Sinister Forces―A Warm Gun: A Grimoire of American Political Witchcraft (Sinister Forces, 2) Paperback – June 27, 2011

This is the second instalment in a trilogy. You're going to need all three books.Is there a hidden influence in history? Is there something hidden behind the secret societies and conspiracies? Is there another level of influence? For example, where did the CIA's attempts at mind control come from? Was an occult tradition (like shamanism) hijacked and misinterpreted by technocrats with no idea about the repercussions of delving into these matters without adequate preparation and understanding?Peter Levenda searches for linkages between people, places, history and details in this survey of some of the major traumas in recent American history. You'll be surprised at what he finds.It took Levenda decades to compile the research for this trilogy. It covers a lot of ground. It's fascinating and informative. It's very well written.If you ever wanted to know about Charles Manson, ancient mounds, MK ULTRA, Sirhan Sirhan, assassinations, serial killers, occultists, weird cults and what they might have to do with the history behind our history, this is the series for you.Even if you weren't interested in all the above, you still need this trilogy because it goes into all sorts of other things. Like wandering bishops and hallucinogenics, and the Summer of Love (and Manson)...

This is such good reading I should really give it five stars, but a couple of things bother me.On the issue of Christ's death and ressurection, while I can share a lot of his disappointments with christianity and churches including the Catholic Church, I wish Levanda would, at a minimum, conclude, as he does so often on other controversial subjects, that "the jury is still out" on the matter. Especially when the message we hear in much of the current culture seems to be, oh let's get this old story over with already - and they would only be too happy if that were the case ; if they were so sure, and if they are right, though, why are those people so dark and why the compulsion to play the witch? Especially, moreover, when there's a lot of evidence from modern research, from academics and laboratories all over the world, that points to the actuality of Jesus Christ's death and ressurection. A richly detailed account of this evidence can be found in the recent biography of Jesus by respected French historian Jean-Christian Petitfils (available on Amazon France).Second, as other reviewers note, at times the Right seems to get most of the flack when it comes to suspicions of dark designs or inspiration, justified as that may be, while the Left gets a free pass. In addition to what others have referred to about American politics, let me invite the author again in this case to look across the Atlantic at French history. From the Revolution to Victor Hugo to Mitterrand, the Left has been up to its neck in occultism. It is a joke of sorts that these people claim to be atheists and promote the secular State.[Edit: moved rating up from 3 to 5 stars]

In the second installment of his three book treatise about The Boogeyman and all of his ghouls that have corrupted damn near *everyone* on the planet, I lost some interest about half way through. Maybe I can blame it on the poor Kindle formatting, but my eyes can only see so many hyphens per page, therefore forcing my kids shut in an effort to protect my vision and providing me with at least two naps a day whilst reading. Still, Levenda is a citation junkyard, even though his voice comes off as someone who likes to hear himself speak a little too loudly. Maybe that's why I am compelled to finish this series. Great minds blow big wind.I did enjoy the in-depth study about the many splinter groups of Islam over the centuries. Peter is on point when he says that Americans have never been informed or given pause to learn about Islamic history. Maybe because the West always needs its Boogeyman painted in broad terms. Anyway, off I go.

When I'd read the 1st volume of Lavenda's trilogy a few years back, I had more than a few quibbles. For example, the story of Candy Jones is seemingly corroborated by John Marks while, in fact, Marks has said that even though Donald Bain gave him unlimited access to Bain's research, Marks was unable to find any correlation between Jone's tale and MK-Ultra.Of course, there were later occurrences that appeared to give some credence to Jone's story, but Lavenda doesn't mention them. Given Jones' husband, Long John Nebel, and his predilection for hoaxing and his knowledge of hypnotism, I think the veracity of Jones' tale is still very much unproven.Having said that though, now that I've finished all three volumes in succession, I doubt one would find a better compendium of good old all American weirdness anywhere.Lavenda points out a fact that is often drowned out by all the "gee ain't America great" propaganda this country excretes in huge, stinky quantities; namely that we are a decidedly odd bunch , whose ostensibly "Christ-Loving" outer crust hides a gooey center of decidedly un-Christlike behavior. It always has and, most likely, always will be like that here in the United States of La-La.One other thing, if you've access to the hardcover versions of these books, buy them. They are quite well done. Mr. Milligan & the Trine Day crew should be commended for not cutting corners when producing these book, something a small publisher like Trine Day is probably tempted, out of financial necessity, to do every day.I've bought many books by major, well financed, publishers that pale in comparison.

Looking at both sides of the political game, it’s easy to see that dirty pool is used by both sides of the spectrum. It has always been, and probably always will be the course piloted by our elected officials, lobbyists, and special interests groups. Rule by division, teach separation, and use whatever provocative propaganda necessary to drive the message home to the gullible tax payers.

Another good read. As hard as it might be to believe any of the sad and terrifying tales told within these pages, one has only to look -honestly- at the sad and terrifying history of the world during the past decades to realize that something has gone terribly wrong. The powerful individuals at the helm, who might have done much to steer the world in a different direction have chosen, apparently, to continue sailing the same old course, and things have gone as they have gone. This book provides a seldom-used view-port into the reality we share.

These books are the closest thing I have seen to a unified field conspiracy theory. And whilst he doesn’t cover all bases Levenda’s research is exhaustive and detailed. Some of his conclusions are highly speculative and he occasionally looses some of his ‘scarlet threads’ wandering off in pursuit of the implications of his discoveries but he never leaves the reader far behind and the effort of following is always well rewarded. His prose style is lucid and clear and his citations are, for the most part, comprehensive. He is particularly good at summarising complex belief systems and drawing clear, elegant distinctions between political and spiritual beliefs and practices which is essential given the enormous scope of his chosen subject. It is doubtful that his application of quantum mechanics to historiography will gain acceptance in academic circles any time soon, which is a pity, because it is an interesting way of contextualizing the kind of synchronicities which overarching studies of this nature can and frequently do present.Sad to say that this book will find the majority of its readership among the paranoid lunatic fringe, among whom I, of course, count myself a loyal member, we should all wear our tin-foil hats with pride. This is a shame because its audience could be that much greater simply because it is sufficiently well written to be enjoyable even to those who will chose not to believe a single word of any of it. This latter should not, however, be taken as a devaluation of the content - all history is fiction, it succeeds or fails in the quality of the historian’s analysis of material and the capacity of their conclusions to generate thought and further debate. In neither criterion is Levenda’s work lacking

les trois tomes de la série Sinister Forces sont tous excellents et très documentés.Cette série de livre exerce une fascination dès qu'on rentre dedans.

thank you ... it is a long and winding road, but eventually he lands on some important points

Peter Levenda does it again. If this mans research isn't the real deal I would be truly surprised. Intelligently written. If you ever wondered about the more sinister elements of life and history but thought it was all for people wearing tin foil hats and sensational headlines then this book as would the first in the series make you seriously sit up and begin to take notice. Compelling read and a must for all who dare to peel a few more layers off the onion.