Carl Llewellyn Weschcke: Pioneer & Publisher of Body, Mind & Spirit

By Melanie Marquis

The Inspiring Life and Unmatched Influence of a True New Age Visionary

To the countless people he inspired, Carl Llewellyn Weschcke will forever be known as the Father of the New Age. This vivid and entertaining book tells Carl's story, from a childhood influenced by his Spiritualist grandfather to his early days as a member and president of the Minnesota NAACP. Discover the fascinating account of how he transformed Llewellyn Publications from a small publisher of astrology pamphlets into the largest and most important publisher of body, mind, and spirit literature. Read about Carl's relationships with the most influential thinkers and teachers of the counterculture, and his public Wiccan handfasting and enduring relationship with his wife, Sandra. Written by longtime friend Melanie Marquis—and including photos and contributions from authors, artists, family, friends, and collaborators—this is a book that looks back at the kindling of a movement while empowering fellow travelers on their journey forward.

Praise for Carl Llewellyn Weschcke:
"Weschcke's large American life and counterculture passions make for fascinating reading."—ForeWord Reviews

"With this book, another major piece goes into place in the jigsaw of the history of modern American Paganism and witchcraft. It is an excellent biography—lucid, fast-paced and comprehensive—of one of the most important and best regarded personalities in the formation of those traditions. Most important, it embodies precisely those qualities, of efficiency mixed with love, which summed up the person whom it portrays."—Ronald Hutton, historian and author of The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft

"Melanie Marquis has done a wonderful job bringing Carl to life in this in-depth biography. Even though I knew him for 45 years, I discovered so much about this amazing man of which I'd had no idea. As publisher of most of the books that have informed and inspired the emerging Wiccan/Pagan community, Carl was one of the most influential figures of the modern Pagan renaissance. Every Pagan should read this bio!"—Oberon Zell, author, elder, and founder of the Church of All Worlds, Green Egg magazine, and the Grey School of Wizardry

"Author Melanie Marquis has done a masterful job of presenting Carl Llewellyn Weschcke as the gentle, insightful, spiritual innovator that he was. Reading this book illuminated those early years of Carl's life that we were not privy to, and made us long for a time machine that would let us experience the adventure of a 1970s Gnosticon Festival, the uniqueness of the purple Gnostica Bookstore, or a ghostly thrill at the old haunted Griggs Mansion. These are just a few of the gems that ornamented the life of a man who was truly instrumental in spreading all manner of spiritual knowledge and magical know-how."—Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero, coauthors and coeditors of The Tree of Life and Gold: Israel Regardie's Lost Book of Alchemy

"Melanie Marquis's biography Carl Llewellyn Weschcke not only documents the tremendous impact Weschcke had on magick (and the publishing world too!), it's also immensely entertaining and well researched. This is hands-down one of the best books of 2018 and a must for anyone interested in occult history. Carl Weschcke may be gone, but Marquis's book will help preserve his incredible legacy for future generations. Highly recommended!"—Jason Mankey, author of The Witch's Book of Shadows and The Witch's Athame

• Language: English
• Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
• Release date: Sep 8, 2018
• ISBN: 9780738758671

Melanie Marquis

Melanie Marquis is an award-winning author of many books including Llewellyn's Little Book of Moon Spells, Carl Llewellyn Weschcke: Pioneer and Publisher of Body, Mind, and Spirit (IPPY Gold Medal winner for Best Biography), Beltane, Lughnasadh, and A Witch's World of Magick. She is also the creator of the Modern Spellcaster's Tarot (illustrated by Scott Murphy) and the Stuffed Animal Tarot (with Aidan Harris and Mia Harris). Melanie is the producer of Mystical Minds Convention and other local, regional, and national events. She is also the creator of @StuffedAnimalMagickShop channel on Tiktok and YouTube. Book a tarot reading or purchase magickal housewares, spice blends, and folk art at www.MelanieMarquis.com.

Book preview

About the Author

Melanie Marquis is a lifelong practitioner of magick, founder of the United Witches global coven, and organizer of Denver Pagans. She has written for the American Tarot Association, Llewellyn’s almanacs and datebooks, and national and international Pagan publications including Circle and Pentacle magazines. Her books include The Witch’s Bag of Tricks, A Witch’s World of Magick, Beltane, and Lughnasadh. She is the coauthor of Witchy Mama and the creator of Modern Spellcaster’s Tarot. She lives in Colorado.

Llewellyn Publications

Woodbury, Minnesota

Copyright Information

Carl Llewellyn Weschcke: Pioneer and Publisher of Body, Mind & Spirit © 2018 by Melanie Marquis.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any matter whatsoever, including Internet usage, without written permission from Llewellyn Publications, except in the form of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

As the purchaser of this e-book, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. The text may not be otherwise reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, or recorded on any other storage device in any form or by any means.

Any unauthorized usage of the text without express written permission of the publisher is a violation of the author’s copyright and is illegal and punishable by law.

First e-book edition © 2018

E-book ISBN: 9780738758671

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data (pending)

ISBN 978-0-7387-5327-0

Llewellyn Publications is an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

Llewellyn Publications does not participate in, endorse, or have any authority or responsibility concerning private business arrangements between our authors and the public.

Any Internet references contained in this work are current at publication time, but the publisher cannot guarantee that a specific reference will continue or be maintained. Please refer to the publisher’s website for links to current author websites.

Llewellyn Publications

Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

2143 Wooddale Drive

Woodbury, MN 55125

www.llewellyn.com

Manufactured in the United States of America

This book is dedicated to the past, present, and future generations of the Weschcke family and to the extended Llewellyn family that includes within its wide embrace employees, friends, authors, artists, printers, retailers, distributors, visionaries, seekers, and readers just like you who know it’s always possible to learn something new.

Photo Credits

Window display for drugstore advertising Adlerika, a product manufactured in St. Paul. Circa 1930. Credit: Minnesota Historical Society.

NAACP members picketing outside Woolworth’s for integrated lunch counters, St. Paul. 4/2/1960. Photographer: St. Paul Dispatch-Pioneer Press. Credit: Minnesota Historical Society.

Spread from American Cinematographer magazine, December 1973 issue, pp. 1570-1, "Filming Isis Among the Witches." Used with permission.

Photograph of Carl in front of Summit Avenue mansion from Twin Citian magazine, December 1966 issue, p. 102, 476 Summit Avenue. Used with permission.

Carl Weschcke’s senior portrait and accompanying artwork from St. Paul Academy and Summit School yearbook, Saint Paul Academy Review (SPAR), 1948. Used with permission.

Every effort has been made on the part of the publisher to identify photographers and subjects, but due to the age and frequent lack of written documentation, this was not always possible.

[contents]

Acknowledgments

The creation of this book would not have been possible without the combined help and efforts of the many people who contributed time, energy, and love toward this project. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this book by sharing memories and information that I would not have been able to include otherwise.

My biggest thanks go to Sandra Weschcke and Gabe Weschcke, for without your welcome and your willingness, this book could never have been. Researching for this book was a once in a lifetime opportunity for which I will be forever grateful.

I wish also to express my deepest gratitude to my editor extraordinaire Elysia Gallo, for help with this project that has gone far above and beyond the ordinary call of duty.

A special thanks also to Jean-Louis de Biasi for your information on the Ordo Aurum Solis, to Michael Night Sky for your encouragement and contributions, to Guy V. Frost for sharing your research on Llewellyn George and Ida H. Fletcher, and to Stephen Brewster of Manchester for sharing your and Carl’s correspondences and for your help in piecing together a little more of the magickal mysteries that were Carl’s life.

I am also grateful for my family and friends, who continue to love me even when I’m writing constantly.

And I am also grateful for you, for picking up this book and choosing to share in the secret of how Carl Llewellyn Weschcke became so much more.

Contents

Foreword: The Magic of Carl by Bill Krause

Introduction

Chapter 1: Early Life and Family Ties

Chapter 2: Carl the Collegiate

Chapter 3: Finding His Way

Chapter 4: A Champion for Civil Rights

Chapter 5: 1960s

Chapter 6: Life in a Haunted House

Chapter 7: 1970s

Chapter 8: Gnostica Bookstore

Chapter 9: Gnosticon Festivals

Chapter 10: Carl the Astrologer

Chapter 11: A Love to Last a Lifetime

Chapter 12: 1980s

Chapter 13: 1990s

Chapter 14: Llewellyn in the New Millennium

Chapter 15: Carl Never Retires

Carl’s Calls to Action

Sweet Memories by Sandra K. Weschcke

Appendix: Carl’s Natal Chart Analysis by Rose Wright

Bibliography

Photos

Early Llewellyn and young Carl

Carl building a business and a family

More recent Carl, LLewellyn and family

The Llewellyn Vision Statement:

To be the world’s leading provider of works for personal growth and the transformation of body, mind, and spirit.

The Llewellyn Mission Statement:

To serve the trade and consumers worldwide with options and tools for exploring new worlds of mind and spirit, thereby aiding in the quests of expanded human potential, spiritual consciousness, and planetary awareness.

[contents]

Foreword

The Magic of Carl

The Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul is a surprisingly large hub for publishing. Having been in this business since the early 1980s, I knew about Llewellyn Worldwide; however, I knew very little about Carl Weschcke.

Carl was looking to transition away from some of his daily responsibilities and free up time to write. I would find out later this was his real passion. We hit it off pretty well when I joined the company in late autumn of 2005. At that time Carl was still coming into the office every day—in a suit, I might add—and we met regularly to talk about subjects, authors, book projects, and more. I quickly learned that Carl was the living persona of everything that Llewellyn did. He knew about every subject the company published, and not just a little bit. Carl was well-versed in everything from the rune alphabet to the Golden Dawn and Wicca to all forms of divination. The subject he loved the most was astrology, and he talked about that more than any other. I learned over time that he had corresponded with Gerald Gardner and considered Israel Regardie a personal friend. It’s safe to say that Carl had probably forgotten more about these subjects than most of us will ever learn.

As I said, astrology was his favorite subject. That was the base for the origin of Llewellyn back in 1901 when Llewellyn George published his first astrology book. Carl took great pride in the fact that books like the A to Z Horoscope Maker and the Moon Sign Book were still in print. The twelve-book astrology series he created with Noel Tyl was a big success in its day and a milestone he remembered fondly.

The Moon Sign Book and the other almanacs were hot buttons for Carl. Each year when it came time to create the new editions, everyone was inundated with messages from Carl. He was a fountain of ideas for content and marketing for each title, and everyone in editorial, marketing, and sales heard from him.

He would dissect every bit of copy from the catalogs to the internet to the back covers of the books. Carl did not invent the infomercial, but he understood the concepts very well. Sell every benefit and take as much space as you need. Unquestionably, he was a natural-born marketer. Whether it be titles, covers, artwork, or copy, there wasn’t a thing he didn’t have an opinion on. He wasn’t just casting stones. He knew the subjects and the markets and had done the work. When he bought Llewellyn in 1960 he did all the work: editor, designer, typesetter, marketing, salesman. In the process he created many of the markets that exist today.

Over time Carl stopped coming into the office in favor of working from his home office a few minutes away. As a prolific writer, there would be dozens and dozens of emails from him every day. All of his emails had a unique date system in the subject line so that he could save and reference every communication. He was a Virgo, after all.

Aside from the daily email exchanges, I would go to his house every Wednesday for lunch. We would discuss a host of things, from book titles and topics to authors and ideas to cultivate. There were times he would have stacks of books ready to discuss or a manuscript all marked up that he wanted us to publish. I never knew what to expect. Sometimes he wanted to discuss current world events, politics, or even currency fluctuations. Always fun, always interesting, always educational.

Sandra was forever trying to keep Carl on a diet. She would prepare him a healthy sandwich and a pickle. He would chase it with a diet cherry Pepsi. Of course, Carl being Carl, he would occasionally eschew the prepared lunch and send me a note asking to pick up a pizza. In order to stay out of the doghouse, he was careful to save some slices for Sandra to have for dinner.

When I say these lunches were educational, I do not necessarily mean in the didactic sense. Sure, Carl was always interested in the practical of how things worked. He would certainly teach things that I would need to know. It’s not everyone that knows Futhark and Futhorc. But it was Carl’s take on how things worked in the universe that sticks with me. Things do not just happen. You put a thought out to the universe or you put energy into a subject or idea through conversation and it will eventually come back around. For example, I cannot count how many conversations we would have about an author we had not heard from, or hoped to hear from, and not long after they would turn up. Or a book subject that we just could not find anyone to write—shortly thereafter it would present itself, and you had nothing else to do but say aha!

Carl did many things in his life. He was a pioneer in this field. He was a fearless publisher who arguably created the New Age market, perhaps not as the sole creator, but he had a significant hand in it. To me, his greatest strength was his belief in potential. Carl always saw the potential in everything. Whether it be a manuscript, a market, or an author, he could see what it could be at its very best.

When we had a manuscript on a subject that we were keen to publish but the author was having difficulty following our direction, some of us would suggest scrapping it and moving on. Carl could see what the book could be or the benefit it could be to the readers, and he would push for it. He never did it in an angry or fist-pounding-the-table way. He did it through words—specifically conversations and debates. He loved to debate on a topic he believed in, and he would never, ever back down if he really wanted it (Virgo).

In his books he wrote a lot about the power of the mind—the subconscious mind, dreams, meditation, and how all these things could lead a person to become their greatest possible self. Literally thousands of pages on the topic because he believed in this potential for everyone.

That was the magic of Carl.

—Bill Krause

[contents]

Introduction

This is a book about more than Carl Llewellyn Weschcke. Pioneer and publisher in the New Age of body, mind, and spirit for over half a century, Carl was always emphasizing, encouraging, and urging through his words, books, and actions to become more than you are! Unlike so many of us who know all kinds of really wise stuff but are prone to coming up a little short in terms of putting those principles into everyday practice, Carl was a person who actually lived up to his own advice. I wouldn’t say he completed his quest—for I believe his work and legacy will continue to increase its impact, not to mention the fact that he would have much preferred to live to be 120—but without a doubt, I would say that he succeeded in his quest. It can truly be said that Carl Llewellyn Weschcke became more, much more. For it is impossible to tell his story and the story of the modern rebirth and expansion of interest in occult sciences, witchcraft, Paganism, and the New Age without the stories being intrinsically intertwined.

When Carl first came on the scene as a book publisher in the early sixties, the occult was very much occult, or hidden. At worst, it was demonized or sensationalized in magazines and on TV, and at best it was hidden away in the darkest shadows, something that wasn’t typically mentioned unless you wanted to become the topic of the next Sunday sermon or have the neighborhood children avoid your house like the plague come Halloween. Magickal groups and occult societies existed, of course, as they always have, but they were generally hidden, closed off to outsiders, and in short supply. It was difficult for the average seeker to find others of like mind with whom they could learn and practice. Independent study was off the table for most people, as quality occult books were rare and virtually impossible to obtain without investing a great deal of time and money, particularly in the United States. The majority of occult books in circulation were out-of-print classics from British publishers and authors who had issued the books decades previously and not again since.

The occult books that did manage to make it into the hands of American readers were often impractical, focusing mostly on abstract spiritual concepts and theories rather than hands-on, user-friendly applications. It was historically general practice amongst many occult and esoteric writers to keep any significantly valuable mystical insights or genuine practices well hidden amidst a sea of overall nonsense, contradiction, and ambiguity, carefully constructed to confuse and frustrate all but the most determined and adept of seekers.

Carl was a different sort of occultist: he felt that anyone with an interest should be invited to the party. He was very passionate in his belief that magick and occult knowledge should be brought into the light, made widely available and accessible to all who wanted it.

He succeeded in doing exactly that. With the books Carl published, the independent study of occult topics such as clairvoyance, astral projection, ritual magick, and witchcraft became not only possible for the average person, but suddenly convenient. Easy to find, affordable, and covering an enormous range of varied subject matter, Llewellyn books helped to create a culture in which solitary magickal practice and independent occult learning could flourish.

It didn’t happen overnight, and it certainly didn’t happen without a lot of hard work, careful thinking, focused effort, tenacity, and good old-fashioned luck. In this book you’ll discover exactly how Carl managed to do what he did, transforming a small mail-order publishing business with only a handful of astrological titles into a thriving worldwide company that has sold millions of books and remains the largest independent New Age and occult book publisher in the world.

There was no blueprint for Carl to follow, no mold or model of a successful occult book publisher in America that he could mimic and improve upon. With vision, love, intuition, imagination, intelligence, business sense, and a working understanding of predictive astrology to guide him, Carl did his best to find his way, and where there wasn’t a way, he created a new one, learning from his missteps and triumphs as he went along. He developed new publishing practices and marketing strategies that would forever leave their mark on the book industry while at the same time significantly alter the landscape of magickal practice in America.

Carl’s love for learning and mysticism inspired him, and his belief that anyone who wanted to increase their potential had a fundamental right to do so compelled him forward. Through Llewellyn Publications, Carl introduced a new generation of readers to the works of Aleister Crowley and Dion Fortune. He helped bring into the public eye the works of Ophiel, an outspoken innovator and advocate for results-based, practical occultism. He published the works of Raymond Buckland and Lady Sheba, who were among the first witches to make themselves and their previously secret rites and practices publicly known in America. He helped popularize the works of the Golden Dawn and bring to magickal seekers everywhere the methods of the Secret Order G.B.G., the Ordo Aurum Solis, and many other groups and traditions. Not only did Carl bring these magickal technologies and spiritual philosophies to new audiences, in many cases he worked tirelessly to create those audiences, offering frequent opportunities for people to engage with the subject matter and with each other, to come together and become involved in ways that provided tangible benefits that were bound to be contagious.

It’s impossible to measure exactly how deep or far-reaching the impact that Llewellyn Publications and Carl himself have had on the development of magick in America and arguably around the world. Countless individuals have discovered new abilities of the mind and spirit thanks to a Llewellyn book. Innumerable souls who felt lost and alone have found hope and discovered they are not alone thanks to a Llewellyn book. Some of today’s most well-known magickal traditions, rituals, rites, and techniques were pulled out of the shadows and put back into working practice on the pages of a Llewellyn book. Many of today’s most exceptional and widely respected magickal teachers, authors, coven leaders, Pagan group founders, and elders took their first steps down their spiritual paths after getting their hands on a Llewellyn book. The prominence and success of Llewellyn has catalyzed thousands upon thousands of witches, magicians, astrologers, fortunetellers, and other alternative occult thinkers out of the woodwork and into the dynamic stream of thriving subcultures, where we can more openly and easily discover new techniques and philosophies, exchange ideas, learn from one another, and grow.

Now this is not to say that this all might not have happened on its own without Carl; in fact, I think he’d be the first to say that it was not his doing, and you’ll indeed read his own words to that effect within these pages. But the way it happened certainly did have a lot to do with Carl. Llewellyn was (and is) a driving force in a movement of revolutionary spirituality and evolutionary thinking that is larger than all of us, that is more than all of us; Llewellyn provided (and continues to provide) an ever-growing audience of interested seekers with the materials and information needed to study and master a vast variety of New Age sciences, magickal techniques, spiritual philosophies, Pagan traditions, and occult disciplines independently—no guru or elitist magickal society memberships required.

The more I got to know Carl, the more I realized just how large a role he played in—well, all of it. Throughout his life, he seemed to always be bringing it, doing his best to inspire, encourage, and spur into action the mechanisms of human evolution that he believed in with all his heart and soul. Not just in his publishing business or through the books he wrote, but also in his day-to-day interactions, Carl had a way of empowering those around him by making them aware of the power that was already residing within themselves. He had a gift for being able to see a person’s potential even if they didn’t yet realize it themselves, and if he could find a way to help the person become more aware and achieve that potential, he did all he could to make it happen.

I can’t help but think of Carl like the wizard behind the curtain, Wizard of Oz–style but with a keen self-awareness and command of his own magickal abilities that Dorothy’s wizard was initially lacking. Carl was happy behind the curtain. He didn’t care about being admired or getting all the credit for his innovations and orchestrations. He never sought any accolades, and on more than one occasion he graciously allowed (or lovingly prodded) others into the spotlight to take credit that was his own rightful due. Though he found himself in it plenty, Carl never really enjoyed the spotlight. His only interest in it was as a means to shine light on the fact that we all have the responsibility and the ability to become more than we are, as he dedicated his life to helping us be.

My wish for this book—which I believe to be Carl’s wish, too—is that the previously untold stories, behind-the-scenes perspectives, and never-before-published gems of wisdom that you will find on these pages will inspire you to become more than you are, too!

This is a book about Carl and the light that he became.

[contents]

Chapter 1

Early Life and Family Ties

Born on September 10, 1930, into a prominent family of Roman Catholics in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Carl Llewellyn Weschcke may seem on the surface an unlikely candidate to become a leading pioneer in New Age and occult publishing, but that’s exactly what he did. Like most normal boys, Carl grew up doing normal things—collecting rocks and stamps, searching for bugs, and exploring the great outdoors. He attended a private prep school for boys and even played sports on the school’s team. Carl enjoyed a very typical, very traditional Minnesota upbringing. It just so happened that the Weschcke family had mystical, spiritual, pioneering roots that ran deep.

Carl was the son of two native Minnesotans, Magdalene Tippel Weschcke and Carl Weschcke, whom he was named after. The Weschckes married in 1916 and had four children: Carlola, Dolores, Carl, and Ernest. The couple enjoyed a mutual interest in telepathy, which they practiced while they were dating and later shared with their children, along with discussions of reincarnation, psychic abilities, and meditation.

The Weschckes were never pushy about their beliefs, however. Individuality was accepted, respected, and celebrated, and the children were encouraged to think for themselves and be exactly who they were meant to be. Carl’s parents nurtured his philosophical side, and with them he would often discuss his ideas about spirituality as well as practice feats of psychic communication.

However unusual their beliefs, the Weschckes were still a very traditional family in many ways. Magdalene was an extremely dedicated and loving mother, always striving to be thoughtful, focused, and engaged in the care and growth of her children. She was a strong, intelligent, resilient, and selfless woman, putting her family first in everything she did. A talented cook, she often prepared multiple meals to accommodate the varied dietary requests of her vegetarian husband and her children, all of whom ate meat except for Carl, who preferred to share his dad’s vegetarian cuisine.

Magdalene’s children were her greatest joy, and just as she was devoted to them, so too were they devoted to her. While Carl’s mom was arguably a textbook example of what was considered at the time to be the perfect housewife, Carl’s dad was also very traditional in many ways. He believed in providing for his family and protecting them, and he was willing to do whatever was needed to ensure that his duties were met. In fact, when Carl was only a toddler, a burglar broke into the Weschcke home and confronted Carl’s mother, who pleaded for mercy as she shielded her young children. Carl’s dad heard her cries and grabbed his gun, sending the burglar stumbling on his way to the local hospital with a pistol shot to the groin.¹ The burglar turned out to be an escaped felon and murderer on the run who had conned his way into the Saint Paul social scene.²

Carl’s dad worked hard to give his family all that they needed, even if it meant working hard at things that weren’t exactly thrilling. He found he was a success in business, following in his own father’s footsteps to work as an executive in the family pharmaceutical company. He was good at it, and it provided a steady income for the most part, but his deepest passions and interests were decidedly elsewhere.

A naturalist and an enthusiastic horticulturalist, Carl’s dad had a love of nature and a curiosity about the ins and outs of plant growing that were insatiable. At only fifteen years of age, he began experimenting with nut growing on the grounds of his family home in Saint Paul, preparing a plot and creating his own miniature backyard orchard of sorts. It was an idea borne of both practicality and entrepreneurship. Explaining how his interest in nut growing was first captured by his fondness for black walnuts, butternuts, and hickories, Carl’s dad wrote:

Because I liked eating these nuts, I thought I would try to grow some for my own consumption and so avoid having to depend on a grocer’s occasional supply of those shipped in, always a little stale. Raising nuts appealed to me economically too, since obviously trees would need little care, and after they had begun to bear would supply nuts that could be sold at interesting prices.³

The prices that could be fetched from a good nut crop did indeed prove to be interesting, and as the years went by, Carl’s dad’s passion for nut growing only expanded. He decided to purchase several hundred acres of mixed farmland and wild woods near River Falls, Wisconsin, on which grew a variety of native hazelnut trees so that he would have more space and opportunity to further his nut-growing experiments. The Hazel Hills farm was born, and it was here that young Carl spent his summers running through the woods in search of bugs, rocks, fossils, and new adventures.

There wasn’t very much obvious potential to the property when Carl’s dad first acquired it. Many areas were covered by a tangled mass of overgrowth, and a vast amount of basic landscaping needed to be done right from the start. There wasn’t even a house on the property, so Carl’s dad decided to build one. The Weschckes retained their house in Saint Paul so that the children could attend school in the city, but for quite some time Carl’s dad would spend his weekends and any other free days he could find at Hazel Hills, building with his own hands piece by piece a beautiful log cabin that would become the family’s summer retreat. Whenever they could manage it, Carl’s mother would bring the children to Hazel Hills so that the family could all be together while Carl’s father worked tirelessly to build the new home.

Before the main house was complete, the Weschckes made do with a small makeshift metal dwelling that Carl’s dad had quickly put together to provide for only the bare basics of shelter while the more permanent home was being constructed. Devoid of the luxuries of electricity, plumbing, or even running water, the temporary housing wasn’t much more than a shack, really, but it was adequate. Over time, the little metal house came to be known affectionately among the family as the Tin House.

The Weschckes may have had to rough it a bit in the cramped quarters of the Tin House, but they were a resourceful, close-knit bunch, and they managed just fine. Carl’s older sister Dolores recalled warm memories of the times spent there, their dad telling stories and singing songs to them all before bedtime. He loved to make the family laugh and would often perform his tunes under the stage name of Carlos, the mysterious, destined-to-be-world- famous singer that only the Weschckes had heard of.

It wasn’t very long before the permanent house was complete, which proved to be infinitely more comfortable and impressive than the tiny Tin House. Carl’s dad had brought in enormous pine logs from northern Wisconsin that had to be cut and treated onsite. He had laid the foundation from native stone rock and fitted the giant logs together one by one. He carefully crafted the door handles, hinges, and locks from wrought iron and did all the plumbing and electrical work himself. Electricity wasn’t yet available in the area through a public utility, but Carl’s dad was quite the inventor, so he found a way. He built his own wind generator, a water turbine, and a steam engine that he had connected to a bank of batteries, and succeeded in being one of the first in the area to have a home that was fully equipped with electricity.

The

Reviews for Carl Llewellyn Weschcke

[William Sherrick Duncan-Binns · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Required reading for anyone seeking a firm grounding in modern occult historical development and the evolution of contemporary ceremonial magical practice. -WSDB ?

[RadeKK · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I recommend this book for it is important account of modern occult history. But after reading this I have mixed feelings. There is not much of biography, this is half of the Llewellyn's success story and half of Carl Weschke hagiography. Carl described in this book is an occult saint or angel in human body. Presenting only virtues and no vices. All the voices quoted are praising him. There is no struggles, no doubts or downs, no controversy, no dillemas, no critique and no conflicts. Chapter about Carls activism was most interesting for me, rest is a fairytale, it is still interesting but so unrealistic. Author writes about Carl like from his head but still we don't know much of what was his point of view on many things occult and mundane. He is presented as very literate man in esoteric field, and practising occultist but there is no track of his training. There is a lot of space to describe his relation with Ophiel but only a little about his 'career' and role in Aurum Solis. There is a lot about Carl as wiccan but not so much about Carl as ceremonial magician or psychic. And in case of such extraoridinary person, I have to admit, I expected to learn how and how much his beliefs and practices influenced his family life and relations. Another thing that left me disapointed is presenting Llewellyn's as the only influential publishing house. And what about Weiser or Falcon Press, what about fights over copyrights to Crowley's books. I can't believe that Carl had no competition or opinions. To sum up, the book is well but with important gaps. I can't decide whether autor aimed to write hagiography and success story without any shades and controversy or there was not enough efforts to research and present richier, wider and more diverse picture of the man, his work and his mark. For sure this book generates more questions than answers.