Born with a Tail
The Devilish Life and Wicked Times of Anton Szandor LaVey, Founder of the Church of Satan
by Doug Brod
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Pub Date Oct 08 2024 | Archive Date Not set
Description
When Anton LaVey burst onto the San Francisco scene right before the Summer of Love, he parlayed his eerie obsessions into a philosophy and lifestyle that capitalized on a New Age rage. With his signature cape, horn-studded hood, and Ming the Merciless beard, LaVey was a media-savvy provocateur who took what he did seriously, but was always in on the joke.
From a spooky old house on an otherwise unremarkable street, he founded the Church of Satan, where young women squirmed nude on the mantel of his ritual chamber as he delivered a doctrine of self-deification and indulgence that combined the writings of Ayn Rand, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Aleister Crowley with the pulpy fictions of H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard.
Later, his bestselling book The Satanic Bible (still in print since 1969) struck an ominous chord with both the hip and the alienated—the fringe dwellers who were goth before there were goths. But LaVey’s influence could be felt far beyond his flock, namely in the nightmarish and supernatural entertainment that dominated pop culture in the 1970s and continues to make an impact today.
He was a musical prodigy who attracted a cluster of stars into his orbit, including Jayne Mansfield and Sammy Davis Jr. But living like a real-life Gomez Addams, complete with a full-grown pet lion, came at an awful price.
Deeply researched and featuring dozens of new interviews, as well as recently unearthed personal correspondence and church records, BORN WITH A TAIL: The Devilish Life and Wicked Times of Anton Szandor LaVey, Founder of the Church of Satan separates the facts from the fabrications of this uniquely American character’s extraordinary life.
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9780306833311 |
PRICE | $31.00 (USD) |
PAGES | 368 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
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Born with a Tail by Doug Brod is an intriguing and meticulously researched biography that delves into the life of one of the most controversial and enigmatic figures of the 20th century—Anton Szandor LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan. Brod paints a vivid portrait of LaVey, a man who blurred the lines between reality and fabrication, creating a persona that captivated and provoked audiences in equal measure.
Brod begins by tracing LaVey's early life, revealing a man whose flair for the theatrical and fascination with the macabre led him to become a cultural icon. Born Howard Stanton Levey in 1930 Chicago, LaVey's early claims—such as his stint as a circus performer and crime photographer—are dissected with a critical eye, revealing the mix of truth and embellishment that would come to define his public persona. LaVey's rise to fame in San Francisco during the 1960s, just before the Summer of Love, is portrayed as both a masterstroke of self-promotion and a reflection of the era's openness to new ideas, no matter how unconventional.
The book delves deeply into the founding of the Church of Satan, a religious movement that was as much a cultural phenomenon as it was a spiritual path. LaVey's use of ritual, symbolism, and media savvy to create a provocative and marketable image is explored in detail. His infamous The Satanic Bible published in 1969, is examined not just as a religious text but as a cultural artifact that resonated with those on the fringes of society—those who found solace in its message of self-deification and indulgence.
Brod also explores the personal side of LaVey, including his relationships with celebrities like Jayne Mansfield and Sammy Davis Jr., as well as his eccentric lifestyle, which included living in a house that doubled as a temple, complete with a pet lion. These elements of LaVey's life contribute to the book's rich narrative, highlighting the contradictions of a man who was both a serious occultist and a savvy showman.
One of the book's strengths is Brod's ability to separate fact from fiction, a daunting task given LaVey's penchant for myth-making. The author uncovers new details through interviews and unearthed documents, providing a more nuanced understanding of LaVey's life and legacy. However, the book does not shy away from the darker aspects of LaVey's character, including the toll his lifestyle took on his family and the ethical implications of his teachings.
*Born with a Tail* also contextualizes LaVey within the broader cultural and historical landscape. Brod discusses how the societal shifts of the 60s and 70s, as well as the eventual backlash during the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, shaped LaVey's influence and the perception of Satanism in America. This broader perspective adds depth to the biography, making it not just a story about one man, but a reflection on the times in which he lived.
Born with a Tail is a fascinating and well-crafted biography that offers a comprehensive look at the life of Anton LaVey. Doug Brod's balanced approach—combining critical analysis with an understanding of LaVey's cultural impact—makes this book a must-read for those interested in the occult, pop culture history, or the complex interplay between myth and reality. Whether you view LaVey as a visionary, a charlatan, or something in between, this book provides the context needed to understand his place in American history.