Read This First

The complete copy of War in Heaven posted in the threads directly below this notice is intended for on-site reading only and for the downloading of brief excerpts. If you want to download the entire book, a free copy at:

http://selfdefinition.org/colin-wilson/Colin%20Wilson%20-%20War%20In%20Heaven.pdf


And here is an exchange of messages that sums up the author's general policy on the copying of WiH:

Message 7
From: BettyPickering1 Sent: 7/10/2008 10:27 AM

spiritrebel #6 "policy of uncompromising frankness"

Whoo-doggies! That's ONE tough task-master, ain't it?

"if I gave "audience appeal" a higher priority"

Funny you should mention that, it's just what I've been working on lately. Trouble is, I'm not much of a "people person" so I'm still working through the "fake it 'til you make it" stage. I'm encouraged by my recent find of your manuscript War in Heaven which has provided much-needed textual support for the direction that I have been unconsciously heading.

Part of what I've been deliberately striving for is a measure of equanimity that lets me shrug off perceived sloppiness in other's communications, trying to focus instead on the ideas embedded in their words. It doesn't mean that my "Oops! detector" is silent, but I have managed to dial back the volume, so-to-speak.

Concerning War in Heaven...would you object if I were to download the text and print it into a loose-bound hardcopy? There are a number of people in my circle that -- for one reason or another -- can't or won't read it on-line, and in the eventuality that the electricity DOES go off all over the world, I and my heirs would still have this valuable information available in the library. Mind you, I'll continue regardless, but I would feel MUCH happier having your blessing. Thanks.

"...And now, back to our regularly scheduled program, The Mascot, starring Håฅ§têr in his new, ground-breaking role as Gone Temple. (Brought to you by IC, the truth that is true.)"

Betty


Message 8
From: spiritrebel23 Sent: 7/10/2008 12:55 PM

Betty Pickering, #7, re: "Concerning War in Heaven...would you object if I were to download the text and print it into a loose-bound hardcopy?"

I heartily encourage people to do exactly this. Are you aware that when WiH was sold by mail order before the Net-as-we-know-it even existed, this is the form is was circulated in? Between 1988 and about 1992, my friends and I made photo copies of computer print-outs of the pages, bound them as spiral notebook copies with heavy paper covers, and mailed them out to customers who saw our ads in magazines. Even though we charged for the copies, the income never quite met the physical overhead costs of of making the copies, even though all the labor that went into the process was donated by people involved in the "SR Press" collective.

After I went on line around 1990, I uploaded virtual copies of WiH into libraries on many different Internet venues, and in these dearly days, there was no provision for people to pay for downloads, so the book essentially became available free at that time, and this has been the case ever since. Lots of people have suggested that I put the book on one of those sites that charges people money to download stuff, but my Spirit Guides advise against it, because they want me to always keep the book available in free libraries on forums like "Reality Checkpoint", and charging some people money for what others get free seems somehow to be a rip-off...

Anyway, even back in the day when I was selling WiH through the mail, hundreds of pirate copies were also in circulation, and whenever I found a way to get in touch with the people who were doing this, I gave them my blessing. When I came back on line in 2005 after a ten year absence, there were still a few of these pirate paper photocopies of WiH in circulation, but I couldn't find a virtual copy available for download on any open Web venue. And I didn't have a virtual copy myself, only a print-out. However, when I announced that I was going to scan my copy and prepare a virtual copy for posting on Web libraries, someone saved me the trouble by e-mailing me one.

So anyway, feel free to make as many paper copies of WiH as you want and to give them to anyone who seems interested. Hell, for that matter I don't even care if folks make paper copies and charge for them, as I used to do. I don't know why anyone would want to because I never made a profit doing this back in the day, and IMO it would be even hard to make one today. But if anyone want to try, they have my blessing, though as I said, so does anyone who wants to make paper copies and give 'em away...