Emanuel Swedenborg: Scientist And Mystic

By Signe Toksvig

Book Overview

""Emanuel Swedenborg: Scientist and Mystic"" by Signe Toksvig is a detailed biography of the life and work of Emanuel Swedenborg, a renowned scientist and mystic of the 18th century. The book explores Swedenborg's life from his birth in Stockholm in 1688 to his death in London in 1772. The author delves into Swedenborg's background, including his family, education, and early career as a scientist and engineer. The book also discusses Swedenborg's spiritual awakening and his subsequent mystical experiences, which led him to become a prolific writer on topics such as theology, philosophy, and the afterlife. The book provides an in-depth analysis of Swedenborg's beliefs and teachings, including his views on God, the nature of the soul, and the spiritual realm. It also explores the impact of Swedenborg's ideas on his contemporaries and subsequent generations of thinkers and writers. Throughout the book, Toksvig presents a balanced and nuanced portrayal of Swedenborg, highlighting both his achievements and his flaws. The author draws on a wealth of primary sources, including Swedenborg's own writings, as well as secondary sources from scholars and biographers. Overall, ""Emanuel Swedenborg: Scientist and Mystic"" is a comprehensive and engaging biography that sheds light on one of the most fascinating figures of the 18th century.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1163187216
• ISBN13: 9781163187210
• Release Date: September 2010
• Publisher: Kessinger Publishing
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.22 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A readable & enjoyable, though not entirely accurate, bio

Emanuel Swedenborg: Scientist and Mystic is a controversial alternative biography of Emanuel Swedenborg, the 18th century scientist, philosopher, and theologian. Its author, Signe Toksvig, who is not a Swedenborgian, focuses on Swedenborg's mystical and paranormal experiences. Though it contains some inaccuracies (for example, Swedenborg did not write his books by automatic writing), and should not be used as a primary biography of Swedenborg, it is otherwise well-written and very enjoyable to read. The introduction by the Rev. Brian Kingslake gives a balanced view of this book from a Swedenborgian perspective.