Robert Shea

Infobox Writer
name = Robert Shea


caption = Shea at the National Theatre, London, 1977, for the nine-hour stage version of "Illuminatus!"

birthname = Robert Joseph Shea
birthdate = birth date|1933|14|02
deathdate = Death date and age|1994|03|10|1933|14|02
spouse = Yvonne Bremseth Shea, Patricia Monaghan
website = http://bobshea.net/

Robert Joseph Shea (February 14, 1933 - March 10, 1994) was a magazine editor, columnist and novelist. He was the co-author (with Robert Anton Wilson) of "The Illuminatus! Trilogy", which won the 1986 Prometheus Hall of Fame Award.

The "Illuminatus!" Trilogy

Shea met Robert Anton Wilson in the late 1960s, when both were working in the editorial department of "Playboy". Before long, they decided to collaborate on a novel that would combine sex, drugs, alternative religions, anarchism, and conspiracy theory, which became "Illuminatus!". While they remained close friends for life, they had philosophical and political disagreements, and these enriched the book, helping to make it a dialogic novel in which no single point of view is privileged.

A card game inspired by the trilogy, Illuminati, was created by Steve Jackson Games. A trading card game () and role-playing game supplement (GURPS Illuminati) followed. Shea provided a four-paragraph introduction to the rulebook for the Illuminati Expansion Set 1 (1983), in which he wrote, "Maybe the Illuminati are behind this game. They must be; they are, by definition, behind everything."

Other works

On his own, Shea went on to write historical novels, including "Shike" (1981), "All Things Are Lights" (1986), and "The Saracen", a novel published in two volumes in 1989 depicting the struggle between a blond Muslim warrior called Daoud ibn Abdullah and his French crusader adversary Simon de Gobignon. His last published book was the Native American tale "Shaman" (1991). These stories were straightforward beginning-middle-end tales, but included a few sly hints about the subjects of "Illuminatus!"

"All Things Are Lights" and the outline for the unfinished novel "Children of Earthmaker" have been released under a Creative Commons license and are available to read and copy at Robert Shea's website. "Lady Yang" was finished but never published; a Creative Commons online version is in the works by Shea's son Michael [ [http://clevelandokie.blogspot.com/2007/10/robert-shea-inside-look-sheas-literary.html Interview on Cleveland Okie Website] ] .

Three of his lectures and two panel discussions he participated in were recorded when he was a featured speaker at both the Starwood Festival [ [http://www.rosencomet.com/starwood/starlist.html Starwood Speakers' Roster] ] and the WinterStar Symposium (both with and without Robert Anton Wilson) and produced by the Association for Consciousness Exploration.

For several years, Shea edited the anarchist zine "No Governor". The title comes from a quote attributed to Zhuangzi, "There is no governor anywhere." The zine was mentioned in and read by one of the characters in "Illuminatus!".

Clipped from the Robert J. Shea Tribute page:

:Robert Joseph Shea attended Manhattan Prep, Manhattan College and Rutgers University and worked as a magazine editor in New York and Los Angeles. In the 60's he edited the Playboy Forum where he met Robert Anton Wilson, with whom he collaborated on Illuminatus! After publishing Illuminatus!, Bob left Playboy to become a full time novelist. His novels include: "Shike", set in medieval Japan; "All Things Are Lights", a story that entwines the fate of Cathars of southern France with the occult traditions of Courtly Love and the troubadours; "The Saracen", describing the intricate politics of medieval Italy through the eyes of an Islamic warrior; "Shaman", tracing the fate of the survivors of the Black Hawk War in 19th century Illinois; "Lady Yang", a tragic story of an idealistic empress of medieval China. [ [http://bobshea.net Bob Shea Website] ]

Robert Shea is survived by his son, Michael E. Shea, and his second wife, author Patricia Monaghan [ [http://www.nndb.com/people/734/000023665 NNDB Website] ] .

Bibliography

* "The Illuminatus! Trilogy" (with Robert Anton Wilson) Full Trilogy printed December 1, 1983 by Dell: ISBN 0440539811, ISBN 978-0440539810
** "The Eye in the Pyramid" (1975) Dell
** "The Golden Apple" (1975) Dell
** "Leviathan" (1975) ISBN Dell

* "Shike" (January 13, 1992) Two in One version: Ballantine Books ISBN 034536046X, ISBN 978-0345360465
** "Time of the Dragons" (June 1, 1981) Jove ISBN 0515048747, ISBN 9780515048742
** "Last of the Zinja" (July 1, 1981) Jove ISBN 0515059447, ISBN 978-0515059441

* "All Things Are Lights" (April 12, 1986) Ballantine Books ISBN 0345329031, ISBN 978-0345329035 [http://bobshea.net/all_things_are_lights.html]

* "From No Man's Land to Plaza De Lago" (October 1987) Amer References ISBN 0913765082, ISBN 978-0913765081

* "The Saracen"
** "Land of the Infidel" (February 13, 1989) Ballantine Books ISBN 0345335880, ISBN 978-0345335883
** "The Holy War" (March 13, 1989) Ballantine Books ISBN 034535933X, ISBN 978-0345359339

* "Shaman" (February 20, 1991) Ballantine Books ISBN 0345360486, ISBN 978-0345360489

* "Lady Yang" - Unpublished Novel

* "Children of Earthmaker" Unfinished Novel

Recorded lectures & panel discussions

* "A Meeting With Robert Shea", ACE
* "Writing and Mysticism", ACE
* "Magic in the Central Empire", ACE
* "The Once and Future Legend" (panel discussion with Ariana Lightningstorm, Patricia Monaghan, Jeff Rosenbaum, Rev. Ivan Stang, and Robert Anton Wilson), ACE
* "What IS the Conspiracy, Anyway?" (Panel Discussion with Anodea Judith, Jeff Rosenbaum, Rev. Ivan Stang, and Robert Anton Wilson), ACE

References

External links

* [http://bobshea.net Robert Shea's Official Website] : Robert J. Shea's official website maintained by his son, Michael E. Shea. The site includes creative commons licensed versions of "All Things Are Lights" and other works.