The Devils of Loudon by Aldous Huxley

 A true story of supposed demon possession in seventeenth century France

Urbain Grandier, a priest of the parish of Loudon, was burned at the stake in 1634. Despite his being a holy man, he also had desires for the flesh and was a seducer of women. This trait eventually brought a conspiracy against him, a conspiracy that took him to the stake.

He was, in 1634, found guilty of causing the possession of a Prioress and her nuns by devils.

In this telling of the events at Loudon in the seventeenth century, Huxley tells of the events that lead to Grandier's torture and death. Events that seem to have less to do with witchcraft and demon possession and more to do with human jealousies, sexuality, superstition, and hatred.

The Devils of Loudon is not one of Huxley's better known books but is most definitely worth the reading. Before I read this book, I was unsure as to whether I would be interested by the topic of the book. However, I have a lot of time for Huxley and gave the book a chance. And, I was not disappointed. Huxley, a man who was drawn to mysticism, the religious, and human nature, handles each of these and more in this telling of the events surrounding the priest's death and the most sensational case of supposed possession in history.

I may be a tad bias - as I say, I have a lot of time for Huxley - but I would recommend this book. If you have read Brave New World and you are considering giving another of Huxley's books ago, I can't promise that you will find this book intriguing and interesting. It is a very different kind of book. But, for those interested in human nature, witchcraft, religiosity, and human malice, you could do worse than read this book.