Here is a long interview with me and the people at Mysterious Universe, a radio show broadcast from Australia, about Madame Blavatsky. As my readers might have recognized by now, I take the people I write about seriously enough to have a sense of humour about them, something HPB herself excelled in. Too often followers of spiritual teachers become defensive and sanctimonious if their gurus are spoken of in less than saintly terms. HPB encouraged a light hearted view of things, especially herself. As she told A.P. Sinnett, she was a hippopotamus.
Gary Lachman 
Gary: I am enjoying the bio of HPB immensely (appropriate description!)….I am wondering if you might set your biographical writings skills to work on Alice Bailey for a future project?
Dear Charles, I’m very glad you’re enjoying the book. I haven’t thought about a book on Alice Bailey, but I imagine she would be an interesting subject. I’ll have to put her name on the list. At the moment I’m researching a book on Aleister Crowley, emphasizing his influence on popular culture. Cheers, Gary
Thanks Gary…funny, while I was reading your HPB book last night it crossed my mind as to whether your had, or might, have written something about AC. One of my favorite Crowley quotes comes from a comment he made about his place of birth (Warwickshire), he wrote (this is a paraphrase) “It has the distinction of being the birthplace of England’s two greatest poets, for we must not forget William Shakespeare.”
Gary, I just wanted to let you know that after hearing your interview on ‘Mysterious Universe’ I immediately bought a copy of your book. It sounds like a fascinating story and you sound like the right person to tell it.
John
Hi John. That’s precisely the sort of response that makes doing these interviews worthwhile…I hope the book lives up to your expectations. All the best, Gary
Looks like another masterpiece from Monsieur Lachmaninoff…only in the first few chapters so far, no ‘Jungian Slips’ yet…Slavophiles?! Now you’re encroaching on MY territory…hoping this finds you well, Sir ~ Napoleon Nikolai Zivkovic (the first, and probably the last)
Hi Napoleon. How often do I get to write that? I’m glad you’re enjoying the book. Slavs and Ruskies are in abundance, so you should feel at home. Who knows? Maybe some of your relatives are in there…All the best and warm wishes for a very good 2013.
Gary, I just read a few pages of your book on HPB, while doing some research of my own on Aleister Crowley. I enjoy your writing style, and your research is extensive. The secret is in Crowley’s memoirs.
Dear Michael, I’m glad you got something out of your quick dip into the book. I imagine you’re right about the key to the secret - by Crowley’s memoirs I assume you mean his Confessions? One thing: which secret are you referring to? All the best and happy solstice, Gary
Happy Solstice as well. I was making an allusion to the line in Polanski’s film The Ghost Writer. “The secret is in Lang’s memoirs.” However, the time AC spent in New York, according to his Confessions, seem extremely transformative.
Not read any of your books but i will start soon because i think the complements have really moved me to get to know whats is in those books, but i,m also wondering whether those books are locally found here in Kenya (NAIROBI).
I’m glad reading the comments here has moved you to read the books, but I’m not sure if they are available in Kenya. I suspect you may have to get them from an online service. I wish I could be of more help. All the best.
Gary,
Is there any truth to the assertion that HPB was an Okhrana Agent?
Hello Michael. The historian Maria Carlson writes of a letter supposedly written by HPB in 1872 offering her services as a spy to the Russian government. Many have questioned the authenticity of the letter, and, as far as I know, it hasn’t been vetted definitively, so remains, like so much else, another ambiguity in Blavatsky’s ambiguous career. Cheers.
The apocrypha of the apocryphal.
Hi Gary
interested to know if you have read John Gray’s The Immortalisation Commission ?
Yes, I have. I refer to it in my book on Madame Blavatsky. Unfortunately, he bases his criticisms of her on dubious sources. All the best, Gary