The “Library Angel” has been kind again. Some while ago Colin Wilson emailed me a chapter of the new autobiography he was writing. I had assumed it was still to be published, but today, strolling through the local library looking for something inspiring to read, my eyes swivelled purposively towards the Biography section and immediately alighted on “Colin Wilson”: Dreaming to Some Purpose – the very book. On a list of good pals, the Library Angel would rank high indeed.

Colin Wilson was one of the “Angry Young Men” of the 1950s, but after his debut book The Outsider, he went on to write about all aspects of what I think of as the unconscious side of life. His starting point was Shaw’s idea that if he could live for 300 years he would have time to discover the true meaning of life, the universe, and everything. (So it’s clearly not 42!) He has written many books since, all riveting stuff, and, at around 70 years of age, shows no sign of calling it a day.