For the first time ever, the complete contents of both the 1923 and 1925 editions of The Shining Pyramid are brought together in a single collection. Included are stories and essays that showcase the breath and depth of Arthur Machen's skill as both a storyteller and commentator of modern society. The title story is justly regarded as a classic of folk horror that Machen wrote during the same period that brought us his masterpieces such as "The Great God Pan" and "The White Children". We also get shorter journeys into the uncanny and weird with tales like "Out of the Earth", "The Happy Children", "The Lost Club", and "Drake's Drum". On the non-fiction side, included is "The Secret of the Sangraal", Machen's extensive commentary on the origins and lore surrounding the Holy Grail as well as several other essays detailing Machen's socio-economic beliefs, his thoughts on Christianity vs. Paganism, commentaries on art and other thoughts and musings. (Summary by Ben Tucker)
LibriVox recordings are public domain in the United States; copyright status may differ elsewhere.
Chapters
- Chapter 1
Introductions by Vincent Starrett and Arthur Machen
11:19 - Chapter 2
The Shining Pyramid
50:33 - Chapter 3
Out of the Earth
16:13 - Chapter 4
The Happy Children
11:24 - Chapter 5
The Spagyric Quest of Beroaldus Cosmopolita
26:38 - Chapter 6
The Priest and the Barber
15:31 - Chapter 7
The Splendid Holiday
06:48 - Chapter 8
The Lost Club
13:58 - Chapter 9
A Wonderful Woman
08:08 - Chapter 10
Introduction to The Secret of the Sangraal
14:38 - Chapter 11
The Secret of the Sangraal
1:08:03 - Chapter 12
The Mystic Speech
35:27 - Chapter 13
In Convertendo
15:19 - Chapter 14
The Hidden Mystery
18:10 - Chapter 15
The Martyr
14:11 - Chapter 16
The Art of Dickens
16:48 - Chapter 17
Unconscious Magic
11:49 - Chapter 18
Happiness and Horror
21:45 - Chapter 19
Ars Artium
11:30 - Chapter 20
Realism and Symbol
11:42 - Chapter 21
Paganism
13:37 - Chapter 22
Education and the Uneducated
18:51 - Chapter 23
New Lamps for Old
12:34 - Chapter 24
Mandatum Novissimum
18:12 - Chapter 25
"Sad Happy Race"
20:36 - Chapter 26
The Capital Levy
11:48 - Chapter 27
Drake's Drum
08:01