Richard Kaczynski is an independent scholar of Western Esotericism, best known for the biography Perdurabo: The Life of Aleister Crowley (2010). He publishes and presents widely, including with the Association for the Study of Esotericism and Trans-States (for which he was a keynote speaker in 2016). As a statistician, he has held academic positions with the Wayne State University School of Medicine, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, and Yale University School of Medicine.
Friendship in Doubt study makes a strong argument for the often-overlooked influence that agnosticism exerted on some currents of Western esotericism. Kaczynski has already established himself as an accomplished biographer with his Perdurabo: The Life of Aleister Crowley and is now proving himself equally adept in the field of intellectual biography. * Gordan Djurdjevic, Author of India and the Occult: The Influence of South Asian Spirituality on Modern Western Occultism * With meticulous attention to historical detail as well as an expertly edited collection of primary sources made available to readers for the first time, Kaczynski - an internationally recognized authority on the topic-not only provides novel insights on Crowley, Fuller, and Neuburg and their respective relationships, but also sheds novel light on the relationship between the agnostic/secularist movement and twentieth-century esotericism. * Manon Hedenborg White, Author of The Eloquent Blood: The Goddess Babalon and the Construction of Femininities in Western Esotericism * Friendship in Doubt weaves the key figures of the rationalist movement into its narrative, making skilful use of previously unexplored source material to bring these characters to life. The book is a masterful combination of scholarly insight and biographical storytelling. * Deja Whitehouse, Author of The Lady and the Beast: The Extraordinary Partnership between Frieda Harris and Aleister Crowley *