Blazing Eye Sees All

Love Has Won, False Prophets, and the Fever Dream of the American New Age

De: Leah Sottile

Narrado por: Leah Sottile

An investigation of the New Age movement in America that aims to understand its appeal to women and the self-proclaimed prophetesses, like Love Has Won's Amy Carlson, who've created kingdoms for themselves within it.

Known for deep dives into true crime, extremist ideologies and fringe subcultures, journalist Leah Sottile turns her investigative eye toward American New Age culture. Today, tarot cards, astrology and crystals are everywhere—from Instagram and TikTok, to upscale boutiques and pricey wellness retreats. Sottile investigates how the recent surge of interest in New Age ideas speaks to a culture that is woven into the very fabric of America, and how self-professed gurus like Love Has Won's Mother God and the mysterious channeler Ramtha have built devout followings because of it. For more than a century, this pastel-colored world of love, light and enlightenment has been built upon a foundation of conspiracies, antisemitism, nationalism and a rejection of science.

In BLAZING EYE SEES ALL, Sottile seeks to understand the quest for New Age spirituality in an era of fear that has made us open to anything that claims to bring relief—from war, the climate crisis, COVID 19, or the myriad of other issues we face. At the same time, she attempts to draw a line between truly helpful, healing ideas and snake oil. The new New Age is everywhere, and Sottile helps us sort through the crystals to find true clarity.

©2025 Leah Sottile (P)2025 Grand Central Publishing

Reseñas de la Crítica

"I have never read a better—or more entertaining—analysis of so-called New Age Spirituality and its self-anointed prophets than Lisa Sottile's Blazing Eye Sees All. In this book, even the infamous Love Has Won cult doesn't win, but readers do. See for yourself."—Jeff Guinn, author of Manson, The Road to Jonestown, and Waco

“BLAZING EYE SEES ALL is a sweeping, well-researched account of the lineage of American New Age thought, from the Pre-American myths and superstitions that thrive in this country’s peculiar psyche to the waves of spiritual charlatans who have repackaged this language and peddled religionand prejudice—as product. Sottile excels at unpacking the historical link between the conspiracy theories, bigotry, and New Age spiritualism that are the foundation of today’s toxic political soup."—Becky Cooper, bestselling author of We Keep the Dead Close

"Leah Sottile's writing crackles off the page, in a characteristically rigorous yet enthralling glimpse into the nation's fringes. Unflinching and wildly entertaining, Blazing Eye Sees All is a must-read to understand the way genuine world crises generate an effluence of grift, like pus on a wound. This book is a bandage on that wound."—Talia Lavin, author of Culture Warlords and Wild Faith

Brilliant Narrative of a Strange Human Condition

The author does a great job narrating and providing insights into a timeless problem, a timeless human behavior, that most of us know about but don’t really understand. Insightful, humane and also, unsparing.

Excellent perspective and research

Leah Sottile tells the story of Love Has Won through the lens American cultural and religious movements rather than just an isolated blue-skinned-mummy-worshipping cult. Sottile vividly embeds the tragic story of Amy Carlson into the milieu of the millenarian American west featured in her other works (When the Moon Turns to Blood, Bundyville, Burn Wild) while also telling the story of the family Amy left behind. This is an excellent book.

In-depth, complex storytelling

This was a well-organized, thoughtful book that provides a really important perspective on the history of new age spirituality and the socio-political landscape that it often reflects.

Excellent investigation of recent-history New Age cults

Truth really is stranger than fiction. Leah Sottile has done it again and written a great book about cults in recent history.

Very well researched and written history of American New Age Spirituality

Very well researched and written. I was unaware of the history and through lines of influence from one prominent new age leader upon the next. The book shines light on patterns over two centuries of American new age spiritualism. And through the stories of several profiled cults illustrates key themes that seem to recur over and over. I believe there is much good and positive attributes of New Age spirituality, many empowering themes, but there is also a dark side, and this book does a good job of shining the light on what has gone on underneath the surface.

The context is key

Another fantastic book by Sottile. Not only does she get access to key people in the story, but she also does the deep research to put it all into context. Surrounding the main cult story, Sottile weaves the personal stories with the wider history of new age seekers. I can’t wait to read/listen to whatever she publishes next.