Customer Reviews

The Law Is For All: The Authorized Popular Commentary of Liber Al Vel Legis Sub Figura CCXX, the Book of the Law

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This book is a fair edition of 'The Law Is for All' if you can't find the original edition that was Edited by Israel Regardie, published by Llewellyn Publications, and first printed in 1975. The edition edited by Israel Regardie is far more comprehensive and representative of Aleister Crowley's commentary.

"The Law is For All" was recommended to me, by an On-Line Friend. I had read "Then Book of The Law," Online, several times & was not quite sure what to make of it. I could not quite understand what the fuss was all about. However, "The Law is For All" explained-away all those little things that had confused me or led me to believe that "The Book of The Law" was just Crowley's personal writings. When I started looking into all this, I was a firm believer that Crowley was the man I had read about from Colin Wilson's perspective and Nevill Drury's perspective, etc. In other words, my opinions were formed by the Research of others.... Yet, when I actually took the time to sit-down and read Crowley's works--well, I was amazed at his Genius and his Anthropological views of Humanity. I never expected to gain Anthropology lessons from his works--but, he was truly an Observer of the Human Condition....all of which adds to this "Commentary" on the "Book of The Law."

What amazed me, until I realized that this book was written in the same way as all other "Holy Books," was the fact that it is, in fact, a "Holy Book." This book was written in the same fashion as "The Book of Mormon" or any other "Holy Book."

Aliester Crowley served as The Prophet, and the book was written Through him (even if he was not exactly happy to be the Writer of the Work).

"The Law is For All" has awakened me to the validity of certain religions that I had never really considered as such, previously. I think this book is a good example of why we should ALL be respectful of each-other's religions and "Holy Books," because they are ALL written in the exact same fashion. Regardless of whether or not you agree with "The Book of The Law," one cannot deny it is a "Holy Book" to many people.

This book is one of the better commentaries on the Book of the Law. Unfortunately it lacks much of the material found in the long out of print Magical and Philosophical Commenetaries on the Book of the Law ed Symonds and Grant 1975 and this new edition lacks the charm of the previous publication by New Falcon Press edited by Dr Israel Regardie. Unfortunately this is to be expected as we have fewer people who actually knew Crowley around to edit his books for us. However the new attempt by Mr Gary Breeze (frater ha) is a good jobbing introduction for the beginner.

_The Law is for All_ offers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the mind of Aleister Crowley, revealing "the Great Beast" at his best -- and worst. To date it is the only "authorized" commentary upon Liber AL vel Legis (the Book of the Law), the core "sacred text" of Thelema reputed to have been communicated to Crowley in 1904 in Cairo, Egypt by an entity called Aiwass. Here we see Crowley, man and magickian, offering a quasi-ecclesiastical (and often disarmingly personal) commentary upon the very "sacred text" he was "chosen" to "deliver."

_The Law is for All_ displays an amazing juxtaposition of the divine, human, and beastly trains of thought all contending for the title of the definition of Aleister Crowley. Glimpses of his reputed "misogynistic" tendencies turn up side-by-side with his ardent appreciation for, and devotion to, the divine glory of the feminine. His triple cry of "the Christians to the lions!" parades beside his obvious respect for the figure of Christ Himself. His social solutions for illiteracy and demotivation, "a contented slave class," seem shocking at first until the reader delves into the fuller explanation of the careful responsibilities of his envisioned "elite" toward their less-fortunate fellows.

All in all, some of the best and worst of Crowley's mind is inscribed upon these pages for the world to see. At times his commentary takes a decidedly personal, almost solipsistic slant, as he himself endeavors to make sense of confounding passages in the very text which was delivered through the vehicle of his own being. These moments offer fascinating insights into the man who would later turn his back upon and denounce such adept students of his as Frater Achad and Jack Parsons for far less supposed folly of thought or course than he, Crowley, exhibited himself. In his "autohagiography" _Confessions_, Crowley attempted to be candid to some degree, yet it is obvious therein that he had given more conscious forethought to his self-representation. That level of conscious deliberation is absent in the scattered vulnerable insights within _The Law is for All_, making this an even more candid look into the mind of one of the Twentieth Century's most infamous enigmas, Aleister Crowley.

--Shedona Chevalier--

I just started reading this and am very disappointed that I didn't find a different version somewhere. The editor of this book "The authorized popular commentary" chooses to not put a commentary with a lot of the lines. There is whole pages talking about stuff and then he leaves the commentary out. The reason i got this book was because there are commenaries explaining the meanings behind what crowley is saying but the editor writes he would rather leave them blank so that the reader can guess. Seriously? I bought the commentaries so that I wouldnt have to guess! I would like to punch that Wilkinson in the face.

you'll see why after reading this.

does a better job than the 'red book' alone that the OTO and other secret societies give out. the explanations are wonderful.

Frater, I find can be a little lengthy, though.
problem is though, its always repeated in all of crowley's work. nice job on making exactly what he DIDN'T want. [another followership.]

his autobio, though extremely dry and lengthy [good with beer] is floating around on the net in places.would suggest reading that as well. nevermind the symbols used on the books cover UNTIL you understand why they are there.

This book exceeded my expectations!!! It is really very deep and very beautiful!! it touchs us inside. Everybody should read it.

A commentary and exegesis which goes very far toward a thorough understanding of Liber Al. Crowley was troubled by the book, and tried more than once to write an effective commentary. Perfect? No, for in essence much of the work must be done by the reader of the Book of the Law if it is to have personal meaning. But this book is enormously helpful.

When I first read the Israel Regardie edition of THE LAW IS FOR ALL, my mind was essentially exploding in every direction. I was relatively inexperienced with reading (what were to me) such exciting pyrotechnics.

However, this stuff can be a little TOO exciting. One can't guarantee what such things do to an average mind -and life- like mine was (is ?) Just like one can have initial disasters from playing around with Tarot cards, or magick and occultism in general, read Aleister Crowley with caution! (I.e., W E Butler writes in his book 'The Magician,' that those interested in studying magic read rather alot of other books first (he gives a list.) Then he asserts, one may be able to "deal selectively" with Crowley's writings.

Take it from one who has been reading Crowley for 20-plus years: Butler's is good advice !!! Israel Regardie, Dion Fortune, Franz Hartmann and others are to be recommended before soaking oneself in too much Crowley, too quickly.

In any event, I suspect this volume to be rather sanitized, if it is as edited as people say. Fortunately, much of it can be read online, from another edition. And it is still useful and convenient to have some of the Commentary in this bound form.

What I personally did, was get a hold of a copy of a larger edition of the same material, edited by Kenneth Grant and John Symonds. I photocopied this rare (hardcover)edition from a friend, and added the missing pages from my Regardie edition of 'Law is for All', as published by Falcon Press in the early 80s. I might recommend that those interested, do the same, if they can, to make sure they get as much of the Commentary as might be authentic.

Although the book was helpful I was disappointed but not surprised to see that Regardie's comments were removed so much for the OTO ... I may burn this copy and do without it....