Author, feminist and religious revolutionary
Her famous 'Mists of Avalon' rewrote the story of King Arthur and Camelot from the female perspective. In all her literary work Marion Zimmer Bradley explored themes like:
- Female strength and male oppression
- Social structures that stifle women and some women try to change
- Female to female love and affection
- Environmental problems
- Psy powers and clairvoyance
- Paganism versus Christianity
Her heritage is felt most deeply in the literary genry of fantasy (though her darkover series might also be classified as science fiction) and in the realm of wicca and paganism.
Sixties maverick
This lens goes into each of those topics.
A selection of Marion Zimmer Bradley books
The Mists of Avalon - Scene 4 - Gorlois is involved in the plot of Viviane
The Mists of Avalon - Scene 5 - Uther fight with Gorlois
The Mists of Avalon - Scene 6 - Arthur´s Born
Mists of Avalon Review
The Mists of Avalon
Amazon Price: $12.49 (as of 12/11/2009)
The gripping story of King Arthur and the Round table, told from the perspective of the pagan women in and around his court.
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Religious visionary or danger to mankind?
Marion Zimmer Bradley's alternative spirituality has caused some reviewers to view her work as highly dangerous and heretical. Do you agree?
Was Marion Zimmer Bradley a heretic or an inspiration?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byShe was a heretic.
She was an inspiration.
MerryM says:
She was never afraid to stand up and speak her truth, that's for sure.
Posted October 11, 2008
Marion Zimmer Bradley at a Glance
Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley (June 3, 1930 ? September 25, 1999) was an American author of fantasy novels such as The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series, often with a feminist outlook. Her first child, David R. Bradley, and her brother, Paul Edwin Zimmer were also published science fiction & fantasy authors in their own right.
Concerns for the environment
Large plots of land can't be deforested without immediate replanting, because if that's not done, the mountains will lose their fin toplayer of soil and become bare, unfit for human use. In later novels human wars on the planet, helped on by magic in ways reminiscent of the nuclear weapons developed in the 20th century, make whole areas unlivable for generations.
A selection of Darkover classics
A review of my favorite science fiction/ fantasy series
Darkover is a world where paranormal gifts are normal and called 'Laran', her characters face a society where women are supposed to be housebound and men strong and fighting with swords. In that world we find strong women and men living life and facing challenges and transforming themselves.
Psy Powers and Clairvoyance
A feminist
Marion Zimmer Bradley's generation paved the way for our freedom.
They made it clear that relationships between men and women should be based on equality. That cloths worn to please a man, take away something of the power of the woman in and of herself. Woman can be mothers and housewives, but they can also be scientists, artists and business women.
Darkover is a very patriarchal world - in which Bradley focuses on the lives of the women. By making the contrast perhaps bigger than it was at the time (certainly bigger than I've actually experienced it in my time) she lets the dynamic of the social conversation of her time play out.
She doesn't sound like a radical in her books. She clearly recognizes that many women like being mothers. She recognizes that marriages sometimes work, despite obvious troubles. She recognizes the risks people take who step out of socially acceptable roles into a position that gets created as they go. It is clear that not everybody should be expected to take such a plunge.
Paganism, Wicca and the Catholic Church
For a time she called herself a pagan, but in her last years she attended an Episcopal church and left the neo-pagan tradition for others to discover.
Her most famous book 'The Mists of Avalon' was the outcome of an attempt at teaching Christians an appreciation of women and female spirituality.
What's most curious is that people actually take her book 'The mists of Avalon' seriously enough to take it literal in their wicca (modern witchcraft) ritual work! This does not mean they will curse people, but that in many cases they will use the rituals in this series and the types of clothing in the movie as they do their wicca rituals. Some of the people who do that believe the whole book is literally true. Others don't, but don't care about that side of it.
Light series
A review of a magical series
Bradley really shows she knows the occult and alternative scene and creates stories that you just can't put down in that strange but familiar world.
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More about Marion Zimmer Bradley
- Marion Zimmer Bradley (1930-1999)
- While I was still in college, my best friend one day discovered that I had not read anything by Marion Zimmer Bradley...
- Thoughts On Avalon
- Thoughts on Avalon (c) copyright 1986 by Marion Zimmer Bradley One of the main problems I had, in writing the Arthurian novel, was the fear that Christians would feel I was attacking the basics of Christianity...
- Review +quot;Witch Hill+quot; By Marion Zimmer Bradley (reviewed by Paul Suliin) One would
- The Skeptic Tank text archives.
- The religion of Marion Zimmer Bradley, science fiction author
- The religious affiliation (religion) of Marion Zimmer Bradley, award-winning, science fiction writer.
- Marion Zimmer Bradley's writings
- Some reflections spoken during her funeral about MZB's fantasy and fiction.
- Marion Zimmer Bradley as a Church going Christian
- Marion Zimmer Bradley as a churchgoer
- a biography of Marion Zimmer Bradley
- by Rachel E. Holmen. She grew up poor, during the Depression, in upstate New York. Her father worked a farm and held a day job, but he still couldn't earn enough and was too proud to go on welfare, so
Marion remembered being hungry.
So, what do you think of Marion Zimmer Bradley?
What do you think of Marion Zimmer Bradley?
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Reply
- ulla_hennig ulla_hennig Nov 30, 2009 @ 8:47 am
- I have read the Darkover series and her Avalon books. Most of them I read in German, but a few in the English original. Great lens!
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- CardLady CardLady Apr 6, 2009 @ 2:02 am
- As a Celtic Women, the Arthurian Legend is in my DNA. I loved the series by Mary Stewart AND the Mists of Avalon. I'm glad to know the info about Marion.
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- ashroc ashroc Feb 13, 2009 @ 3:54 pm
- I have recently read the avalon books and have been fascinated by her insights. I plan to have a look at her darkover series next. Great lens!
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- tdove tdove Jan 19, 2009 @ 4:03 pm
- Thanks for joining G Rated Lense Factory!
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- Treasures-By-Brenda Treasures-By-Brenda Oct 11, 2008 @ 6:29 pm
- Members of my family have read Marion Zimmer Bradley, but I haven't. Nicely put together lens for Bradley's fans!
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- MerryM MerryM Oct 11, 2008 @ 6:22 pm
- I devoured the Darkover series as a teenager - thanks for the walk down memory lane. :)
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- mulberry mulberry Oct 10, 2008 @ 5:08 pm
- Came over to check out your lens from SquidTop. She certainly sounds like an interesting lady, one who has influenced a lot of people!
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