ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HELL: A Reference Book for Hell and Heaven A Book Review of Encyclopaedia of Hell by Martin Olson by John Seven (Los Angeles) – 5.0 out of 5 stars The roots of "The Devil's Dictionary" began in Ambrose Bierce's mind in the mid1800s when, after purchasing the brandspankingnew Webster's Dictionary, it occurred to him that creating a satirical dictionary might be just the thing to do. Martin Olson has taken the core of this idea and transformed it into a literal expression of the title that is seasoned by a backstory that unfolds in the form of extraneous notes and culminates in one final, extremely philosophical examination of the natures of good and evil, God and the Devil and man's place in the universe. It's an entirely secular exercise that embraces spirituality in literary terms that can be applied to the human experience. The setup for the book is that Satan is planning a mass invasion of the Earth by demons, but this involves making sure a time paradox does not take place. It seems humans putrid, stupid, good fornothingbutdemonfood humans are really the early form of demons not yet evolved, so to invade the Earth and eat the humans means that the demons are actually planning to eat their own ancestors. In preparation, Satan has commissioned several demons to compile this encyclopedia as " an invasion manual for demons concerning the planet Earth and the human race which infests it." It's in these reference portions of the book that the spirit of Bierce runs rampant. Economics is defined as "the science of disguising the amount of money being hoarded by billionaires," need as "that which destroys human relationships" and trees as "that which provides a natural setting for a hanging." Interspersed, though, are letters from editor Zyk of Asimoth to publisher Mortimer Ponce that recount not only behindthescenes demon conspiracies and Satan's raging management decisions, but also Zyk's timetraveling research trips and his love affair with a human. These are as offensively outrageous as they are hilarious, and let's just say the highlight features a madcap sex romp between the demon, Adolf Hitler and a nun. Following the calamity, darkness and sheer grossness, the book somehow manages to wind down on a tender, philosophical note, as God's plan for the whole universe and how this encyclopedia is but one part of it is revealed. Olson has spent the book mixing up scientific ideas with magical religious iconography, and wrapped it all around a sarcastic and coarse kind of secularism, only to reveal that all the ingredients combine into something unexpectedly profound. It's certainly not everyone's cup of boiling pus, but if you're adventurous, you're bound to find several points of deep thought and laughter spread within.
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