The Making of the Big Book
​By Ernest J. Rodriguez

Manly Palmer Hall was a prominent collector of occult books and manuscripts, some even centuries old. In his lifetime he was able to compile one of the most impressive library collections ever assembled in the realm of occultism. Being the staunch collector that he was, it is only fitting that the making of his wonderful volume An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy was intended to exude an essence of splendor. The result was indeed a masterpiece of the book-maker’s art. The final cost of publishing the first edition was reported to be $145,000 in 1928, the equivalent of $2.4 million in today's economy. The vast majority of Hall's production (if not all) was funded via the process of pre-order subscriptions, news of which reached customers mostly via word of mouth. 

The publication rights for his first major work were owned by H.S. Crocker & Company (San Francisco) at the direction and skillful hand of John Henry Nash, the notable fine book printer who was at one point was commissioned by the Vatican. Nash came to be considered among the master book builders and designers of America, and his own story is worthy of consideration.
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“This magazine is published and distributed privately to those who make possible with their financial support its publication. The magazine cannot be bought and has no fixed value. Like all of the ancient teachings which it seeks to promulgate, it has no comparative value, but the students must support it for its own intrinsic merit.”

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