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Summary: The best,, so far
Review: I found this book to be invaluable in clearing the factual fog around the original Rosicrucians. The author was a scrupulous and brilliant historian who has not, as far as I can find, been seriously challenged on her major conclusions by another scholar of similar standing and specialty. The reviewers of this book who claim Dames Yates made "HUGE assumptions" and "misinterpretations" do not cite sources for these claims. Not to do so is, at best, a disservice and at worst, indicative that the sources are not of the same caliber as Dame Yates.
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Summary: Revolutionary Rosicrucians
Review: This book began a revolution in encouraging scholars and laypersons to take the role of Esoteric movements as a legitimate element in the study of Western history. Though there have been recent disputes with some conclusions drawn by Dame Yates in this work, it still remains a pioneering document of historical research. The recent collection of essays by Christopher Bamford, "The Roscicrucian Enlightment Revisited" goes toward validation of much of this work. A seminal book in esoteric studies, highly recommended.
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Summary: Revolutionary Rosicrucians
Review: This book began a revolution in encouraging scholars and laypersons to take the role of Esoteric movements as a legitimate element in the study of Western history. Though there have been recent disputes with some conclusions drawn by Dame Yates in this work, it still remains a pioneering document of historical research. The recent collection of essays by Christopher Bamford, "The Roscicrucian Enlightment Revisited" goes toward validation of much of this work. A seminal book in esoteric studies, highly recommended.
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Summary: Essential information marred by fanciful argument.
Review: This book is easily the most accessible work in the English language on the Rosicrucian furore, and, by default, has become somewhat of a standard text in the absence of any other "general history" of the movement. Much of the information it provides is essential to any student, and, as always, Yates' presents her subject in emminently readable prose. This book is the departure point for English language students of the subject. However - tread carefully. Yates' continually misreads and misinterprets her sources, creating a dubious and occassionally fanciful argument concerning the role of Rosicrucianism in contemporaneous European politics. While elements of her broad thesis may still be proven correct, for the most part, the true value of this text lies in the many source documents it consults and discusses. Intitially lauded by influential scholars D.P. Walker and Hugh Trevor Roper (who, strangely enough, were invloved in the supervision of the production of the text...) later research has poked significant holes in this work. Nevertheless, it must still come highly recommended. After all, whatever its deficiencies - it's still an impressive read!
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Summary: History vs Herstory
Review: This book is very well written and contains alot of valuable info on the Rosicrucians. But as you were always told, do not believe everything you read. I know for certain that the twists and turns and HUGE assumptions she makes in this book have been proven false. If you are interested in an OK history lesson and are capable of sifting threw lies and facts, then you will love this book.
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Summary: Don't let the title throw you!
Review: This is one of the books featured in the annotated bibliography that I am writing. It is not some occult handbook; rather, it is a concise history of this movement during the 17th century, written by an eminent Renaissance scholar. If you really want to know what was happening in Great Britain and Europe during this period, what brought about the Rosicrucian Manifesto and Confessio - and why - this is the book to read. Dame Frances Yates' clarity in setting down this underground movement, how these men communicated and disseminated their thoughts and beliefs (which were considered heretical to the church and treasonous to the politics of their day)is an enlightening revelation. It is to these men, who fought for the freedom from Church strictures to study mathematics, philosophy and science openly, that we should give our thanks today. These are the great minds who held a utopian vision: Johann Valentine Andreae, Giordano Bruno, Elias Ashmole, John Dee, Sir Phillip Sidney, Thomas Vaughan, Francis Bacon, Robert Fludd, Michael Maier, Tommaso Campanella, and others (the only person missing is Sendivogius). These are the alchemists who were responsible for the later advancement into rational science.
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Summary: Shows hermeticism's role in the formation of science
Review: Wonderful book. Highly recommended. The book is a history of a very overlooked portion of the role that the so called "occult" has played in the formation of modern science and medicine. It traces with wonderful skill, the foundations of the Royal Society. It shows Bacon was FIRMLY entrenched in the lore of alchemy and hermeticism. Those early scientists were indeed the last of the great alchemists. She goes on to show the link between the "invisible college" and the rise of objective thought that culminated with the Renaissance. In the process she charts the greater part of Pre-Renaissance history! If you have an interest in the esoteric foundations of science, then this is a worthy expenditure of your time.
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