Mitch Horowitz

Mitch Horowitz

Mitch Horowitz is a historian of alternative spirituality and one of today’s most literate voices of esoterica, mysticism, and the occult. He is among the few occult writers whose work touches the bases of academic scholarship, national journalism, and subculture cred. Mitch is a writer-in-residence at the New York Public Library and a PEN Award-winning historian whose books include Occult America, One Simple Idea, The Miracle Club, Daydream Believer, and Uncertain Places. The Washington Post says Mitch “treats esoteric ideas and movements with an even-handed intellectual studiousness that is too often lost in today’s raised-voice discussions.” He has discussed alternative spirituality across the national media and collaborated with Emmy-nominated director Ronni Thomas on the feature documentary The Kybalion, shot on location in Egypt. Mitch’s books have appeared in Arabic, Korean, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, French, and Chinese. He received the Walden Award for Interfaith/Intercultural Understanding. The Chinese government has censored his work. Visit him at MitchHorowitz.com.

After 70 years, "The Power of Positive Thinking" remains incredibly popular, even though its critics find the book to be mostly fluff.
Abe and Mary Todd Lincoln held seances in the White House trying to contact the spirit of their dead son Willie. Or was it a calculated political move?
1mins
Symbols like the pentagram, the eye in the pyramid, and astrological symbols have a certain magnetic power. Rapper Jay-Z uses these images not because he believes in them, but because […]
5mins
The author gives a brief history of the Ouija Board, the wildly popular artifact that came out of the spiritualist movement and captivated America for a century. It is now […]
5mins
People need modern doorways to explore universal religious and ethical ideas, and alternative spiritualities like the occultism and new ageism do just that, says the author.
4mins
Rather than discrediting the occult, recent scientific discoveries in quantum physics seem to reaffirm a place for mystical ideas. But the author cautions both sides not to jump to hasty […]
5mins
Historical records suggest that President Lincoln and First Lady Mary Todd may have held two séances to contact their dead son Willie. But even if these stories are not true, […]
6mins
The author gives a history of occultism’s influence on American politics, explaining its deep-seated ties to liberalism and feminism.
4mins
America has always been a magnet for those fleeing religious persecution, particularly those displaced by the Thirty Years War and the backlash against the religious liberalism of the Renaissance.
2mins
Some people think it’s something diabolical; others think it’s a mélange of superstition and nonsense. In truth, it’s neither of these things.
35mins
A conversation with the author of “Occult America.”
For a growing number of Americans—including many in the military—October 31st is returning to its Celtic and pre-Christian roots.