Aleister Crowley Popular Books
Aleister Crowley Biography & Facts
Aleister Crowley ( AL-ist-ər KROH-lee; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, philosopher, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist and mountaineer. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the prophet entrusted with guiding humanity into the Æon of Horus in the early 20th century. A prolific writer, he published widely over the course of his life. Born to a wealthy family in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, Crowley rejected his parents' fundamentalist Christian Plymouth Brethren faith to pursue an interest in Western esotericism. He was educated at Trinity College at the University of Cambridge, where he focused his attentions on mountaineering and poetry, resulting in several publications. Some biographers allege that here he was recruited into a British intelligence agency, further suggesting that he remained a spy throughout his life. In 1898, he joined the esoteric Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, where he was trained in ceremonial magic by Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and Allan Bennett. He went mountaineering in Mexico with Oscar Eckenstein, before studying Hindu and Buddhist practices in India. In 1904, he married Rose Edith Kelly and they honeymooned in Cairo, Egypt, where Crowley wrote down The Book of the Law, a sacred text that serves as the basis for Thelema. He said that the book had been dictated by a supernatural entity named Aiwass, who provided him with Announcing the start of the Æon of Horus. The Book of the Law declared that its followers should "Do what thou wilt", which Crowley interpreted as an injunction to seek True Will through the practice of ceremonial magic. After the unsuccessful 1905 Kanchenjunga expedition and a visit to India and China, Crowley returned to Britain, where he attracted attention as a prolific author of poetry, novels and occult literature. In 1907, he and George Cecil Jones co-founded an esoteric order, the A∴A∴, through which they propagated Thelema. After spending time in Algeria, in 1912 he was initiated into another esoteric order, the German-based Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), rising to become the leader of its British branch, which he reformulated in accordance with his Thelemite beliefs. Through O.T.O., Thelemite groups were established in Britain, Australia and North America. Crowley spent the First World War in the United States, where he took up painting and campaigned for the German war effort against Britain, later revealing that he had infiltrated the pro-German movement to assist the British intelligence services. In 1920, he established the Abbey of Thelema, a religious commune in Cefalù, Sicily where he lived with various followers. His libertine lifestyle led to denunciations in the British press, and the Italian government evicted him in 1923. He divided the following two decades between France, Germany and England, and continued to promote Thelema until his death. Crowley gained widespread notoriety during his lifetime, being a drug user, bisexual and an individualist social critic. Crowley has remained a highly influential figure over Western esotericism and the counterculture of the 1960s and continues to be considered a prophet in Thelema. He is the subject of various biographies and academic studies. Early life Youth Crowley was born Edward Alexander Crowley at 30 Clarendon Square in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, on 12 October 1875. His father, Edward Crowley (1829–1887), was trained as an engineer, but his share in a lucrative family brewing business, Crowley's Alton Ales, allowed him to retire before his son was born. His mother, Emily Bertha Bishop (1848–1917), came from a Devonshire-Somerset family and had a strained relationship with her son; she described him as "the Beast", a name that he revelled in. The couple had been married at London's Kensington Registry Office in November 1874, and were evangelical Christians. Crowley's father was born a Quaker, but converted to the Exclusive Brethren, a faction of a Christian fundamentalist group known as the Plymouth Brethren; Emily likewise converted upon marriage. Crowley's father was particularly devout, spending his time as a travelling preacher for the sect and reading a chapter from the Bible to his wife and son after breakfast every day. Following the death of their baby daughter in 1880, in 1881 the Crowleys moved to Redhill, Surrey. At the age of 8, Crowley was sent to H. T. Habershon's evangelical Christian boarding school in Hastings, and then to Ebor preparatory school in Cambridge, run by the Reverend Henry d'Arcy Champney, whom Crowley considered a sadist. In March 1887, when Crowley was 11, his father died of tongue cancer. Crowley described this as a turning point in his life, and he always maintained an admiration of his father, describing him as "my hero and my friend". Inheriting a third of his father's wealth, he began misbehaving at school and was harshly punished by Champney; Crowley's family removed him from the school when he developed albuminuria. He then attended Malvern College and Tonbridge School, both of which he despised and left after a few terms. He became increasingly sceptical of Christianity, pointing out Biblical inconsistencies to his religious teachers, and went against the Christian morality of his upbringing by smoking, masturbating, and having sex with prostitutes from whom he contracted gonorrhea. Sent to live with a Brethren tutor in Eastbourne, he undertook chemistry courses at Eastbourne College. Crowley developed interests in chess, poetry, and mountain climbing, and in 1894 climbed Beachy Head before visiting the Alps and joining the Scottish Mountaineering Club. The following year he returned to the Bernese Alps, climbing the Eiger, Trift, Jungfrau, Mönch, and Wetterhorn. Cambridge University: 1895–1898 Having adopted the name of Aleister over Edward, in October 1895 Crowley began a three-year course at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was entered for the Moral Science Tripos studying philosophy. With approval from his personal tutor, he changed to English literature, which was not then part of the curriculum offered. Crowley spent much of his time at university engaged in his pastimes, becoming president of the chess club and practising the game for two hours a day; he briefly considered a professional career as a chess player. Crowley also embraced his love of literature and poetry, particularly the works of Richard Francis Burton and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Many of his own poems appeared in student publications such as The Granta, Cambridge Magazine, and Cantab. He continued his mountaineering, going on holiday to the Alps to climb every year from 1894 to 1898, often with his friend Oscar Eckenstein, and in 1897 he made the first ascent of the Mönch without a guide. These feats led to his recognition in the Alpine mountaineering community. Crowley had his first significant mystical experience w.... Discover the Aleister Crowley popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Aleister Crowley books.
Best Seller Aleister Crowley Books of 2024
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Jesse James and the Lost Templar Treasure
Daniel J. DukeAn investigation into the lost treasures of Jesse James and the Freemasons and their connections to the Templars, Rosicrucians, and the Founding Fathers Explains how Jesse James u...
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Early Writings of Aleister Crowley
Aleister CrowleyIncluded in this volume are the series of articles Crowley penned for Vanity Fair during the Great War. Subject matter ranges from ‘On The Management of Blondes’ to Japanese verse,...
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Aleister Crowley Collection Vol. 4 - Writings from Vanity Fair
Aleister CrowleyA CIGAR is like a wife! Put it to your lips, and light it; When you’ve learnt to do it right, it Adds a certain zest to life. Mind you keep on puffing it,...
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John Dee and the Empire of Angels
Jason LouvA comprehensive look at the life and continuing influence of 16thcentury scientific genius and occultist Dr. John Dee Presents an overview of Dee’s scientific achievements, intell...
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The Aleister Crowley Manual
Marco ViscontiThis is a nononsense, practical guide to working the magick of Aleister Crowley in modern times.Marco Visconti has taught Aleister Crowley's Magick to hundreds of aspirants, p...
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My Dear Aleister
Marlene PackwoodA Reference book on the CrowleyHarris Tarot; a book of letters between Lady Freida Harris & Aleister Crowley during WW2, a selfhelp manual on reading the tarot cards.
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Aleister Crowley
R.H. StewartIn 2009 Roy Huteson Stewart set out on an expedition into unknown realms to chronicle the life and times of the socalled “wickedest man in the world”. His artwork for what would be...
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The Collected Works of Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley, S. L. MacGregor Mathers & Mary d'Este SturgesThis carefully created collection presents the most important Aleister Crowley's works on Thelema and magick. This book has been designed and formatted to the highest digital s...
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Ghosts of K2
Mick ConefreyK2 is almost 800ft shorter than Everest, yet it’s a far harder climb. Many great mountaineers became obsessed with reaching its summit, not all of them lived to tell of their adven...
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Aleister Crowley and the Ouija Board
J. Edward CorneliusPart fascinating history and part practical manual, this engaging guide takes the position that the Ouija Board is indeed as powerful as its detractors claim, revealing the dark se...
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Witches of America
Alex Mar"Witches are gathering."When most people hear the word "witches," they think of horror films and Halloween, but to the nearly one million Americans who practice Paganism today, wit...
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Aleister Crowley
Israel RegardieVoici une biographie du Mage Aleister Crowley, rédigée de main de maître par l’une des personnes les plus autorisées pour ce faire, puisque Israel Regardie en fut à la fois l’ami e...
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Masks of the Illuminati
Robert A. WilsonThis American underground classic is a rollicking cosmic mystery featuring Albert Einstein and James Joyce as the ultimate space/time detectives. One fateful evening in a suit...
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Aleister Crowley
Serge Hutin« Soyez réalistes, demandez l’impossible ! » Ainsi s’exprimait l’un des intrépides slogans juvéniles inscrits sur les murs de la Sorbonne par les étudiants « contestataires » de ma...
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Aleister Crowley
Gary LachmanThis definitive work on the occult’s “great beast” traces the arc of his controversial life and influence on rockandroll giants, from the Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin to Black Sa...
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The Weiser Concise Guide to Aleister Crowley
Richard Kaczynski & James WassermanShrouded in mystery and misunderstanding, Aleister Crowley is one of the 20th century’s most revered occult figures. With The Weiser Concise Guide to Aleister Crowley, readers are ...
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A History of Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult
DKDiscover the beguiling history of witchcraft, magic, and superstition through the centuries in this stunningly illustrated title. A History of Magic, Witchcraft and the Occult...
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Aleister Crowley
Richard B. SpenceS’appuyant sur une documentation étourdissante en anglais, italien, allemand, russe, français et plus de 500 notes, Richard B. Spence, professeur d’histoire à l’Université de l’Ida...
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Aleister Crowley Collection Vol. 5
Aleister CrowleyVolume 5 of The Aleister Crowley Collection presents six Crowley classics: three complete early poetry collections, two famous plays and one major work from Crowley’s middle period...
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The Classic Collection of Aleister Crowley. Illustrated
Aleister Crowley"The Classic Collection of Aleister Crowley. Illustrated" is a comprehensive anthology that brings together some of the most influential and controversial works of the renowned occ...
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The Complete Works of Aleister Crowley. Vol.1
Aleister Crowley"The Complete Works of Aleister Crowley. Illustrated. Vol. 1" is an immersive literary journey into the profound and controversial writings of Aleister Crowley, the iconic occultis...
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The Magick of Aleister Crowley
Lon Milo DuQuetteThe 30th Anniversary of the Classic Guide to Thelema, Aleister Crowley’s Spiritual System of Ritual Magick, with a New Introduction by the Author.This is the perfect introductory t...
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Aleister Crowley and Western Esotericism
Henrik Bogdan & Martin P. StarrThis volume is the first comprehensive examination of one of the twentieth century's most distinctive iconoclasts. Aleister Crowley (18751947) was a study in contradictions. Bo...
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Egregores
Mark StavishThe first book to explore the history and influence of egregores, powerful autonomous psychic entities created by a collective group mind Examines the history of egregores from an...
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Aleister Crowley
William RamseyThe infamous occult practitioner, Edward Alexander "Aleister" Crowley cast a long shadow over the history and culture of the 20th century. The information in this book illustrates...
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Two Lives of Charlemagne
Einhard & Notker the Stammerer,Einhard's Life of Charlemagne is an absorbing chronicle of one of the most powerful and dynamic of all medieval rulers, written by a close friend and adviser. In elegant prose it d...
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The Path of Freemasonry
Mark Stavish, Arturo de Hoyos & Lon Milo DuQuetteShares the history and meaning of Freemasonry and its symbols Offers thoughtful explorations of different areas of Masonic experience, drawing on esoteric doctrines and paralleli...
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The Aleister Crowley Encyclopedia
Harold EverettAleister Crowley was an iconoclast and fascinating figure who shocked society with his debauched and occult behaviour. Crowley is famous for his spiritual, magic and occult studies...
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The Lost Pillars of Enoch
Tobias ChurtonExplores the unified sciencereligion of early humanity and the impact of Hermetic philosophy on religion and spirituality Investigates the Jewish and Egyptian origins of Josephus’...
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Aleister Crowley
Tobias ChurtonHéritier à l’âge de 21 ans d’une fortune qui aurait pu faire de lui un rentier jusqu’à la fin de ses jours, Edward Alexander Crowley a préféré dévouer sa vie à l’exploration des va...
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The Eye in the Triangle
Israel RegardieAleister Crowley, the greatest Magus of the twentieth century, redefined the very basis of the Western Esoteric Tradition. His incalculably vast influence reaches through all moder...
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Medea and Other Plays
Euripides & John DavieAlcestis/Medea/The Children of Heracles/Hippolytus'One of the best prose translations of Euripides I have seen' Robert FaglesThis selection of plays shows Euripides transforming t...
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Aleister Crowley
Roger HutchinsonAleister Crowley (18751947) mystic, writer, poet, astrologer, sexual revolutionary, painter, mountain climber and social critic has a terrifying reputation. The contemporary pres...
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The Penguin Book of Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt
Joyce TyldesleyFrom Herodotus to The Mummy, Western civilization has long been fascinated with the exotic myths and legends of Ancient Egypt but they have often been misunderstood. Here acclaimed...
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Perdurabo, Revised and Expanded Edition
Richard KaczynskiA rigorously researched biography of the founder of modern magick, as well as a study of the occult, sexuality, Eastern religion, and more The name “Aleister Crowley” instantl...
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ALEISTER CROWLEY - Premium Collection
Aleister Crowley, S. L. MacGregor Mathers & Mary d'Este SturgesThis carefully created collection presents the most important Aleister Crowley's works on Thelema and magick. This book has been designed and formatted to the highest digital s...
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The Aleister Crowley Collection
Aleister CrowleyThe Aleister Crowley Collection includes Crowley's two seminal works, The Book of the Law and The Book of Lies, as well as his entertaining romp through Edwardian England, Dia...
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The Occult
Colin WilsonInternational Bestseller: The essential guidebook to the history of magic and occultism“the most interesting, informative, and thoughtprovoking book on [the occult]” (The Sunday Te...
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The Writings of Aleister Crowley 2
Aleister CrowleyThe Writings of Aleister Crowley 2 presents three essential texts by the black magick master: White Stains, The Psychology of Hashish and The Blue Equinox. Each work has been ...
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Do What Thou Wilt
Lawrence SutinDo What Thou Wilt: An exploration into the life and works of a modern mystic, occultist, poet, mountaineer, and bisexual adventurer known to his contemporaries as "The Great Beast"...
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The Writings of Aleister Crowley
Aleister CrowleyIncluded in The Writings of Aleister Crowley are four of Crowley's seminal works, The Book of Lies, The Book of the Law, Magick, and Cocaine. Each title has been newly ed...
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Aleister Crowley Collection Vol. 2
Aleister Crowley“Teach us Your real secret, Master! how to become invisible, how to acquire love, and oh! beyond all, how to make gold.” Fans of Aleister Crowley are in for a treat. Included...