Customer Reviews

The Magical Diaries of Aleister Crowley

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I believe there comes a point in reading and research on a subject you love where you need to feel closer with the artist. What motivated me to purchase The Diaries is the same thing that motivates me to buy books about the lives of musicians if their music has deeply influenced me. Basically, that 'human' side of the artist that you don't get to experience in their artistry, often even if you exhaustively listen to the records or read the books.

I feel like it's easy to miss that human touch in Crowley. You're concentrating so hard on his qabbalistic and other such writings sometimes that he seems more an enigmatic teacher than a real person who actually experienced the kind of troubles he did. This book is a wonderful break from, say 777 or Magick in Theory because you get to experience the 'human' side of Crowley.

I agree whole-heartedly that these diaries were written when Crowley was at a major down slope. At the same time, I felt like I understood him more by reading this book, and that really grasping his writings may not be such a task. If you hold Crowley as a God, you're going to see him in an entirely different light here, and you shouldn't purchase this book. His nasty health problems are graphically discussed in the book, so if references to diarrhea are a problem for you, then skip this one. At the same time, such little romantic, even tragic nuances about people (e.g., Crowley's grief over the loss of his child) endear them even more to me. I found that type of endearment in the Magical Diaries.

While the insight that this book provides is indeed interesting and worth reading, the overall format of the book is a burden. As most students of Crowley's literature know, his work isn't often spelled out for you line for line; here in his personal diaries, the editor tries to do just that. It gets to the point where you can find the same definition footnoted TWICE on the same page! I think this book would be much more useful about 60 pages shorter, with only the original text, maybe a footnote here or there, and the appendices are nice. It is very interesting to parallel the content here with other workings of his career at the time, it's just a chore to find your way around the book easily.

While this book is useful, both as a psychological survey and as a guide for astologial planning, its over all feel is one of pure tedium. Gone is Crowley's deft use of the English language. The editing is slight, to preserve the content of writing not intended for publication. These diaries reflect what was actually the downward slope of Crowley's life. The Abbey at Cefalu is dissolving. His relationship with the most intense Scarlet Woman has gone sour. Crowley's physical health has gone down hill as well. We learn more about the Mega Therion's bowel movements, lung problems, and drug addiction than we ever wanted to know. The tone of the diaries is one of depression and struggle. There's even a contemplation of sucide. Perhaps those pencil pushers of the occult world, the Gematriasts, will find Crowley's endless calculations interesting. For those of of not so inclined, they are laborious reading. They do, however, show Crowley's fantastic ability to relate everything to the Law of Thelema. The intepretations of the I Ching are also interesting, and give us an idea of how Crowley's inner senses worked. This volume is only recomended for people seriously interested in Crowley as a person, as well as the Mega Therion, Bophomet, ect ad nauseum.

If you interested in Aleister Crowley's works you will Love this book!Yes it has lots of foot notes but very interesting ones.Crowley speaks of his life on a day by day basis yes some days may have been a bit of a drag for him but he actually puts it all it writing.Its good for those who want to know more about his thoughts and perceptions on different types of magick and simple things in general.I would buy it if I were you.I got it for Christmas and am very HAPPY with it.

Contains Poems never previously published. This is an excellent book, which tells of his day-to-day thoughts on major problems that needed filtered through his mind to absorb his peculiar method of Solution to the complex rivals of knots, which the Government, and other equal frauds have fallen into. Also, Sex Magick operations for various ends are added, useful to study the correct astrological phases when success dawned. I can recall one particular time when he invoked Aiwass. He is always doing some form of the Great Work, and this Diary deserves the attention of all who wish to penetrate the Genius of this enigmatical man's Psyche, in larger degrees then most of his average books will permit.

This is one of Aleister Crowley's most potentially interesting books because it was written in his dwelling in Italy during World War II before he was expelled by Mussolini. That is a portion of Crowley's detractors in occult circles who see that he lived in filth, etc. In response I say Crowley is by far the most interesting occult author because of his popularity outside of the occult and in pop culture with world famous musical groups like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Ozzy Osbourne's virtual endorsement. If you didn't know, Crowley's face was pictured on the Beatles "people we like" collogue album cover of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Crowley was a fixture in Led Zeppelin lyrics, songs like No Quarter, Kashmir, Immigrant Song, Trampled Under Foot and more. Page moved into Crowley's mansion at Loch Ness. Ozzy Osbounre's song Mr. Crowley has been a staple in Ozzy live sets and live albums since the early 1980s when he first started his solo career. This book also details the day to day events of a notorious but popular figure.

This is to correct some misstatements, and to suggest improvements for any further diaries.

This is not the complete set of his diaries up to his death, as the editorial review states; neither does it cover his period in Italy, as someone else states. This solely relates to a year in Tunisia, during which Crowley pretty much sits at his hotel, writing, musing over his misfortunes, and attempting (and failing) to overcome his heroin addiction.

It is however, very useful for anyone who wants to read more than a potted bio of the man, but not for those who wish to retain their preconcieved or religious views of the man. I would love to see more of these diaries published.

However the editor should seriously cut down on his footnotes, principally by eliminating re-re-re-repitition of the same footnotes time and time again. More often than not, glancing at a footnote merely confirms something already known. All too rarely does it actually elucidate something not known (which would sometimes have been useful, but I assume the editor wasnt able to understand these bits himself). So please - unless you can add something, please dont footnote so much.
Secondly, I'd like to see bits NOT cut out - particularly drawings, chess matches, etc. Either this is the definitive diary, or its something less. For the want of a few pages extra, its something less. Its frustrating to see [additional calculations on other page not reproduced] - that kind of thing. Please - put everything in, and a few reproductions - photographic - of anything that would make this a complete record.

Finally; the rest of the diaries would be nice - as promised....

This was an excellent personal reading of the travels of Aleister Crowley.Many people have written various accounts of the history of Crowley.The best complete biography about Crowley was written by himself.The title is ,"The Confessions of Aleister Crowley".Yet,his diaries from his North African 1923 journey to Tunisia,reveal much about his quest for salvation,enlightenment and further knowledge.If you have a keen understanding of Anglo-Irish history,you will amazed by Crowley's observations and wanderings.It's one man's battle to find his place and connection to society and the vast natural universe. People who have read this Crowley book first,and read little else about or by him beforehand,probably would not understand or appreciate this fine book.

Don't read this book as if it were a novel. That would be too profane. Read it like an encyclopaedia. Strike into it "randomly"/magickally. You land upon an I Ching interpretation. You land upon a Tarot interpretation. You land upon one struggling to understand what it means to "do thy will", or, as Luke put it, "take up thy couch, and go into thine house". Expect to be enhanced by random touches rather than elongated master strokes.

Well this book is sorta confusing. One reason for this is he was on heroin withdraw.this book is a must for Crowley fans. but if your still not sure i'd advise you not to get this book. But remember " Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole Of The Law"