Portable Darkness: An Aleister Crowley Reader [Paperback]

Aleister Crowley (Author), Scott Michaelsen (Editor), Robert A. Wilson (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 17, 2007

Infamous for scandalising society on both sides of the Atlantic, Alisteir Crowley (1875-1947) was a brilliant man whose position as the major intellectual figure on the occult has often been eclipsed by his own notoriety. Portable Darkness is the first book to tackle the formidable task of collecting the best of his voluminous lifework. In bringing together Crowley's best writings, editor Scott Michaelsen makes Crowleyan philosophy both accessible and intelligible. Includes The Book of the Law, Hymn to Pan and many other classic works.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Solar Books; Revised edition (July 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971457875
• ISBN-13: 978-0971457874
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #919,860 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars accessable crowleyana, June 4, 2002

By 

brian j (Columbus, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Portable Darkness: An Aleister Crowley Reader (Hardcover)

I can't believe I have to be the first reviewer of this book. This is, in my opinion, the best place to start if you want to know what Crowley was all about. It has a very wide sampling of his voluminuos writing, with academic commentary. Much of Crowley's work is difficult to understand because he assumes you are as educated as he is, and because he frequently makes jokes designed to misleed and outrage those with a puritanical leaning. Having someone who has obviously spent some time studying Crowley and his ideas as a guide is an excellent benefit. Even though this book is out of print it seems to be widely and cheaply available, so buy a copy already.

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Extended Essay on Crowley Woven into Excerpts from His Works, July 1, 2005

By 

MWebb (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Portable Darkness: An Aleister Crowley Reader (Hardcover)

When I looked at this book in first edition printing back in 1989, I thought it was a terribly skimpy selection of Crowley's writings. I was also concerned that the heavy editorial content interwoven with the selections would skew a natural, spontaneous reading of Crowley's work. At that time I felt that reading Crowley in situ instead of in anthologies was a much better approach. Now I have come around to see "Portable Darkness" not so much as a selection of Crowley's work, but as an extended critical essay on Crowley with sufficient original source material (Crowley's own words) thrown in to make an informed judgment on whether you like Crowley, and on whether the editor/commentator is making good points. As such it is completely without precedent and invaluable. The author is an extremely intelligent man.

I should also add that the material on so-called western tantra is very complete in itself and includes some works simply not available elsewhere, unless you are a member of an occult group. For this reason alone, it is an invaluable addition to any occultist's library, particularly occultists with a respect for Crowley.

If you want to round out your Crowley library, I highly recommend "Book 4, Magick in Theory and Practice," in the very usefully annotated edition prepared by the OTO head Hymanaeus Beta; "Magick without Tears," less profound that Book 4, but easier to read; "Gems from the Equinox" which purportedly (but does not quite) includes all the magickal writings from Crowley's original opus "The Equinox;" and "Holy Books of Thelema" which includes all the "revealed" or transmitted, Class A writings.

Some of (maybe most of) Crowley's writings are as impenetrable as Blake, Wordsworth, Shelley, and Keats, which is to say, not impossible but certainly poetically grandiose and mind-numbing for anyone but a hardcore English lit major. Book 4 or Magick in Theory and Practice is an exception, the only true grimoire (grammar or rules of magick) produced in the 20th century (Bardon straddling the line between a grimoire and the ultimate self-improvement book for the aspiring occultist).

Finally, the summer beach book par excellence is Magick in Theory and Practice in the inexpensive, non-annotated Dover edition. While you won't be able read the Greek or Latin, unlike Beta's "Book 4" you will be able to carry it in a backpack without getting a hernia.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, June 8, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Portable Darkness: An Aleister Crowley Reader (Hardcover)

I too am surprised at the lack of reviews. This is one of the best collections and discussions of Crowley's work from an intellectual point of view that I've ever seen. I purchased my copy when it was first published and it remains one of my favorite books on the subject of "Uncle Al". I'd easily give it 6 stars out of 5!