Robert Shea
Robert Joseph Shea (February 14, 1933 – March 10, 1994) was an American novelist and former journalist best known as co-author with Robert Anton Wilson of the science fantasy trilogy Illuminatus! It became a cult success and was later turned into a marathon-length stage show put on at the British National Theatre and elsewhere. In 1986 it won the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award.
Also recorded as Robert Joseph Shea
Robert Shea

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- Name
- Robert Shea
- Birth Name
- Robert Joseph Shea
- Born
- 14 February 1933
- Birthplace
- New York City
- Died
- 10 March 1994
- Spouse
- Yvonne Bremseth Shea, Patricia Monaghan
- Education
- Manhattan College Rutgers University
- Nationality
- United States.
- Occupation
- writer, journalist and novelist.
- Honours
- Prometheus Award - Hall of Fame.
- Languages
- English.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q967627 · wikipedia · Robert Shea
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The documentary record
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Institutions cited
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
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Biography
Biography
Shea went on to write several action novels based in exotic historical settings.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Robert Shea • Birth Name — Robert Joseph Shea • Born — 14 February 1933 • Birthplace — New York City • Died — 10 March 1994 • Spouse — Yvonne Bremseth Shea, Patricia Monaghan • Education — Manhattan College Rutgers University • Website — http: bobshea.net/
Documentary record
Robert Shea lived from 13 February 1933 to 10 March 1994 and was a writer. The birth of Robert Shea is recorded on 13 February 1933 in New York, NY, and the death on 10 March 1994 in Oak Lawn <Ill.>.
Early life and education
Early life and education
Robert Joseph Shea was born in New York City. He attended high school at Manhattan Prep (Manhattan College High School), a Roman Catholic school run by the Christian Brothers, in the Riverdale section of The Bronx. After graduation, he attended Manhattan College and Rutgers University.
Career and other works
Career and other works
Apart from co-authoring Illuminatus! with Wilson, Shea wrote several historical action novels, including Shike (1981), a two-volume novel set in Ancient Japan about the warrior monk Jebu and his love Lady Shima Taniko, All Things Are Lights (1986), and The Saracen, a novel published in two volumes in 1989 depicting the struggle between a blond Muslim warrior called Daoud ibn Abdullah and his French crusader adversary, Simon de Gobignon. His last published book was the Native American tale Shaman (1991). All Things Are Lights and the outline for the unfinished novel Children of Earthmaker have been released under a Creative Commons license and are available to read and copy at Robert Shea's website, as are Shike, The Saracen, and Shaman under similar license terms. Lady Yang was finished but never published; a Creative Commons online version is in the works by Shea's son Michael. Three of his lectures and two panel discussions he participated in were recorded when he was a featured speaker at both the Starwood Festival and the WinterStar Symposium (both with and without Robert Anton Wilson) and produced by the Association for Consciousness Exploration. For several years, Shea edited the anarchist zine No Governor. The title comes from a quote attributed to Zhuangzi, "There is no governor anywhere." Copies of the zine in PDF format may be downloaded from Bobshea.net. The zine was mentioned in, and read by, one of the characters in Illuminatus!. In 2025, Hilaritas Press issued Every Day Is a GOOD Day, a collection of short pieces by Shea, the first new Shea book in about 30 years.
Personal life
Personal life
Shea was a resident of Glencoe, Illinois He was survived by his son, Michael E. Shea, and his second wife, author Patricia Monaghan.
Fictino
Fictino
• The Illuminatus! Trilogy (with Robert Anton Wilson), omnibus edition printed December 1, 1983 by Dell, • The Eye in the Pyramid (1975) Dell • The Golden Apple (1975) Dell • Leviathan (1975) ISBN Dell • Shike (January 13, 1992) omnibus edition: Ballantine Books • Time of the Dragons (June 1, 1981) Jove • Last of the Zinja (July 1, 1981) Jove • All Things Are Lights (April 12, 1986) Ballantine Books • From No Man's Land to Plaza del Lago (October 1987) Amer References, Available as a free download from Project Gutenberg. • The Saracen - available as free downloads from Project Gutenberg and • Land of the Infidel (February 13, 1989) Ballantine Books, • The Holy War (March 13, 1989) Ballantine Books • Shaman (February 20, 1991) Ballantine Books - Available as a free download from Project Gutenberg
Nonfiction
Nonfiction
• Every Day Is a GOOD Day: Robert Shea on Illuminatus! Writing and Anarchism, (Sept. 23, 2025) Hilaritas Press
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
The authorities additionally record the heading Robert Joseph Shea. His recorded language was English. He married Patricia Monaghan.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1933
Robert Shea born at New York City.
1994
Robert Shea died at New York City.
Recorded lectures and panel discussions
• A Meeting With Robert Shea, ACE • Writing and Mysticism, ACE • Magic in the Central Empire, ACE • The Once and Future Legend (panel discussion with Ariana Lightningstorm, Patricia Monaghan, Jeff Rosenbaum, Rev. Ivan Stang, and Robert Anton Wilson), ACE • What IS the Conspiracy, Anyway? (Panel Discussion with Anodea Judith, Jeff Rosenbaum, Rev. Ivan Stang, and Robert Anton Wilson), ACE
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Robert Shea, revision 1372609855 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
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References
Citations
References
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Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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