Aleister Crowley in England: The Return of the Great Beast

Name: Aleister Crowley in England: The Return of the Great Beast
Price: 35.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Churton, Tobias
ISBN: 9781644112311

✍️ Churton, Tobias

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📚 ABOUT THE BOOK

Uncover the forgotten final act of the Beast, amidst poverty, magick, and espionage.

Tobias Churton meticulously reconstructs the often-overlooked final fifteen years of Aleister Crowley's life, from 1932 to 1947. Far from a quiet retirement, this era saw Crowley, despite financial hardship, deeply embroiled in London's esoteric circles, engaging in sex magick, cultivating connections with luminaries like Dion Fortune and Gerald Gardner, and even undertaking clandestine work for British intelligence. Drawing on previously unseen documents, this biography illuminates Crowley's escape from Nazi Germany and his strategic responses to follower persecution, revealing a complex figure until his very end.

Key themes

{'title': "Crowley's Final Chapter", 'body': "This book delves into the often-neglected last 15 years of Aleister Crowley's existence, revealing a period marked by personal struggle, continued magical practice, and unexpected political entanglement. It challenges the common narrative that his later life was one of quiet decline, instead presenting a dynamic, if impoverished, final act."} {'title': 'Occult Espionage & Intrigue', 'body': "Churton unearths compelling evidence of Crowley's involvement with British intelligence, specifically detailing his escape from Nazi Germany and his strategic maneuvers against persecution. This theme explores the surprising intersection of esoteric pursuits with wartime espionage, painting Crowley as more than just a magical practitioner but a clandestine operative."} {'title': 'Influential Connections', 'body': "The text highlights Crowley's significant interactions during his later years with an array of notable figures, from fellow occultists like Dion Fortune and Gerald Gardner to literary giants such as Dylan Thomas, and activists like Nancy Cunard. It showcases his enduring impact and the breadth of his social and magical networks."}

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🏛 Inner Traditions International 📅 2022 📖 384 pages 📔 Hardcover 📐 Hardcover ISBN: 9781644112311

Fun fact

Churton's 'Aleister Crowley in England' is a vital corrective to the prevailing narratives surrounding the Beast, offering an unprecedented look into his later life. It skillfully weaves together personal struggle, high magick, and geopolitical intrigue, making a compelling case for Crowley's often-overlooked intelligence work. While those seeking an introduction to Crowley's early life might be better served elsewhere, this book is essential for serious students of Thelema and 20th-century esotericism, firmly establishing itself as a definitive account of his final act.

📝 Description: Aleister Crowley in England: The Return of the Great Beast

A detailed examination of the last 15 years of Crowley's life - Reveals Crowley's sex magick relations in London and his contacts with important figures, including Dion Fortune, Gerald Gardner, Jack Parsons, Dylan Thomas, and black equality activist Nancy Cunard - Explores Crowley's nick-of-time escape from the Nazi takeover in Germany and offers extensive confirmation of Crowley's work for British intelligence - Examines the development of Crowley's later publications and his articles in reaction to the Nazi Gestapo actively persecuting his followers in Germany After an extraordinary life of magical workings, occult fame, and artistic pursuits around the globe, Aleister Crowley was forced to spend the last fifteen years of his life in his native England, nearly penniless. Much less examined than his early years, this final period of the Beast's life was just as filled with sex magick, espionage, romance, transatlantic conflict, and extreme behavior. Drawing on previously unpublished diaries and letters, Tobias Churton provides the first detailed treatment of the final years of Crowley's life, from 1932 to 1947. He opens with Crowley's nick-of-time escape from the Nazi takeover in Germany and his return home to England, flat broke. Churton offers extensive confirmation of Crowley's work as a secret operative for MI5 and explores how Crowley saw World War II as the turning point for the "New Aeon." He examines Crowley's notorious 1934 London trial, which resulted in his bankruptcy, and shares inside stories of Crowley's relations with Californian O. T. O. followers, including rocket-fuel specialist Jack Parsons, and his attempt to take over H. Spencer Lewis's Rosicrucian Order. The author reveals Crowley's sex magick relations in London and his contacts with spiritual leaders of the time, including Dion Fortune and Wicca founder Gerald Gardner. He examines Crowley's dealings with artists such as Dylan Thomas, Alfred Hitchcock, Augustus John, Peter Warlock, and Peter Brooks and dispels the accusations that Crowley was racist, exploring his work with lifelong friend, black equality activist Nancy Cunard. Churton also examines the development of Crowley's later publications such as Magick without Tears as well as his articles in reaction to the Nazi Gestapo who was actively persecuting his remaining followers in Germany. Presenting an intimate and compelling study of Crowley in middle and old age, Churton shows how the Beast still wields a wand-like power to delight and astonish.

⭐ Reader reviews

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⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.4/5

★★★★★

If you seek to understand the complete trajectory of one of the 20th century's most enigmatic occultists, or are fascinated by the hidden connections between magick, wartime intrigue, and influential cultural figures, this comprehensive work is essential reading.

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❓ Frequently asked questions

No, this volume specifically focuses on the last fifteen years of Crowley's life, from 1932 until his death in 1947, filling a significant gap in existing biographies.

The author utilizes previously unpublished diaries and letters to confirm Crowley's intelligence work during World War II and details his associations with various prominent figures of the era.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Crowley's Final Chapter

This book delves into the often-neglected last 15 years of Aleister Crowley's existence, revealing a period marked by personal struggle, continued magical practice, and unexpected political entanglement. It challenges the common narrative that his later life was one of quiet decline, instead presenting a dynamic, if impoverished, final act.

Occult Espionage & Intrigue

Churton unearths compelling evidence of Crowley's involvement with British intelligence, specifically detailing his escape from Nazi Germany and his strategic maneuvers against persecution. This theme explores the surprising intersection of esoteric pursuits with wartime espionage, painting Crowley as more than just a magical practitioner but a clandestine operative.

Influential Connections

The text highlights Crowley's significant interactions during his later years with an array of notable figures, from fellow occultists like Dion Fortune and Gerald Gardner to literary giants such as Dylan Thomas, and activists like Nancy Cunard. It showcases his enduring impact and the breadth of his social and magical networks.

💬 Quotes from the book

«The meticulous sifting of Crowley's later correspondences and personal journals reveals a man acutely aware of his diminished public standing, yet relentlessly dedicated to his esoteric work and political observations.»

«Far from a secluded retreat, Crowley’s final decade in England was a nexus of clandestine activity, where his magical contacts often overlapped with his strategic engagements against the rising fascist threat.»

📜 Historical context

Crowley's final years unfolded against the tumultuous backdrop of pre-war and wartime Europe, a period of immense social and political upheaval. His continued magical work and intelligence activities reflect a broader trend of occult figures engaging with the changing world, adapting ancient practices to modern crises, and influencing nascent esoteric movements like Wicca.

📚 Glossary

The Great Beast
Sex Magick
Thelema

📔 Questions to reflect on

How might Crowley's experience of poverty and persecution in his later years have shaped his magical and philosophical outlook?
Consider the ethical implications of an occultist like Crowley engaging in intelligence work during wartime. What potential conflicts of interest arise?
Reflect on the impact of "forgotten" periods in a historical figure's life. How does shedding light on them alter our understanding of their legacy?