So many books,
so many more books...
so many more books...
Raymond Buckland was born on August 31, 1934, in London, England. His father, Stanley Thomas Buckland, was of Romani descent, and his mother, Eileen Lizzie Wells, was English. His grandfather was the first in the family to change from living a traveling Gypsy's vardo life to settling down and raising his family. Ray was a poshrat (the Romani word for someone who is half-Gypsy). He lived in England until he emigrated to the United States in 1962.
Ray passed away on September 27, 2017. He lived an incredible life. He was creative, talented, intelligent, fun, kind, and one of the nicest people you could ever meet! He started reading books at a young age, and quickly developed into a voracious reader. He also began writing at a young age, and started typing his stories on his father's typewriter. His father was a writer and creative person. Ray became interested in Spiritualism and all things occult at age 12 and, as they say, the rest is history! You can look on the Internet and find his story - it's become very well-known.
Ray was a writer, teacher, speaker, lecturer, musician (guitar, banjo), artist, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, mentor, tarot card reader, medium, psychic, clairvoyant, spiritual leader and trailblazer, respected elder, comedy writer and stand-up comedian, actor, Corvette enthusiast, and world traveler. He (aka Count Rudolph) had his own Dixieland Jazz Band in London from 1955 till 1959 (he also played the trombone). He worked for British Airways for ten years when he first came to America. He owned his own businesses. He published his own magazines and newsletters. In the 1980's, he created and ran a popular correspondence mystery school. At one time he flew his own small aircraft. He was on television, both nationally and internationally, and did a lot of radio. He was interviewed for newspapers, magazines, and podcasts. He lived in New York during the 1960's and 1970's, he lived in California in the 1980's, and also lived in Virginia Beach, New Hampshire, and then Ohio for 25 years and until his death.
Besides writing books (over fifty of them, translated into 17 foreign languages), he collected books. Lots of books! Ray collected books all his life. He brought several with him when he came to the United States, and his collection continued to grow. Since he was an author and also a Virgo (!), his books were kept in the very best condition. There are many rare, signed, and also first edition books on the Occult, Witchcraft, Magick, Supernatural, Shamanism, Divination, Mythology, and so on. It is truly a magickal collection...a magickal library.
About a year before his death, Ray donated his personal library, and it is now in a private collection. The books will be preserved with plans for a reference library. The books are being cataloged via LibraryThing, and the list will be available to view as we go along. This will take some time, as there are several thousand books. There are also more than just books in the collection. There are cards and letters, newsletters, magazines, periodicals, photographs, and other papers for the archives. There are also some things that probably shouldn't be cataloged! Ray had many interests, and the library includes a little bit of everything. It is a very special collection.
Ray's passing was devastating to those who knew and loved him. He was writing, creating, and working on projects right up until the end of his life. He was a happy and loving person, and he is very much missed. Ray believed the spirit lives on, and I'm sure he is causing quite a stir on the other side! Ray left a legacy of love and light. His love and his spirit are still speaking volumes! (That joke is for you, Ray).
Thank you for stopping by our website. We'll keep cataloging books and adding new information as we go along.
Ray passed away on September 27, 2017. He lived an incredible life. He was creative, talented, intelligent, fun, kind, and one of the nicest people you could ever meet! He started reading books at a young age, and quickly developed into a voracious reader. He also began writing at a young age, and started typing his stories on his father's typewriter. His father was a writer and creative person. Ray became interested in Spiritualism and all things occult at age 12 and, as they say, the rest is history! You can look on the Internet and find his story - it's become very well-known.
Ray was a writer, teacher, speaker, lecturer, musician (guitar, banjo), artist, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, mentor, tarot card reader, medium, psychic, clairvoyant, spiritual leader and trailblazer, respected elder, comedy writer and stand-up comedian, actor, Corvette enthusiast, and world traveler. He (aka Count Rudolph) had his own Dixieland Jazz Band in London from 1955 till 1959 (he also played the trombone). He worked for British Airways for ten years when he first came to America. He owned his own businesses. He published his own magazines and newsletters. In the 1980's, he created and ran a popular correspondence mystery school. At one time he flew his own small aircraft. He was on television, both nationally and internationally, and did a lot of radio. He was interviewed for newspapers, magazines, and podcasts. He lived in New York during the 1960's and 1970's, he lived in California in the 1980's, and also lived in Virginia Beach, New Hampshire, and then Ohio for 25 years and until his death.
Besides writing books (over fifty of them, translated into 17 foreign languages), he collected books. Lots of books! Ray collected books all his life. He brought several with him when he came to the United States, and his collection continued to grow. Since he was an author and also a Virgo (!), his books were kept in the very best condition. There are many rare, signed, and also first edition books on the Occult, Witchcraft, Magick, Supernatural, Shamanism, Divination, Mythology, and so on. It is truly a magickal collection...a magickal library.
About a year before his death, Ray donated his personal library, and it is now in a private collection. The books will be preserved with plans for a reference library. The books are being cataloged via LibraryThing, and the list will be available to view as we go along. This will take some time, as there are several thousand books. There are also more than just books in the collection. There are cards and letters, newsletters, magazines, periodicals, photographs, and other papers for the archives. There are also some things that probably shouldn't be cataloged! Ray had many interests, and the library includes a little bit of everything. It is a very special collection.
Ray's passing was devastating to those who knew and loved him. He was writing, creating, and working on projects right up until the end of his life. He was a happy and loving person, and he is very much missed. Ray believed the spirit lives on, and I'm sure he is causing quite a stir on the other side! Ray left a legacy of love and light. His love and his spirit are still speaking volumes! (That joke is for you, Ray).
Thank you for stopping by our website. We'll keep cataloging books and adding new information as we go along.
Ray in Lily Dale, New York (Photo Credit/Courtesy: Lisa Kent)
Expo in Ohio (2011) (Photo Credit/Courtesy: Lisa Kent)
At home in Ohio (2017)
(Photo Credit/Courtesy: Tara Buckland)
(Photo Credit/Courtesy: Tara Buckland)
Expo in Ohio (2005) (Photo Credit/Courtesy: Lisa Kent)
Raymond Buckland Reference Library
Established 2017
Established 2017