Huxley Background Notes

Birth/Death Year

1894/1963

Born where?

England

Father’s occupation?

Writer/Teacher

Mother’s occupation?

Caretaker

Famous poet on mother’s side?

Matthew Arnold

Famous scientist/darwinist on father’s side?

Thomas Huxley

Blindness occurred when?

16 years old

Dependent on because of blindness?

Maria (first wife)

Wrote what about the upper British class?

Satiric pieces

Wrote for what magazines?

House and Garden + Vogue

Strongest novel?

Point Counter Point

Most influential?

Brave New World

Wrote about what (3) subjects?

Ethics, politics, sociology

Good friends with what romance author?

D.H. Lawrence

Where did he move in America and why?

Southern California, Militarism growing in Europe/WW2

Maria’s cause of death?

Cancer

What was significant about the 40s/50s?

Huxley’s study of spiritual connection through LSD (acid) and mesalamine

Wrote what books (2) about spiritual connection through drugs?

The Doors of Perception + Heaven and Hell

Influenced what group in the 60s?

Hippies

Inspired what band/singer?

“The Doors” by Jim Morrison

Huxley’s overall quest?

Achieve self-transcendence w assistance of drugs but also making the world a better place

Deathbed anecdote

Huxley requested acid before his death