An appreciation of the author Colin Wilson (1931-2013) - philosopher, critic, novelist
‘We completely misunderstand the nature of our vital forces...’
Kathy Toohey wrote to Colin Wilson from Australia in 1981. The main point of her letter was to explain how she had taught herself to meditate in her late teens using a technique she had extrapolated from Wilson’s novel The Mind Parasites (1967). Kathy said: ‘The fact that he bothered to reply was a delight in itself, and that he replied at such length made it so much better. I now wish I’d followed up with a reply, in an effort to keep the communications open, but I was probably shy and reluctant to bother him further, especially given how busy he clearly was.’
Wilson’s reply to Kathy, from his home in Cornwall, was dated January 25, 1981.
* Colin Wilson in his living room.
Photo: REX
* Colin Wilson in Australia, 1993.
Photo: Catriona Sparks