs power.”
Read the entire review:
https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/the-real-and-the-imagined-in-douglas-rushkoffs-aleister-adolf/#!.
And one place you can buy the book is: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506701043?tag=losangrevofbo-20
