Books › Strange Angel
Strange Angel
First published 2005 · 368 pages
A bizarre, intoxicating true story of how the boundaries between hard science and dark magic blurred in the mind of a tragic genius.
What it feels like
Reading this biography feels like stepping into a brilliant, feverish dream where the rigid laws of physics collide with the shadowy world of the occult. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging clip, balancing the meticulous history of early rocketry with the sensational, almost unbelievable details of esoteric Los Angeles. The prose is clear and journalistic, yet tinged with a wry incredulity that perfectly matches the eccentric life it chronicles. As the story progresses, the mood shifts from optimistic curiosity to something much darker and more claustrophobic, tracing a tragic descent into obsession and betrayal. It is a deeply fascinating read that will delight fans of bizarre-but-true history who love exploring the messy, unorthodox, and often unhinged human lives behind the birth of the modern age.
- Mood
- eccentric
- shadowy
- intoxicating
- feverish
- Tone
- wry
- journalistic
- empathetic
- incredulous
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- intersection of science and magic · cost of obsession · genius versus madness · unorthodox belief systems · betrayal and alienation
- The writing
- Clear and engaging, it anchors sensational, bizarre historical details in grounded, meticulously researched journalism.
- The arc
- Begins with the boundless optimism of youthful curiosity, spirals into a fever dream of esoteric obsession, and ends in tragic alienation.
- Who it's for
- Fans of bizarre-but-true history who are fascinated by the messy, often unhinged human lives behind major scientific breakthroughs.
Content notes
- occult rituals
- sexual content
- betrayal
- tragic death
About the book
A lonely misfit born into a wealthy Pasadena family, as a boy Parsons read science fiction and launched rockets in his backyard. By his early twenties, he was a leader of Caltech's "Suicide Squad," the motley band of young enthusiasts who founded the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. But his visionary imagination also led him into the occult community thriving in 1930s Los Angeles, and when fantasy's pull became stronger than reality, he lost both his work and his wife. With a cast of characters that includes Aleister Crowley, Howard Hughes, L. Ron Hubbard, Robert Heinlein, Theodore von Kármán, and Albert Einstein, this book recovers a fascinating life and explores the unruly consequences of genius.
Description from Open Library.
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