Customer Reviews

Liber Aleph Vel CXI: The Book of Wisdom or Folly, in the Form an Epistle of 666, the Great Wild Beast to His Son 777, Being the Equinox, Vo

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This book has some real character to it. Its topics and generalities are sometimes predictable. although the book was written in an olde english sort of manner, its delivery is stellar. One should expect nothing short of stunning insight, being you provide the patience and correctly aligned will. In the end i found myself uplifted by the random and cohesive nature that crowley presents for the reader. If you have never read any Crowley works this may be a good start. Philosophy and eastern mysticism in 208 chapters of occult wisdom

Crowley's Book of Wisdom and Folly must certainly be taken with pinches of salt here and there, and the reader must be prepared to skip parts altogether as nonsense. The reader must also be male - women are likely to throw the book away after the first page.

That said, The Book must be read for some of the magnificent insights, found elsewhere in Crowley's writings, but not in 'standard' books of 'philosophy'... this is not a philosophical work; neither is it Satanic, or any other label people have given it.

It is impossible to write a brief review of The Book, partly because of its 'heterogeneous' composition, lacking any central theme- seen from the point of view of a non-gnostic. For the general reader interested in finding - there is no other word for it but 'magnificent'- magnificent insights into ... into? This reviewer cannot even say insights into what.

The tone of authority here will be appreciated by some and criticized by others.

This reviewer is being as rambling as Crowley is in The Book- but if one cares to look through the rambling, the insights- indeed, truths- have the power to transform people's attitudes to philosophy, even people's philosophies.

Read The Book if you will to do so. Those readers who are struck by the first declaration of 'The Law' - and possibly only those readers- must read The Book: Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Though praised as one of Crowley's better works, it is actually his most mundane. I got it because I found it at a really low discount price and I was looking to get the few actual books by Crowley on the market I don't already own. This is because I know almost all there is to know about Crowley and his beliefs and practices so it made for easy reading. Still though a solid and well written book for those seriously interested in the teachings of prophet Crowley. The book is easy reading because the chapters all are only about one half of a page each.