New Books in Science, Technology, and Society Raphael Cormack, "Holy Men of the Electromagnetic Age: A Forgotten History of the Occult" (Norton, 2025)
Aug 18, 2025
Raphael Cormack, an award-winning editor and assistant professor at Durham University, explores the intriguing world of occultism in the 1920s and 30s. He discusses charismatic figures like Tahra Bey, who captivated Paris with Eastern mysticism, and Dr. Dahesh, who created a unique panreligious faith in Lebanon. Cormack delves into how these holy men reflected societal anxieties of their time, drawing parallels to today’s quest for meaning in an increasingly complicated world. Their stories resonate with our current search for understanding amidst uncertainty.
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Hidden Archives Reframe Cultural History
- Raphael Cormack found untapped popular press sources that revealed a different cultural history centered on entertainment and the occult.
- These sources shifted his research from elite archives to magazines and performers active in 1920s–30s popular culture.
Tahirabay's Rise And Theatrical Fakir Act
- Tahirabay, an Armenian-born performer, became a 1925 Paris celebrity by claiming fakir secrets and burying himself alive.
- His exotic stage persona inspired copycats and influenced later occult performers across Europe and the Middle East.
Occult As Response To Civilizational Anxiety
- Tahirabay embodied postwar desires for transcendence by promising Eastern secrets to a Europe in crisis.
- His act connected civilizational anxiety, orientalizing fantasies, and the broader 1920s occult boom.
