When the existential philosopher Colin Wilson died in December 2013, it was suggested by one perceptive obituary writer that, despite the seemingly diverse subject matter of his books, his true legacy lay in the field of Consciousness Studies. This is particularly apparent when studying his many essays and books on psychology and taking into consideration his close association with the celebrated American psychologist Abraham Maslow whose concept of -Peak Experiences-(PEs) became, for Wilson, an important link to experiencing enhanced consciousness. Maslow, however, felt that PEs could not be...

Colin Wilson's first book The Outsider was published to great critical acclaim in May 1956. It was the first of six philosophical books, known collectively as 'The Outsider Cycle', compiled by Wilson during the following decade. A summary volume, Introduction to the New Existentialism, appeared in 1966. During the 1970s, however, Wilson's interests became, on the surface, more varied, publishing books on criminology, psychology and the occult. But he always maintained a philosophical stance, irrespective of subject matter, and continued to write purely philosophical essays for journals,...