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Historia Discordia: The Origins of the Discordian Society
The most extensive collection in print documenting the Discordian Society’s wild and wooly legacy, Historia Discordia features the unique worldview and wit of such illuminated iconoclasts as Robert Anton Wilson and Discordian founders Greg Hill and Kerry Thornley.
Chronicling Discordianism’s halcyon days, Historia Discordia presents a fun and freewheeling romp through rare photos, holy tracts, art collages, and fnords, many of which appear for the first time in print.
_______________________
“Like communication-god Thoth with his yammering ape, like the all-important noise that Count Korzybski assures us must accompany our every signal, no harmony is possible without an acknowledgement and understanding of discord. Born from the bowling-alley epiphanies of Greg Hill and Kerry Thornley, its disruptive teachings disseminated through the incendiary writings of Robert Anton Wilson and other Eristic luminaries, the Discordian Society has unexpectedly become a landmark of gleefully aggressive sanity in a chaotic and incoherent world. Through this book, we can all involve ourselves in their gloriously constructive quarrel.”
—Alan Moore
Chronicling Discordianism’s halcyon days, Historia Discordia presents a fun and freewheeling romp through rare photos, holy tracts, art collages, and fnords, many of which appear for the first time in print.
_______________________
“Like communication-god Thoth with his yammering ape, like the all-important noise that Count Korzybski assures us must accompany our every signal, no harmony is possible without an acknowledgement and understanding of discord. Born from the bowling-alley epiphanies of Greg Hill and Kerry Thornley, its disruptive teachings disseminated through the incendiary writings of Robert Anton Wilson and other Eristic luminaries, the Discordian Society has unexpectedly become a landmark of gleefully aggressive sanity in a chaotic and incoherent world. Through this book, we can all involve ourselves in their gloriously constructive quarrel.”
—Alan Moore
294 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2014
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About the author
Adam Gorightly
27 books33 followersAmerican author focussing on pananormal topics and conspiracy theories.
Gorightly has proclaimed himself to be a "crackpot historian" articles of him have been published in several underground magazines.
Gorightly has proclaimed himself to be a "crackpot historian" articles of him have been published in several underground magazines.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 9, 2015
Historia Discordia is obviously a labor of love by the editor, Adam Gorightly, who has created a glorious collection of humorous, ludicrous and inspirational letters, essays and ephemera from the founding fathers of Discordianism. Inspirational? Yes! Many of the quips and clever epistles gathered within this colorful and well designed tome are the sort that make one scratch ones head in wonder and awe; "Wonder why I never thought of that?" and "What an awesome and polite way of mocking political (or religious) pundits!"
Although I was not familiar with the Discordian Society until its creators, Kerry Thornley and Gregory Hill, had joined the accordion orchestra in eternity, I had some exposure to the Church of Bob, Robert Anton Wilson, and even the Illuminatus Trilogy, which I purchased in the 1970s. (I regret tossing it due to my inability to read beyond the first couple chapters). Perhaps I was mentally incapable of appreciating the humor of masters Shea and Wilson in my younger days. Historia Discordia codifies and illustrates the wild intelligence that brought the Discordian Society into chaotic fruition.
Speaking of fruit, the golden apple of Eris, the goddess of discord and chaos, is definitely worth tasting, even if you are reluctant to bite. The more you know about Discordianism the less you need worry about Accordianism. You are already a member, either way. I guarantee you will enjoy the silly catma and dogma compiled in this remarkable book, and you can always just look at the pictures.
Oh, and my chosen Discordian name is "Palimpsest the Pointillist". Hail, Eris!
Although I was not familiar with the Discordian Society until its creators, Kerry Thornley and Gregory Hill, had joined the accordion orchestra in eternity, I had some exposure to the Church of Bob, Robert Anton Wilson, and even the Illuminatus Trilogy, which I purchased in the 1970s. (I regret tossing it due to my inability to read beyond the first couple chapters). Perhaps I was mentally incapable of appreciating the humor of masters Shea and Wilson in my younger days. Historia Discordia codifies and illustrates the wild intelligence that brought the Discordian Society into chaotic fruition.
Speaking of fruit, the golden apple of Eris, the goddess of discord and chaos, is definitely worth tasting, even if you are reluctant to bite. The more you know about Discordianism the less you need worry about Accordianism. You are already a member, either way. I guarantee you will enjoy the silly catma and dogma compiled in this remarkable book, and you can always just look at the pictures.
Oh, and my chosen Discordian name is "Palimpsest the Pointillist". Hail, Eris!
November 8, 2014
Again, mind blown by all the awesomeness. Such an important document collection for anyone interested in the origins of The Discordian Society. Hail and all that.
August 20, 2021
Generally very entertaining but probably best tackled in three or four bingelets of 50 or so pages: the weaker humour can be wearing, and some of the materials are copied from poor quality original documents...so they're tiring to read. The good bits, on the other hand, are very fine indeed.
No matter how throw away many of the ideas were, and quite a lot is badly dated, the Erisian dogma makes at least as much sense as many reputable religions, and not much less than the more thoroughly disreputable ones.
If you enjoy RAW and/or SubGenius scriptures there's plenty here to entertain you.
Hail Eris.
No matter how throw away many of the ideas were, and quite a lot is badly dated, the Erisian dogma makes at least as much sense as many reputable religions, and not much less than the more thoroughly disreputable ones.
If you enjoy RAW and/or SubGenius scriptures there's plenty here to entertain you.
Hail Eris.
June 12, 2025
Comprehensive and Exhausted History of the Discordian Society! From the Sacred Bowling Alley and Beyond! Full of excellent reproductions of the Holey Discordian Archives! Lotsa Pictures! Really Wonderful and Fantastically Glorious! A Discordian Priest Must Have! One of the Sacred Wholly Books of The Charles Fort Cabal O.M. Research Library (a subsidiary of The Shad0wrkZ Ind. Research and Distribution Center. Culture Peanut Butter and Jamming Wing).
Hail Eris!
All Hail Discordia!
Long May The Charles Fort Cabal, (The Home of the Nondiscerning Fortean Discordian, Bonded Nonbinary Beasts, Erisian Elfs, Legendary Lunatic Legionaries, Unconventional Conventioneers, Transcendent Transexuals, Silly Scotspeople, THE Sacred Chaofolks, And Other Mythical Creatures.) Reign!!!
Rev. Dr. St. Pope Brother Bawb Zi8lla Part 2 (The Revenge! This time it's Personal!))
*K.S.C., H.H.E., T.G.A.P., L.D.D., P.O.E.E., E.L.F., T.H.C., P.H.D., U L.C, R.H.P.S., D.R., 23, D.O.T., P.S., E., M.O.T.H.R.A., C.S.A., G.A.C., P.I., T.E.S.D.A., F.C.D. Va Chapter # 9082, C.I.A., F.B.I., N.S.A., A.B.C., C.E.O., L.P.O.T.L.L., C.O.T.S., T S.M.B.T., N.S., O.M.A.H.A., M.I. 5, M.O.M., S.O.S,
Supreme Pontiff, Charles Fort Cabal
Cardinal Chaosopher of The Erisian Reality Circuitry Court,
Abbot of the Charles Fort Cabal (Your Home for Fortean Discordianism),
Bishop of the Cathedral of Creedology
Lord Artificer TinyToyRobotZ
The Hodge Podge Collective,
Adjudant to Alpha Podge.
Your Non-binary Buddy!
Episkopos Boiled Kallixti Skull Bubblegum, Esq.
The Enzo Anarchy Mala Creation Center, Master Creationist, Sensi Seeder.
Death To All Fanatics!
Eat The Rich!
"Less Filling With The Same Great Taste!"
Saor Alba Gu Brath!!!
(Freedom For Scotland Forever!)
བོད་རང་དབང་།
(Free Tibet!)
"Nuff said!
Excelsior!"
-Stan Lee
Hail Eris!
All Hail Discordia!
Long May The Charles Fort Cabal, (The Home of the Nondiscerning Fortean Discordian, Bonded Nonbinary Beasts, Erisian Elfs, Legendary Lunatic Legionaries, Unconventional Conventioneers, Transcendent Transexuals, Silly Scotspeople, THE Sacred Chaofolks, And Other Mythical Creatures.) Reign!!!
Rev. Dr. St. Pope Brother Bawb Zi8lla Part 2 (The Revenge! This time it's Personal!))
*K.S.C., H.H.E., T.G.A.P., L.D.D., P.O.E.E., E.L.F., T.H.C., P.H.D., U L.C, R.H.P.S., D.R., 23, D.O.T., P.S., E., M.O.T.H.R.A., C.S.A., G.A.C., P.I., T.E.S.D.A., F.C.D. Va Chapter # 9082, C.I.A., F.B.I., N.S.A., A.B.C., C.E.O., L.P.O.T.L.L., C.O.T.S., T S.M.B.T., N.S., O.M.A.H.A., M.I. 5, M.O.M., S.O.S,
Supreme Pontiff, Charles Fort Cabal
Cardinal Chaosopher of The Erisian Reality Circuitry Court,
Abbot of the Charles Fort Cabal (Your Home for Fortean Discordianism),
Bishop of the Cathedral of Creedology
Lord Artificer TinyToyRobotZ
The Hodge Podge Collective,
Adjudant to Alpha Podge.
Your Non-binary Buddy!
Episkopos Boiled Kallixti Skull Bubblegum, Esq.
The Enzo Anarchy Mala Creation Center, Master Creationist, Sensi Seeder.
Death To All Fanatics!
Eat The Rich!
"Less Filling With The Same Great Taste!"
Saor Alba Gu Brath!!!
(Freedom For Scotland Forever!)
བོད་རང་དབང་།
(Free Tibet!)
"Nuff said!
Excelsior!"
-Stan Lee
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews