{"product_id":"the-hellfire-clubs-a-history-of-antimorality","title":"The Hell-Fire Clubs: A History of Anti-Morality","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Hell-Fire Clubs conjure up images of aristocratic rakes outraging respectability at every turn  cutting a swath through the village maidens and celebrating Black Masses. While all this is true  it is not the whole story. The author of this volume has assembled an account of the Clubs and of their antecedents and descendants. At the centre of the book is the principal brotherhood  known by the Hell-Fire name - Sir Francis Dashwoods notorious Monks of Medmenham  with their strange rituals and initiation rites  library of erotica and nun companions recruited from the brothels of London. From this maverick group flow such notable literary libertines as Horace Walpole and Lord Byron. Pre-dating Medmenham are the figures of Rabelais and John Dee  both expounding philosophies of \"do what you will\" or \"anything goes\". Geoffrey Ashe traces the influence of libertarian philosphies on the world of the Enlightenment  showing how they met the need for a secular morality at a time when Christianity faced the onslaught of rationalism and empiricism. He follows the libertarian tradition through de Sade and into the 20th century  with discussions of Aleister Crowley  Charles Manson and Timothy Leary  delving below the scandals to reveal the social and political impact of \"doing your own thing\" which has roots far deeper than the post-war permissive society.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44966444204085,"sku":"ByrdShop_0750924020","price":223.64,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780750924023.jpg?v=1770561988","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-hellfire-clubs-a-history-of-antimorality","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}