The Magic Cloak: Psychology of Authoritarianism, Moloney, 1949 SIGNED

The Magic Cloak: A Contribution to the Psychology of Authoritarianism
By James Clark Moloney, M.D.
Illustrated by Erle Loran
Wakefield, Massachusetts: The Montrose Press
1949

The Magic Cloak is a mid-20th-century psychological and cultural study examining the roots and mechanisms of authoritarian thinking. Written by psychiatrist James Clark Moloney, the book draws on psychology, social observation, and historical reference to explore how authority, conformity, and moral blindness take hold in individuals and societies.

The volume is illustrated by Erle Loran and opens with an illustrated frontispiece referencing Hans Christian Andersen’s The Emperor’s New Clothes, underscoring the book’s central themes. Published in 1949 by The Montrose Press.

Condition:
Hardcover with no dust jacket. Green cloth boards show light to moderate wear, including gentle rubbing and softening at the spine ends; spine lettering remains clear. Interior pages are clean with light age toning. The book is inscribed and signed by the author, dated February 17, 1953, on the front endpaper. Binding is sound. A well-preserved, inscribed copy of a postwar psychological study.