The Man Who Saw the Future

In the 17th century, William Lilly enthralled a civil war-torn nation with his uncannily accurate forecasts of who would win the key battles and when Charles I would die. Lauded as England's Merlin, both the king and Oliver Cromwell sought his stellar counsel. He was famed in his day, result of Lilly forecasting correctly in his best-selling pamphlets who would triumph in combat in the Civil War. Courtesy of this charismatic trailblazer, astrology is today an unstoppable mass phenomenon, and Lilly is becoming increasingly recognized as one of England's true luminaries. Lilly wanted everyone, not just the intelligentsia, to know astrology's power, and to this end he wrote the first ever guide to astrology in English and formed the Society of Astrologers. But when Lilly's visions of the future threatened public order, he had to fight to save his profession and his life, even using his astonishing gift for divination to help him. With a cast of stargazers, soldiers and scryers; politicians, priests and piss-prophets, The Man Who Saw the Future - written by acclaimed author Catherine Blackledge - reveals for the first time the enormous extent to which the occult leader Lilly influenced the course of war, politics and freedom of speech in England.

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Download PDF Proposing editor: click to edit Meeting date: - Imprint: click to edit Series: click to edit Work Title: William Lilly Subtitle: click to edit Products: 978-1-78028-800-0 WEL HB : USD 24.95, GBP 16.99 and AUD 28.99 216 x 135mm 248 pp 978-1-78028-812-3 WEL E : GBP 9.99 and USD 12.99 Unknown pp Add more detail by clicking on Metadata, on the left menu Advances A : GBP 3000.0 Historical period: Add special interest subject Subject: Add subject Spelling: ( ) Add language (in publication details) Click to add classifications Specs for production run: WEL E (0 units) Spec type Description Products Add 1st interior paper spec Add 1st binding spec Add 1st cover spec Add 1st embellishments spec Add 1st extra parts spec Specs for production run: WEL HB (5200 units) Spec type Description Products Paper No paper Mono WEL HB Edit Del. Binding Binding: WEL HB Edit Del. Cover Cover: Jacket 4/0 (unknown paper) WEL HB Edit Del. Cover Cover: Print on wibalin /0 (unknown paper) WEL HB Edit Del. Cover Finish Print finish: Matt Laminate WEL HB Edit Del. Cover Finish Print finish: Spot UV WEL HB Edit Del. Cover Finish Print finish: Foil WEL HB Edit Del. Add 2nd interior paper spec Add 2nd binding spec Add 3rd cover spec Add 1st embellishments spec Add 1st extra parts spec Author: Catherine Blackledge Owen Davies Marketing texts (for public sharing) Positioning statement / Promotional 'headline' The First Biography of William Lilly, the 'father of English astrology', to show his profound influence on 17th Century England and the genius of his predictions Main description 'The Man Who Saw The Future is not just required reading for every would-be astrologer. It stands alone as an amazing tale full of insight into pivotal history. It is fascinating and wonderfully well written.' Jonathan Cainer In the 17th century, William Lilly enthralled a civil war-torn nation with his uncannily accurate forecasts of who would win the key battles and when Charles I would die. Lauded as England's Merlin, both the king and Oliver Cromwell sought his stellar counsel. He was famed in his day, result of Lilly forecasting correctly in his best-selling pamphlets who would triumph in combat in the Civil War. Courtesy of this charismatic trailblazer, astrology is today an unstoppable mass phenomenon, and Lilly is becoming increasingly recognized as one of England's true luminaries. Lilly wanted everyone, not just the intelligentsia, to know astrology's power, and to this end he wrote the first ever guide to astrology in English and formed the Society of Astrologers. But when Lilly's visions of the future threatened public order, he had to fight to save his profession and his life, even using his astonishing gift for divination to help him. With a cast of stargazers, soldiers and scryers; politicians, priests and piss-prophets, The Man Who Saw the Future - written by acclaimed author Catherine Blackledge - reveals for the first time the enormous extent to which the occult leader Lilly influenced the course of war, politics and freedom of speech in England. Three key sales points / Description for sales people * William Lilly is recognized as one of the most important astrologers England has produced and, like Nostradamus, he holds a fascination for readers interested in social history, prophecy and astrology * Catherine Blackledge is the internationally acclaimed author of The Story of V: A Cultural History of the Vagina ( Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2003) which has been published in 13 countries and sold over 70,000 copies * Endorsements by Jonathan Cainer and other eminent astrologers and historians Competing titles This has recently been explored in a BBC4 documentary as Isaac Newton: the last magus - exploring the role Newton's alchemy played in his life and science. Again, it is part of the increasingly recognition of the important role magic and astrology played in English social life and politics during the seventeenth century. Michael White's Isaac Newton: the last sorcerer, Fourth Estate, 1998. TP: 5477 RRP: GBP14.99 Binding: Paperback Publ date: Sep 3, 1998 Volume: 5,961 Value: GBP52,775.54 ASP: GBP8.85 There is also Philip Ball, The Devil's Doctor: Paracelsus and the world of Renaissance Magic and Science, Arrow, 2007. HC: 2599 RRP: GBP9.99 Binding: Paperback Publ date: Apr 5, 2007 Volume: 2,673 Value: GBP22,914.17 ASP: GBP8.57 RRP: GBP20.00 Binding: Hardback Publ date: Feb 2, 2006 Volume: 1,910 Value: GBP33,545.17 ASP: GBP17.56 The Last Magician: a new biography of Isaac Newton revealing the important role the occult played in his life (shown on BBC4 on 12 April 2013). Glynn Parry, The Arch-conjuror of England: John Dee, Yale University Press, 2012. A well-received biography of John Dee - one of William Lilly's forebears, which for the first time emphasised the significant role magical practices played in Elizabethan England. Michael Braddick, God's Fury, England's Fire: A New History of the English Civil Wars, Allen Lane, 2008. A best-selling history of the civil wars, which is unique in acknowledging the role William Lilly and his prophecies played in seventeenth-century politics. Jonathan Black, The secret history of the world, Quercus, 2010. A good competing title because it's a respected non-fiction book written by an expert in the field, who is for the first time revealing the mysticism underpinning human history and its significant role influencing religion, science and politics. RRP GBP9.99 Binding: Paperback Publ date: Jun 5, 2008 Volume: 35,792 Value: GBP313,267.76 ASP: GBP8.75 Publ date: Jun 8, 2010 Volume: 17,288 Value: GBP158,636.10 ASP: GBP9.18 Glynn Parry, The Arch-conjuror of England: John Dee, Yale University Press, 2012. A well-received scholarly biography of John Dee - one of William Lilly's forebears. This is unique in that the author appreciates the significant role magical practices played in the sixteenth century, but he is not conversant with astrological techniques. Michael Braddick, God's Fury, England's Fire: A New History of the English Civil Wars, Allen Lane, 2008. A best-selling history of the civil wars; it acknowledges the propaganda role William Lilly played - this was mentioned frequently in its reviews. Benjamin Woolley, The Herbalist: Nicholas Culpeper and the Fight for Medical Freedom, HarperCollins, 2004. This bills itself as a biography of William Lilly's peer, astrological physician Nicholas Culpeper, but as little is known about Culpeper, it instead describes the civil wars and Culpeper's fight with the medical establishment; it does not consider the role Lilly and other astrologers played in the century. RRP: GBP10.99 Binding: Paperback Publ date: Mar 4, 2002 Volume: 23,233 Value: GBP169,828.85 ASP: GBP7.31 RRP: GBP15.99 Binding: Hardback Publ date: Apr 2, 2001 Volume: 5,675 Value: GBP81,369.58 ASP: GBP14.34 Or Judith Cook, Dr Simon Forman Forman: a most notorious physician, Vintage, 2002. This is probably the most populist version of an astrologer's life, so would be interesting to see the sales figures. Or Jenny Uglow, A Gambling Man: Charles II and the Restoration, Faber and Faber, 2009. A well-received biography of one of the other main characters of the century; it doesn't acknowledge Charles II and his courtiers sought astrological advice. RRP: GBP9.99 Binding: Paperback Publ date: May 1, 2010 Volume: 11,885 Value: GBP102,112.99 ASP: GBP8.59 RRP: GBP25.00 Binding: Hardback Publ date: Oct 1, 2009 Volume: 7,848 Value: GBP149,224.58 ASP: GBP19.01 Or Blair Worden, The English Civil wars, Phoenix, 2010. Or Diane Purkiss, The English Civil war: a people's history, Harper Perennial, 2007 Or Benjamin Woolley, The Queen's Conjuror: The life and magic of Dr Dee, Flamingo, 2002. I'm not sure how recent these titles should be, but another good example of the genre would be Michael White's Isaac Newton: the last sorcerer, Fourth Estate, 1998. This has recently been explored in a BBC4 documentary as Isaac Newton: the last magus - exploring the role Newton's alchemy played in his life and science. Again, it is part of the increasingly recognition of the important role magic and astrology played in English social life and politics during the seventeenth century. There is also Philip Ball, The Devil's Doctor: Paracelsus and the world of Renaissance Magic and Science, Arrow, 2007. Derek Parker, Familiar To All: William Lilly and Astrology in the Seventeenth Century, Jonathan Cape, 1975. An out-of-print non-chronological biography of William Lilly: it covers most, but not all, of the main events of his life; it is the only biography of Lilly. However, the author did not understand the astrological techniques Lilly used, consequently, he missed key episodes and predictions and did not paint a full picture of his subject. Ann Geneva, Astrology and the Seventeenth Century Mind: William Lilly and the Language of the Stars, Manchester University Press, 1995. This is an academic and now out-of-print look at Lilly. It does not tell his life story, rather it is a scholarly attempt to understand why Lilly was so popular. However, it fails because the author didn't understand the language of seventeenth century astrology and the techniques Lilly used and so did not understand his predictions; astrology here is viewed simply as a method of encryption Lilly used to promote his message - the king will die. The following are comparisons to my work to be capitalised upon: Dr Dee: Damon Albarn's opera (2011) and album (2012) based on the life of the sixteenth-century magus John Dee. The Devil's Whore (2008): a four-part Channel 4 TV series looking at the events of the civil war. An Instance of the Fingerpost (1997) by Iain Pears: a best-selling murder-mystery novel set in the seventeenth century. The Following are other titles published on William Lilly ( Please see positioning statement) Derek Parker, Familiar To All: William Lilly and Astrology in the Seventeenth Century, Jonathan Cape, 1975. An out-of-print non-chronological biography of William Lilly: it covers most, but not all, of the main events of his life; it is the only biography of Lilly. However, the author did not understand the astrological techniques Lilly used, consequently, he missed key episodes and predictions and did not paint a full picture of his subject. Ann Geneva, Astrology and the Seventeenth Century Mind: William Lilly and the Language of the Stars, Manchester University Press, 1995. This is an academic and now out-of-print look at Lilly. It does not tell his life story, rather it is a scholarly attempt to understand why Lilly was so popular. However, it fails because the author didn't understand the language of seventeenth century astrology and the techniques Lilly used and so did not understand his predictions; astrology here is viewed simply as a method of encryption Lilly used to promote his message - the king will die. Foreign positioning / Description for subsidiary rights department Her previous book was published in 13 languages. However this book will be very specialist for foreign languages and consequently opportunities regrettably limited! Target market / Description for reader Anyone interested in the history of 17th century especially the civil war, astrology and prophecy and social history. Other sales info / Description for press or other media * The man who saw the future is the first book to acknowledge the most famous man in seventeenth-century England was the astrologer William Lilly, not Cromwell or Charles I or II. * The man who saw the future is unique in acknowledging and exploring that William Lilly was England's first ever media celebrity. * The man who saw the future reveals for the first time how occult leader Lilly influenced the course of the civil war and, for the first time, pieces together his intimate connections with parliament. * The man who saw the future is unique in revealing the secrets behind William Lilly's uncannily accurate predictions. * The man who saw the future contains previously unpublished material regarding Lilly's forecasts and is the first to be written by an author conversant with the ancient astrological techniques he used. The following celebrities and experts are happy to provide a foreword and/or endorsements: * Jonathan Cainer, the UK's most celebrated astrologer and its highest-paid writer. Cainer has an estimated 12 million followers around the world devouring his every word in books and newspapers; his website is one of the most popular in the UK. * Professor Owen Davies, Hertfordshire University, expert in and media spokesperson on the history of magic and witchcraft; author of Grimoires: A History of Magic Books (2009). * Neil Spencer, astrologer and journalist for the Observer and Guardian. * Emeritus Professor Michael Hunter, Birkbeck College, specialist in the history of science in the seventeenth century, in particular the history of magic. * Russell Grant, astrologer and media star. Catherine Blackledge, media contacts I have worked as a journalist and author writing for newspapers and magazines in the UK for twenty years. My media contacts include: Julian Coman, assistant editor, Observer. Sue Douglas, former editor Sunday Express and former deputy editor Sunday Times. Rowan Pelling, Daily Telegraph columnist, contributor for Daily Mail, Independent on Sunday, The Mail on Sunday and GQ; a Booker prize judge. Neil Spencer, Observer, Guardian and NME journalist. Anjana Ahuja, former Times journalist, contributor for Daily Telegraph and Financial Times Mimi Spencer, feature writer and columnist for the Guardian, Spectator, the Daily Mail, Evening Standard and Marie Claire. Jennifer Trueland, contributor to Scotsman and the Guardian. David Firn, Financial Times contributor. Sandra Hempel, contributor for Times, Sunday Times, the Guardian and The Mail on Sunday. Daloni Carlisle, Guardian contributor Robyn Williams, journalist and broadcaster based in Australia Catherine Blackledge astrology media contacts I've been a member of the UK astrology community for over ten years. My contacts include: Jonathan Cainer, the UK's most celebrated astrologer and its highest-paid writer. Cainer has an estimated 12 million followers around the world devouring his every word in books and newspapers; his website is one of the most popular in the UK. Neil Spencer, astrologer and journalist for the Observer and Guardian. Russell Grant, astrologer and media star. Nicolas Campion, editor Culture and Cosmos. Dr Patrick Curry, University of Wales, an astrologer and historian, and reviewer of books for Times Literary Supplement, Guardian, Independent and History Today. Deborah Houlding, author and astrologer and former editor of The Traditional Astrologer magazine; her website Skyscript is one of the most popular astrology sites. Maggie Hyde, author and astrologer for Glamour magazine Bernard Eccles, author and astrologer writing sunsign columns for magazines worldwide Nicola Smuts, author and astrologer, contributor to Marie Claire Frank Clifford, astrologer and author, contributor to Marie Claire and Reveal magazine Catherine Blackledge - media experience As the author of The Story of V, I have given numerous talks and interviews to national and international media - in print and for radio and television. I am an experienced public speaker and have lectured nationally and internationally to many audiences including the Cheltenham science festival on the science of orgasm, the Glastonbury goddess conference, at book fairs and Shhh! - Women's Erotic Emporium. I have also starred in The Vagina Monologues, been profiled for a Canadian television documentary and collaborated with the theatre company Fullbeam Visual Theatre on a play rooted in The Story of V. My website catherineblackledge.com is under construction, due to be launched later this year. I have a Facebook page for The Story of V and am launching my Twitter career as I prepare for the publication later this year of The Story of V as an e-book. The following school or university courses are ones for which my book could appear on a reading list (as my previous non-fiction book The Story of V does): Undergraduate and postgraduate history of science courses (Birkbeck College, University of London; University of Leeds; University of Kent; Open University; Yeovil College; University College London, University of London; University of Aberdeen; University of Manchester; University of East Anglia; University of Bath; University of St Andrews; University of Bristol; University of Cambridge; University of Oxford and Imperial College London). Masters degree in cultural astronomy and astrology at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David The following are useful websites where The man who saw the future can be promoted: English Civil War Society and associated societies www.english-civil-war-society.org.uk Approaching 50 civil war re-enactment societies www.clash-of-steel.org British Society for the History of Science www.bshs.org.uk The Scientific and Medical Network www.scimednet.org Diseworth Heritage Trust www.dhtrust.org Astrological Association of Great Britain www.astrologicalassociation.com Astrological Society of Great Britain www.theastrologicalsociety.co.uk Centre for Psychological Astrology www.cpalondon.com Company of Astrologers www.companyofastrologers.com Astrological Lodge of London www.astrolodge.co.uk www.skyscript.co.uk www.astrodienst.com www.renaissanceastrology.com www.astroamerica.com www.astrologyweekly.com William Lilly memorial site www.solsticepoint.com Urania Trust www.uraniatrust.org Primary, secondary and international markets: Primary market: literary non-fiction market. Secondary markets: seventeenth century and civil war history; the occult and astrology, and history of science. William Lilly has international appeal: during his lifetime, his fame encompassed Europe and north America; today he is known as the godfather of astrology. Lilly Day is celebrated every year in the UK. Why now?: In recent years, there's been increasing recognition of the influential role astrology and other occult sciences played in English politics and society during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Last Magician: a new biography of Isaac Newton revealing the important role the occult played in his life (shown on BBC4 on 12 April 2013). Glynn Parry, The Arch-conjuror of England: John Dee, Yale University Press, 2012. A well-received biography of John Dee - one of William Lilly's forebears, which for the first time emphasised the significant role magical practices played in Elizabethan England. Michael Braddick, God's Fury, England's Fire: A New History of the English Civil Wars, Allen Lane, 2008. A best-selling history of the civil wars, which is unique in acknowledging the role William Lilly and his prophecies played in seventeenth-century politics. Reviews of The Story of V by Catherine Blackledge 'A marvellous manifesto that points towards a new view of sexuality' Jerome Burne, Financial Times 'A meticulous guide not only to the vagina, but to changing perceptions of womanhood' Observer 'A persuasive and exhaustive study of the history, culture and reproductive power of female genitalia - the author is a phenomenal researcher and movingly enthusiastic about her special subject' Joanne Briscoe, Guardian 'Her quest moves from the mythic to the scientific, presented in a lively, accessible style - an empowering and enlightening book' Katie Donovan, Irish Times 'A serious and well-researched look at how attitudes and information have changed over the centuries... This would be a great book to give to your man for his birthday. If you've got a girlfriend, well, read it together. It is completely fascinating' Jeanette Winterson 'The Story of V reveals the ancient and newfound powers of the vagina. It is full of mystery and secrets and truth. If we only knew what we had under our skirts! Learn the story - read this book' Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues, who has incorporated aspects of The Story of V into her stage production. Biographical note Dr Catherine Blackledge is the internationally acclaimed author of The Story of V: A Cultural History of the Vagina (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2003). The Story of V has been published in 13 countries, with worldwide sales of over 70,000 copies. Dr Blackledge is an experienced public speaker and has lectured nationally and internationally to a variety of audiences including the Cheltenham science festival on the science of orgasm, the Glastonbury goddess conference and Shhh! - Women's Erotic Emporium. She has also starred in The Vagina Monologues, been profiled for a Canadian television documentary and collaborated with the theatre company Fullbeam Visual Theatre on a play rooted in her work. Dr Blackledge has worked as a journalist and broadcaster reporting on science and healthcare since 1993, writing for diverse publications such as the Financial Times, the Erotic Review and the international newspaper the European, where she was science correspondent. In 1999, she was short-listed for 'Best feature on a science subject in a national newspaper' by the Association of British Science Writers; she is happiest when writing and talking about quirky or taboo topics. Dr Blackledge has a science background: a chemistry PhD and a maths and chemistry degree. An interest in the history of science led to her completing one year of a masters degree in the topic, where she focused on the history of magic, including astrology, alchemy and witchcraft; this was the catalyst for The man who saw the future. She has studied astrology for approaching a decade; her understanding of the language of divination is unique for writers of historical non-fiction. She has historian and astrologer contacts happy to endorse The man who saw the future. The birth of her daughter, Willow Rose, conceived by a mixture of magic and cutting-edge science was a wonderful and unexpected benefit of learning astrology; the UK press recently picked up on this, see www.express.co.uk/posts/view/226750