The Secret Glory (Barnes & Noble Digital Library)

By Arthur Machen

Did the Holy Grail survive to modern times? Before The Da Vinci Code, Arthur Machen explored that idea in this semi-autobiographical 1922 tale of Ambrose Meyrick, a rebellious boy who survives a sadistic public schooling, recovers hidden memories of the Grail, and becomes a master of Celtic mysticism.

           

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barnes & Noble
• Release date: Apr 19, 2011
• ISBN: 9781411449800

Arthur Machen

Arthur Machen (1863-1947) was a Welsh mystic and author. Born Arthur Llewellyn Jones, he was raised in Monmouthshire in a prominent family of clergymen. He developed an early interest in alchemy and other occult matters, and obtained a classical education at Hereford Cathedral School. He moved to London, where he failed to gain admittance to medical school and soon focused on his literary interests. Working as a tutor, he wrote in the evening and published his first poem, “Eleusinia,” in 1881. A novel, The Anatomy of Tobacco (1884), soon followed, launching his career as a professional writer. Machen made a name for himself as a frequent contributor to London literary magazines and achieved his first major success with the 1894 novella The Great God Pan. Following his wife’s death from cancer in 1899, he briefly joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and began conducting research on Celtic Christianity, the legend of the Holy Grail, and the stories of King Arthur. In 1922, after a decade of working as a journalist for the Evening News, he published The Secret Glory—a story of the Grail—to popular and critical acclaim. This marked the highpoint of his career as a pioneering author of fantasy, horror, and supernatural fiction whose work has been admired and praised by William Butler Yeats, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Stephen King.

Reviews for The Secret Glory (Barnes & Noble Digital Library)

[baladeric · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is unlike Machen's other books and, as a result, I found it less accessible. Instead of horror, the book features a semi-autobiological tale about a boy's struggle through the public school system. In this, it is similar, to a certain extent, to "The Hill of Dreams." What I found most interesting was elements of the Holy Grail that Machen weaves throughout the story. The main character saw it when he was younger, with his father, and is peroccupied by it and the sense of magic it holds throughout his life.All told, a difficult, but rewarding read, and a must for all fans of Machen