Aleister Crowley was a saint (in his own religion, mind you) an Adept, and a forerunner to the cultural revolution of the 1960's. For all that, his "Autohagiography" reveals a side of him that doesn't normally come up in his other writings: Crowley was a human being. Most of the statements he makes about his own greatness are tinged with irony, or so bombastic that one finds it very hard to take them seriously.
For instance, in his introduction, Crowley says, ""This Aleister Crowley is not a man, or even a number of men; he is obviously a solar myth." Now, I suppose one could assume he meant this, and take it as a sign of an incredibly inflated ego. The rest of the book, however, shows an all too human side of the Mega Therion. Crowley would not have made a statement like that then gone on to write a book which proves its antithesis. He was a much better writer than that.
Considering the central role magick played in his life, Crowley speaks little about it. He's more interested in stories about mountain climbing and traveling about the world. The last thrid of the book is directly related to his art, so here he gives us blow by blow descriptions of his workings. This comes, signifigantly, after he accpets the authority of the Book of the Law.
This seems to be related to his technique of referring to himself in third person until after he tells of his father died. Just as he didn't feel like an individual until that moment, so he didn't feel like a Magus until he'd taken on his True Will.
This is a very intimate look at the Prophet of the New Aeon. It is key to understanding anything else he ever wrote, since a great deal of his philosophy is treated in detail.
If you are at all interested in Crowley, get this book.
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Mr. Nm Burns
Arrived very quickly and the book itself is great!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 4, 2013