About the author
John Frederick Carden Michell (9 February 1933 – 24 April 2009) was an English author and esotericist who was a prominent figure in the development of the Earth mysteries movement. Over the course of his life he published over forty books on an array of different subjects, being a proponent of the Traditionalist school of esoteric thought. Born in London to a wealthy family, Michell was educated at Cheam School and Eton College before serving as a Russian translator in the Royal Navy for two years. After failing a degree in Russian and German at Trinity College, Cambridge, he qualified as a chartered surveyor then returned to London and worked for his father's property business, there developing his interest in Ufology. Embracing the counter-cultural ideas of the Earth mysteries movement during the 1960s, in The Flying Saucer Vision he built on Alfred Watkins' ideas of ley lines by arguing that they represented linear marks created in prehistory to guide extraterrestrial spacecraft. He followed this with his most influential work, The View Over Atlantis, in 1969. His ideas were at odds with those of academic archaeologists, for whom he expressed contempt.
📖 Where to start with John Michell
💬 What our editors say about John Michell's books
“Michell’s work is dense with esoteric theory, requiring patience from readers seeking quick answers or scientific rigor. It does not suit those who prefer empirical history over metaphysical interpretation or those uncomfortable…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on The Dimensions of Paradise: Sacred Geometry, Ancient Science, and the Heavenly Order on Earth (Edition, New)
“This volume offers a compelling visual journey into sacred geometry, supported by over three hundred illustrations that clarify abstract spiritual concepts. However, readers expecting rigorous academic critique or dry statistical…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on How the World Is Made: The Story of Creation According to Sacred Geometry
“This collection offers a compelling, albeit dense, journey through John Michell’s radical traditionalist thought, compiled by Joscelyn Godwin. It is best suited for readers with a strong interest in esoteric history, sacred…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on The John Michell Reader: Writings and Rants of a Radical Traditionalist (Edition, New of Confessions of a Radical Traditionalist)
📋 Editions by John Michell in the catalog
| Edition | Year | Publisher | Pages | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Dimensions of Paradise: Sacred Geometry, Ancient Science, an | 2008 | Inner Traditions Internati | 256 | 9781594771989 |
| How the World Is Made: The Story of Creation According to Sacred | 2012 | Inner Traditions Internati | 288 | 9781594774775 |
| The John Michell Reader: Writings and Rants of a Radical Traditi | 2015 | Inner Traditions Internati | 320 | 9781620554159 |
| How the World Is Made: The Story of Creation According to Sacred | 2009 | Inner Traditions Internati | 288 | 9781594773242 |
| Secrets of the Stones: New Revelations of Astro-Archaeology and | 1989 | Destiny Books | 128 | 9780892813377 |
| Twelve-Tribe Nations: Sacred Number and the Golden Age (Edition, | 2008 | Inner Traditions Internati | 240 | 9781594772375 |
| The Sacred Center: The Ancient Art of Locating Sanctuaries | 2009 | Inner Traditions Internati | 192 | 9781594772849 |
