The Myth of the Blood: The Genesis of Racialism

Written during the rule of National Socialism in Germany and the rise of the so-called Racial Laws in Fascist Italy, The Myth of the Blood offers a unique window into the historical origins of the racialist thought that so fatefully characterized an era. More than a study of history, however, The Myth of the Blood is a magisterial overview of the problem of human race itself, by one of the great thinkers of the past century, the traditionalist philosopher Julius Evola.

This book traces the development of the concept of race from antiquity to contemporary times, proceeding through historical, mythical, scientific, and philosophical perspectives, keenly dissecting the thought of the foremost theoreticians in the field of race studies. The result is an unmatched analysis of a notoriously difficult issue, undertaken with an admirable mixture of fearlessness, fairness, and erudition.

In a day of growing questions, controversies, and doubts surrounding the nature and meaning of human race, Evola’s reflections are as timely now as they were on the day of their publication.

Julius Evola (1898-1974) has been one of the most misunderstood and controversial authors of the Twentieth century. Born in Rome, Evola began his pursuit of truth as a Dadaist painter and an Idealist philosopher, but quickly lost his taste for modernism and moved on to metaphysics, religion, and the occult. Encountering the work of René Guénon, who became a lifelong friend, Evola embraced his concept of the Primordial Tradition and his critique of the modern world. Believing that Tradition was an idea which should encompass the social as well as the spiritual world, Evola saw some hope for a remedy to the ills of modernity in Italian Fascism, although he never joined the Party, and his writings on the subject were frequently critical of its reality. After 1945, Evola remained aloof from politics, and attempted to define the most effective stance for an inhabitant of the modern age to adopt while still retaining something of traditional wisdom. In recent years, Evola's ideas have given rise to a new breed of spiritual seekers and anti-modernists.