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This difficult individual, Ezra Pound
Book by Mullins, Eustace Clarence
- GenresBiography
388 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1961
3 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Eustace Clarence Mullins
35 books143 followersEustace Mullins was an American political writer, author, biographer. As of 2005, He was a member of the Southeast Bureau editorial staff of far-right, even some would say Fascist, Willis Carto's American Free Press. He was also a contributing editor to the Barnes Review.
Eustace Mullins was educated at Washington and Lee University, New York University, the University of North Dakota and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (Washington, D.C.)
Mullins was a student of the poet and political activist Ezra Pound. He found common ground with Pound in their extreme anti-Semitism. He states that he frequently visited Pound during his period of incarceration in St. Elizabeth's Hospital for the Mentally Ill in Washington, D.C. between 1946 and 1959. Mullins claimed that Pound was, in fact, being held as a political prisoner on the behest of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Mullins' most notable work, Secrets of the Federal Reserve, was commissioned by Pound during this period, and written in consultation with George Stimpson, founder of the National Press Club.
Eustace Mullins was educated at Washington and Lee University, New York University, the University of North Dakota and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (Washington, D.C.)
Mullins was a student of the poet and political activist Ezra Pound. He found common ground with Pound in their extreme anti-Semitism. He states that he frequently visited Pound during his period of incarceration in St. Elizabeth's Hospital for the Mentally Ill in Washington, D.C. between 1946 and 1959. Mullins claimed that Pound was, in fact, being held as a political prisoner on the behest of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Mullins' most notable work, Secrets of the Federal Reserve, was commissioned by Pound during this period, and written in consultation with George Stimpson, founder of the National Press Club.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 6, 2010
Apparently, Eustace Mullins biography on Ezra Pound is the only one authorized by the sage rebel poet. I must admit I haven't read much by Pound, but this book has inspired me to. A must read for anyone with an interest in Ezra Pound or his protege Eustace Mullins.
December 21, 2019
Eustace Mullins is another difficult individual. Both Mullins and Pound have been associated with anti-Semitism. Some of this biography as well as Pound's work touches on our economic system and by extension the concept of usury. Their legacy hasn't aged well and has been picked up by some right wing elements.
Despite the controversy surrounding Mullins as well as Pound, there's a lot to take away from this book. It's fashionable now to mix the message with the messenger. My goal in writing this review is to convey what I think this work can inform and educate someone reading it 60+ years later. Other than the brief words above, I'm not going to touch on to what degree they were anti-Semitic or racist or to what degree there are examples of this in this work. Rather - here is what I found interesting about this work
1. Nice overview of Pound's early days. Mullins recounts quite a bit of the people who surrounded Pound when he arrived in England from the United States. If you like Pound, I think you could benefit from exploring both the major and now relatively forgotten artists who Pound helped to influence.
2. Limited but beneficial commentary on "how to read" Pound's work. Many readers might have some WTF moments asking themselves, what is Pound writing about. Mullins gives a few tips on how to approach Pound and what he is referring to in some of the Cantos.
3. Some nice photos of Pound's time in incarceration at St. Elizabeths.
4. Criticism of the WW2 era United States. Most educated readers recognize that the concept of Allied powers being good and the Axis powers as evil is facile. History is much more nuanced. Pound's incarceration as well as the criticism of Roosevelt (and with respect to the financial system: Wilson) is refreshing. Mullins presents arguments that show how America hasn't lived up to its ideals and laws on which we have traditionally prided ourselves. Pound's incarceration at the St. Elizabeth mental hospital is eerily similar to the treatment of those at Guantanamo Bay (although Pound was an American citizen). Mullins also cites other texts, which I would love to go back to read that were written at the time that dispute some of the more commonly held beliefs.
5. Criticism of our financial system. I think most people are ignorant of our financial system. There are benefits to it, but we all pay a price. All money is created from debt, and I think there are a lot of good arguments why the Federal Reserve System is unconstitutional. Mullins comments on this. It's easy to be dismissive, as these arguments are often talking points of right wing groups, conspiracy theorists, as well as others. Regardless, they cannot be dismissed.
6. In some ways this book is a bibliography. There are many works mentioned, almost all of which I think would be enlightening to read. I probably wrote down 20+ books to check out at some later point.
I'd recommend this book for anybody who wants to know more about Pound, or even read the biography of a somewhat famous person who undertook acts that the government considered treason....and what happens when you come back home after being associated with the loosing side.
Despite the controversy surrounding Mullins as well as Pound, there's a lot to take away from this book. It's fashionable now to mix the message with the messenger. My goal in writing this review is to convey what I think this work can inform and educate someone reading it 60+ years later. Other than the brief words above, I'm not going to touch on to what degree they were anti-Semitic or racist or to what degree there are examples of this in this work. Rather - here is what I found interesting about this work
1. Nice overview of Pound's early days. Mullins recounts quite a bit of the people who surrounded Pound when he arrived in England from the United States. If you like Pound, I think you could benefit from exploring both the major and now relatively forgotten artists who Pound helped to influence.
2. Limited but beneficial commentary on "how to read" Pound's work. Many readers might have some WTF moments asking themselves, what is Pound writing about. Mullins gives a few tips on how to approach Pound and what he is referring to in some of the Cantos.
3. Some nice photos of Pound's time in incarceration at St. Elizabeths.
4. Criticism of the WW2 era United States. Most educated readers recognize that the concept of Allied powers being good and the Axis powers as evil is facile. History is much more nuanced. Pound's incarceration as well as the criticism of Roosevelt (and with respect to the financial system: Wilson) is refreshing. Mullins presents arguments that show how America hasn't lived up to its ideals and laws on which we have traditionally prided ourselves. Pound's incarceration at the St. Elizabeth mental hospital is eerily similar to the treatment of those at Guantanamo Bay (although Pound was an American citizen). Mullins also cites other texts, which I would love to go back to read that were written at the time that dispute some of the more commonly held beliefs.
5. Criticism of our financial system. I think most people are ignorant of our financial system. There are benefits to it, but we all pay a price. All money is created from debt, and I think there are a lot of good arguments why the Federal Reserve System is unconstitutional. Mullins comments on this. It's easy to be dismissive, as these arguments are often talking points of right wing groups, conspiracy theorists, as well as others. Regardless, they cannot be dismissed.
6. In some ways this book is a bibliography. There are many works mentioned, almost all of which I think would be enlightening to read. I probably wrote down 20+ books to check out at some later point.
I'd recommend this book for anybody who wants to know more about Pound, or even read the biography of a somewhat famous person who undertook acts that the government considered treason....and what happens when you come back home after being associated with the loosing side.
December 12, 2008
Eustace Mullins biography of and recollections of his friendship with the world reknowned poet Ezra Pound. Pound was also political prisoner who was arrested by the US government for making "pro-fascist" radio broadcasts during ww2. They knew the charges wouldn't stick in a court so they had him commited to a mental hospital where he was imprisoned for years.
March 26, 2021
For the uninitiated, Ezra Pound is perhaps one of the most prolific American poets of the 20th century, with his most notable work being his The Cantos, which is a series of poems written throughout his life in Europe (1930s-1940s). He mentored - no - made successful - E.E. Cummings, Ernest Hemmingway and many more. His infatuation with those who could really write prose ( his favorite being Flaubert, Gustave ) put him well ahead of his time.
But in 2021, who cares? Most readers today would recognize Malcolm Gladwell over Vladimir Nabokov ; simply put, times have changed since the 1940's-1950's.
Here's why this book is important. The author documents how our Democracy.. the U.S. Government.. Franklin D. Roosevelt and others fucked up and locked this poor bastard in jail. Outside. In the cold and heat. Then he was incarcerated in a US facility for 12 years, all without a trial or a military tribunal. Why? Largely it was because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He had lived in Italy during World War II and, while not renouncing his US Citizenship, was known to broadcast anti-war messaging on Radio Rome, which happened to be a Benito Mussolini government-owned enterprise. But during that time, every media outlet was owned by the Italian government; there was no getting around it.
Irrespective of your political philosophy, I recommend you read this book to see the backstory on how peacefully sharing your opinion on how wars shouldn't be wastefully fought (which, I guess means anti-government?) can land you in hot water for most of your life.
The content is excellent, the read is quite breezy and easy to digest. My caveat: Eustace Clarence Mullins, the author of this book, is no doubt a bit of a wacko. However, Mr. Mullins was one of the few public lifelines Ezra Pound had after the war, and it appears that his weird leanings happened well after this book was published. But I plead that you read this case and the book without superimposing the author's flaws - or those who were contemporarily of his ilk - onto Mr. Pound, who was a brave American and was one of the first pacifists (well before Jane Fonda).
The Goodreads biographical page on him is simply untrue: while the author of this book was nuts, there is absolutely zero evidence that Ezra Pound was an anti-semite. In fact, there are factual cases of him helping people of all races and creeds. His only crime was being a pacifist.
I hope that the message Mr. Pound sends from the grave after all of the suffering caused to him by the U.S. Government still reaches us all and new generations to come.
But in 2021, who cares? Most readers today would recognize Malcolm Gladwell over Vladimir Nabokov ; simply put, times have changed since the 1940's-1950's.
Here's why this book is important. The author documents how our Democracy.. the U.S. Government.. Franklin D. Roosevelt and others fucked up and locked this poor bastard in jail. Outside. In the cold and heat. Then he was incarcerated in a US facility for 12 years, all without a trial or a military tribunal. Why? Largely it was because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He had lived in Italy during World War II and, while not renouncing his US Citizenship, was known to broadcast anti-war messaging on Radio Rome, which happened to be a Benito Mussolini government-owned enterprise. But during that time, every media outlet was owned by the Italian government; there was no getting around it.
Irrespective of your political philosophy, I recommend you read this book to see the backstory on how peacefully sharing your opinion on how wars shouldn't be wastefully fought (which, I guess means anti-government?) can land you in hot water for most of your life.
The content is excellent, the read is quite breezy and easy to digest. My caveat: Eustace Clarence Mullins, the author of this book, is no doubt a bit of a wacko. However, Mr. Mullins was one of the few public lifelines Ezra Pound had after the war, and it appears that his weird leanings happened well after this book was published. But I plead that you read this case and the book without superimposing the author's flaws - or those who were contemporarily of his ilk - onto Mr. Pound, who was a brave American and was one of the first pacifists (well before Jane Fonda).
The Goodreads biographical page on him is simply untrue: while the author of this book was nuts, there is absolutely zero evidence that Ezra Pound was an anti-semite. In fact, there are factual cases of him helping people of all races and creeds. His only crime was being a pacifist.
I hope that the message Mr. Pound sends from the grave after all of the suffering caused to him by the U.S. Government still reaches us all and new generations to come.
February 5, 2010
I learned that it was Ezra Pound who gave Eustace Mullins a whole lot of information about international banking conspiracies as well as information about the scheming plotting of the Federal Reserve. I learned that Ezra Pound was a victim of a political conspiracy because he spilled the beans when the U.S. wanted entrance into World War II. I also learned that Ezra Pound was imprisoned by the U.S. Government but he was never given a fair trail. He was labeled insane but he was never insane. It took 13 years before he was released, and he was released, and he never returned to live in America again.
June 1, 2016
If you love the writings of the late, great Eustace Mullins it will be right up your alley. In many ways as much of an Autobiography of Mullins as it is a late-in-life biography of Pound. Expect to have a difficult time finding a copy of this book even via the internet.
September 17, 2019
aat lst I found out what the uproar was about... the fascist traitor ccrazy man, etc.... was surprised too see how semknal Pound was to many of my favorite poets -- Eliot, Fletcher, Yeats... will now begin seriously reading his work.
July 31, 2011
should be read by all those people
who truly believe that Ezra Pound hates Jews.
who truly believe that Ezra Pound hates Jews.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews