The Devils of Loudun

A True Story of Demonic Possession

De: Aldous Huxley

Narrado por: Matthew Lloyd Davies

In 1632, an entire convent in the small French village of Loudun was apparently possessed by the devil. After a sensational and celebrated trial, the convent's charismatic priest Urban Grandier - accused of spiritually and sexually seducing the nuns in his charge - was convicted of being in league with Satan. Then he was burned at the stake for witchcraft. A remarkable true story of religious and sexual obsession, The Devils of Loudun is considered by many to be Brave New World author Aldous Huxley's nonfiction masterpiece.

Public Domain (P)2017 Tantor

Great story...outdated psychology

This is such a fascinating story. Upon completion, I spent the better part of an hour going down an internet rabbit hole reading more about it. This era in French history has always fascinated me. Huxley does a really great job of making this story accessible and a compelling read...up to a point. I feel like if he had just stuck to what was document history this book may have aged better. However, he draws some conclusions that modern psychology would quickly refute. The case of Sister Jeanne is particularly interesting. In the twenty-first century, it is easy to conclude Sister Jeanne had Dissociative Identity Disorder; however, in the seventeenth century the only logical conclusion was demonic possession. The psychology and many of Huxley's conclusions are quite dated, and the last quarter of the book is a slog through some pretty pompous pontificating. But the first three-quarters are worth the read.

My biggest complaint with the narration is that there are many quotes in French, and my French is very rusty. The audiobook provides no translation. Luckily, I also have the Kindle version which does provide the translation. Matthew Lloyd Davies was excellent as always. My complaint is not with him.

Amazing book and NOT outdated rather very relevant

If you draw from all points in history to understand the world you are in better, this book is very relevant today.
Wonder where Western Religion got its zeal, its recognition above human moral, and curious why psychology is still to this day, very lacking?
The way Huxley presents this point in history is an expression of what Western Religion has brought and condemned onto societal man. He shares that our use of good and evil, demons and Devils, possession were some of the original scientific studies of psychology in the West and why we are still so sloppy with human relations, health of physical and mental, and connectedness with one another.

Profound reading of a human conundrum with a keen compassionate eye.

If you have been intrigued by Huxley’s perennial philosophy, this novelization of a spiritual battlefield of the past, has the effect of being the reader to an understanding of the eternal ground of Huxley’s most divine truths by means of the play of life being unfurled before us and our own compassion forces us to see who we want to be in this instance.

Want to know why people go crazy? Listen to this book!

The 1600’s were WILD! What makes an entire town okay with demon possessed nuns who swear a local parson is seducing them in their minds to then horribly torture and burn to death said parson? Well, listen to this book and you’ll be introduced to the insane world of crazed religious zealots who do horrid things to each other. I couldn’t help but relate it to the current political climate across the globe right now.

Flowing Story

Got to see the Ken Russell movie which was crazy, but needs to be watch. it is said Urban connffesion under torture. truly a man of God

narrator too happy with himself

the writing is good from aldous huxley. this unfortunately is by yet another narrator who its really important to him, you think he's intelligent. this is regarding to the french-language quotations -- the french themselves dont draw out the most french sounding syllable of every other word like our narrator does. another reviewer pointed this out and it really takes a lot out of the otherwise fine audiobook. when so much misplaced effort is put into these wack french-language recitations it is really taxing on the listener, like this narrator holds the rest of the book hostage to put on his little display for you to agree he sounds smart. if I'm grasping at straws with this then just see for yourself

A lot of yapping

Narrator is great and a perfect fit. Overall the setting and tone of the book is amazing and fascinating. But the author takes a lot of time to yap on and on and on and on some more about various philosophical topics. I understand this may be interesting to others and that’s fair enough, but I find his perspectives a bit dated and hard to follow. If he had spent more time on the events surrounding in Loudun, it would be one of my favorite books. If you want to hear a man from the 1950s talk about philosophy, then this is the book for you. Maybe others will like it more but not really my kind of thing!

Would have been much better ...

... if frequent passages in French had been translated into English. The kindle version does just that and is a much more preferable way to enjoy this classic work.

Strange book strange tale

Part of the book does a decent job of presenting an interesting historical event. The rest of the book is a rather windy and abstract discussion of obscure issues in theology, mysticism, abnormal psychology, metaphysics and similar matters. The final chapter explores “downward self-transcendence.” Enough said.

The book has frequent quotations in French and Latin that are not translated or paraphrased. In many cases, the quotes make a major point or conclusion, so the absence of a translation is a major detriment.

Worth going over thrice...

Very interesting, insightful, informative. Well narrated. Goes over a lot of historical things during that bewitching time period...