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Rating: 
Summary: If You Want Crowely Don't Get This.
Review: And I say that for these reasons. First there is no bibliography and that is a red flag to me when I'm reading a book. Where does he get his info??Another big problem is that its VERY obvious that he is writing this book to bash Crowely. He takes every opportunity to prove to the world that he hates Crowely and that you and I should too. Thank you but I'll just have the facts please without your personal opinion to poison my judgmental processes. The author's ending to the bibliography is a fine case in point because out of the 4 or 5 accounts of Crowely's last minutes before dying the author picks the worst one and doesn't even bother to list the others. This is typical throughout the book. If you want to read a biography of Crowely that will list the good AND the bad and let you have the privilage of figuring out this incredibly fascinating man for yourself try "Do What Thou Wilt". You can order that here too and it has an IN DEPTH bibliograhy and MULTIPLE accounts are listed for events in Crowley's life when they occur. Peace, ~Marz~
Rating: 
Summary: Now redundant
Review: Considering the impact he had on last century's culture and religion, and the continuing influence he has today, there aren't all that many biographies published on «the wickedest man in the world». And most that were have been out of print for years. Hutchinson's book is not a complete character assassination, but I get the feeling that it's written with the aim to pull Crowley down quite a few notches. His magick is not discussed at any great length, as the author clearly think it's all mumbo-jumbo. Crowley's personal life did contain quite a few episodes that paints the picture of a self-obsessed, egotistical maniac. But doesn't one have to be to accomplish anything? The worst thing he ever did, in my opinion, was to fail to help his fellow climbers on a groundbreaking 1905 expedition to Kangchenjunga in the Himalayas. They had been taken by an avalanche and were probably dead anyway, but by just ignoring the whole incident Crowley ended his climbing career, nearly conquering the third highest peak in the world. This accomplishment is not listed in any official climbing history books. Crowley believed in total legalization of all drugs, and thought that anyone that allowed themselves to be addicted were people no one needed anyway. He still died with a hopeless heroin addiction, but at the age of 72 one must say he stuck it out for quite a while, and crammed more intense experience into his life than most of us could, even if we lived ten times over. As described by Hutchinson, the rest of Crowley's life was filled with travelling, drinking, doing all kinds of drugs, tantric sex, rituals, and leading various half-secret societies that, along with Crowley, often got scandalized in the british tabloids of the time. A fair amount of in-fighting in «The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn» is also covered. His actions during the two world wars are discussed, concluding that he probably worked for British Intelligence. «The Beast Demystified» is worthwhile as far as biographical detail goes, and sheds light on some events that were more muddy in earlier books, but it's not the defintive Crowley biography - that has yet to be written. Also, to put out non-fiction books without a bibliography and a good index is a worse sin than most of the ones Crowley committed. Those more interested in Crowley's work than his nasty personality should read his disciple Israel Regardie's «interpretaion» «The Eye in the Triangle» (1970). A book similar to Hutchinson's, but more sketchy, is Colin Wilson's «The Nature of the Beast» (1987). Wilson keeps the door open for some of the magick, and thinks Crowley was a great essayist. A friend of Crowley, C.R. Cammell, wrote a biography called (among other titles) «The Black Magician» (1951) , which is well worth reading for a different perspective. The most well known and widely read Crowley biography is probably the very detailed, but somewhat unsympathetic «The Great Beast» (1951) by John Symonds. A self-proclaimed son of Crowley, «Amado», has written three books that reads as - and must be viewed as - pure fiction until he comes forward with a real name, and proof of being a relative. Also, there's Crowley's own «autohagiography» (a God's autobiography) «Confessions» (1969), by most considered an unreadable, overlong mess. The book was edited by Kenneth Grant and Crowley's first biographer John Symonds. Grant believed in Crowley's Law of Thelema, Symonds did not. Grant, who claims to be World Head of the O.T.O., also thinks that Crowley's «Book of the Law» was dictated to him by aliens from the planet Sirius. The nearly 1000 page «Confessions» is the only one of Crowley's writings that doesn't get trashed by Hutchinson, probably because it was a good source. All of Crowley's poetry and fiction gets mercilessly butchered, contrary to Crowley's own claim of being England's greatest poet. There's no photos in any of the books mentioned above, so all eager Crowley bio readers are advised to get Sandy Robertson's «Aleister Crowley Scrapbook» as a visual side-dish. After "..Demystified" came out, much thicker bios by L. Sutin and G. Suster have been published, making this book largely redundant.
Rating:
Summary: Roger Hutchinson Demystified.
Review: Considering the impact he had on last century's culture and religion, and the continuing influence he has today, there aren't all that many biographies published on «the wickedest man in the world». And most that were have been out of print for years. Hutchinson's book is not a complete character assassination, but I get the feeling that it's written with the aim to pull Crowley down quite a few notches. His magick is not discussed at any great length, as the author clearly think it's all mumbo-jumbo. Crowley's personal life did contain quite a few episodes that paints the picture of a self-obsessed, egotistical maniac. But doesn't one have to be to accomplish anything? The worst thing he ever did, in my opinion, was to fail to help his fellow climbers on a groundbreaking 1905 expedition to Kangchenjunga in the Himalayas. They had been taken by an avalanche and were probably dead anyway, but by just ignoring the whole incident Crowley ended his climbing career, nearly conquering the third highest peak in the world. This accomplishment is not listed in any official climbing history books. Crowley believed in total legalization of all drugs, and thought that anyone that allowed themselves to be addicted were people no one needed anyway. He still died with a hopeless heroin addiction, but at the age of 72 one must say he stuck it out for quite a while, and crammed more intense experience into his life than most of us could, even if we lived ten times over. As described by Hutchinson, the rest of Crowley's life was filled with travelling, drinking, doing all kinds of drugs, tantric sex, rituals, and leading various half-secret societies that, along with Crowley, often got scandalized in the british tabloids of the time. A fair amount of in-fighting in «The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn» is also covered. His actions during the two world wars are discussed, concluding that he probably worked for British Intelligence. «The Beast Demystified» is worthwhile as far as biographical detail goes, and sheds light on some events that were more muddy in earlier books, but it's not the defintive Crowley biography - that has yet to be written. Also, to put out non-fiction books without a bibliography and a good index is a worse sin than most of the ones Crowley committed. Those more interested in Crowley's work than his nasty personality should read his disciple Israel Regardie's «interpretaion» «The Eye in the Triangle» (1970). A book similar to Hutchinson's, but more sketchy, is Colin Wilson's «The Nature of the Beast» (1987). Wilson keeps the door open for some of the magick, and thinks Crowley was a great essayist. A friend of Crowley, C.R. Cammell, wrote a biography called (among other titles) «The Black Magician» (1951) , which is well worth reading for a different perspective. The most well known and widely read Crowley biography is probably the very detailed, but somewhat unsympathetic «The Great Beast» (1951) by John Symonds. A self-proclaimed son of Crowley, «Amado», has written three books that reads as - and must be viewed as - pure fiction until he comes forward with a real name, and proof of being a relative. Also, there's Crowley's own «autohagiography» (a God's autobiography) «Confessions» (1969), by most considered an unreadable, overlong mess. The book was edited by Kenneth Grant and Crowley's first biographer John Symonds. Grant believed in Crowley's Law of Thelema, Symonds did not. Grant, who claims to be World Head of the O.T.O., also thinks that Crowley's «Book of the Law» was dictated to him by aliens from the planet Sirius. The nearly 1000 page «Confessions» is the only one of Crowley's writings that doesn't get trashed by Hutchinson, probably because it was a good source. All of Crowley's poetry and fiction gets mercilessly butchered, contrary to Crowley's own claim of being England's greatest poet. There's no photos in any of the books mentioned above, so all eager Crowley bio readers are advised to get Sandy Robertson's «Aleister Crowley Scrapbook» as a visual side-dish. After "..Demystified" came out, much thicker bios by L. Sutin and G. Suster have been published, making this book largely redundant.
Rating:
Summary: Roger Hutchinson Demystified.
Review: It seems lately that it's almost become a fad to write a new Crowley bio. Some have been good, others not. This one is not. The only good thing about this book is the fascinating dustjacket photo (the only photo of the whole book, by the way). What Mr. Hutchinson has done (seemingly for the sole purpose of cashing in on Crowley's recent popularity) is to read a couple of the previously existing bios and blend that with his own misunderstanding and negative attitudes towards his subject and have it printed up in an attractive hardcover (or now trade paperback) form. We receive absolutely NO new information, anecdotes or even rare rumors. The only thing which we receive from this book not necessarily found in others is the author's sarcastic contempt for Mr. Aleister Crowley and his achievements. No photos (at all), no newly researched information, not even a new angle on old info. Just contempt (which Mr. John Symonds has already given in abundance, though he at least had access to a great deal of interesting "inside" information which is all that makes his books readable). Mr. Hutchinson put forth zero effort on the book and, therefore, those of us who purchased it received zero value for our buck. If you want to read a much less biased, much more interesting book (still not terribly good at giving it's sources, oh well) with new bits of info and lore, purchase the recent work by a Mr. Sutin, he's no Crowleyite but neither does he disregard Crowley's amazing life and accomplishments (and Sutin seems to have done a fair amount of new research as well). For what it's worth, my own favorite bio on AC is "The Magical World of Aleister Crowley" by King, though it's unfortunately out of print. And, if you can managed to ignore the sarcasm, personal opinions and negativity in any books by Symonds (no mean feat in itself) then there is to be found therein a great deal of information unavailable elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: Through a glass darkly...
Review: Mr. Hutchinson has made the great error most of Crowley's biographers have made, not understanding the man. Crowley was neither a saint, nor was he the "wickedest man in the world", he was an extremely engaging figure that history has yet to understand. The author does manage not to fall into the lines of the late Mr. Crowley's dejectors, and he is far from one of the sycophants who pandered to the ego and legend of "The Great Beast". I found the book hardly enlightneing, and the author fails utterly to site any sources or to add any resemblance of a bibliography to the book. All in all it seems that the author had little interest in the man as a whole, and one wonders why he wrote his biography. Hutchinson gives little sympathy to his subject, and he himself claims ignorance of the very subjects Crowley claimed expertisein (and spent his life pursuing), Hutchinson's reasons for this book seem vague as the subject matter. The author does a fiar job at clarifying a few historical figures and the relevence of their own roles in history, bur he fails to clarify or in any way "demystify" the Enigmatic Aleister Crowley. The book renders itslef as something of an abridged "Confessions" and lacks the chaotic Crowley wit and irritating ego, that make Crowley such an intersting read. The book is a mediocre biography shedding no real light, and adding nothing to the understanding of the man. For those seeking a cursory overview of the man's life, or simply seek to know a little about Aleister Crowley, this is your book. Occultists, Thelemites and otherwise truly intersted parties (dejectors and sycophants alike) this book could be avoided, and a simple re-read of "Confessions" will have the same effect as this work.
Rating:
Summary: Errors fatally flaw an otherwise promising work
Review: Only two or three biographies of Aleister Crowley have ever been written that I take seriously. One was his own Confessions. Ranking right beside it is Israel Regardie's The Eye in the Tri-angle. A step down, but still a very serious contender - at least for accuracy and readability - is Gerald Suster's The Legacy of the Beast. To these I would Robert Anton Wilson's The Mask of the Illuminati which, despite being a wholly and purposefully fictional work, captures the spirit and flavor of Crowley's work better than any of the others. It was, therefore, with much enthusiasm that I greeted this recent biography by Roger Hutchinson. It is with disappointment mirroring that original enthusiasm that I pen this review. For the most part, I see little need to recommending against a book -since just about any book is likely to be of value to *someone.* But this book, on the grounds of gross historical inaccuracy, deserves to have its weaknesses touted simply because it is likely to attract a significant audience not necessarily qualified to detect its flaws. At first impression, Hutchinson's book suggests that it will have something very new and previously unseen to add. It communicates this idea very effectively by use of a cover photo I've never seen before, leading one to expect that, perhaps, there are more within (there are not), or at least that there is some striking new material. And, as one reads through the early chapters on Crowley's childhood, it really seems that this promise is fulfilled. In a fresh and exceedingly readable and engaging style, Hutchinson seems to provide excellent back-story of Crowley's formative years with numerous details never previously seen. One begins to wonder, though, where he got these details - he gives no sources. It is only when he reaches the Golden Dawn period - one with which this reviewer is especially familiar - that we could see where he got a significant amount of his detail: He made it up! Tragically, much of this otherwise promis-ing work is as much fiction as Wilson's. Hutchinson blithely gives details about which he has no knowledge, including some things that were in the record if he'd searched harder. For example, he claims the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn had "one hundred and thirty-odd initiates" - but there were nearly 400 before they stopped carefully counting. (Crowley was approximately the 350th initiate.) He wrote that Mathers was Crowley's initiating Hierophant whereas, in fact, the man wasn't even present that evening. He speaks of ritual lines being delivered "from the wings" that came from a few inches to the right of Crowley's elbow. Admittedly, these are fairly minor things - but, then, he also wrote, twice, that Dion Fortune had been at Yeats' side in the 1900 London Revolt, despite the fact that she was still a child who wouldn't see a Golden Dawn temple for nearly two decades. Worse, errors of this scope, smoothly passed off as firm knowledge, cause us to question every other new "fact" he presents. It compromises the credibility of the work fatally. Which, to repeat the adjective, is tragic, because Hutchinson does appear to have done some excellent research and thinking. He dug out some old writings by Crowley's father, and has researched court transcripts extensively. Also, the book is rich in contemporary accounts of those who knew Crowley. If we are to trust his presentation of these, they add significantly to the legitimate documentation of Crowley. I do not fault him his opinions. A biographer is supposed to have these, I think, and I need not agree with them even when they state that the Golden Dawn was "far, far better without Crowley;" that AC never wrote a decent line of poetry in his life and that, "The best that could ever be said of Crowley's fictional prose style was that it was an improvement upon his verse." Or that, "Aleister Crowley lied incorrigibly and exaggerated habitually," who as a man "revealed himself as a spoiled and weak little boy, who ran from rather than confronted unpleasantness." No, these are fine as they stand. Where I quibble is with the errors in his facts. He left out every single event pertaining to Crowley's actual spiritual progress in the entire life, other than his HOGD initiation. Though identifying the power of Crowley's imagination, and detailing much of the Mexican mountain climbing expedition in 1900, he failed to mention the pivotal event of Eckenstein's initial training Crowley to concentrate during that trip. He skipped the entire period of the founding of the A.'.A.'., mentioned the 1909 Sahara trek without a word about The Vision & the Voice, and wrote no more than two inconsequential sentences about the O.T.O. Rather than assessing these dominant areas of Crowley's life, he simply ignored them. This book would have gotten an unprecedentedly low two stars from me were it not - despite these huge flaws - such a good read. It's enjoyable despite its factual failures. And he did bring forth some good material, did catch the formative impact of Oscar Wilde, and did drag out some new documentation. So I'll give him a three. Enjoy the book. Just don't assume that anything new you learn is necessarily true.
Rating:
Summary: A boring book about A.C.?
Review: Tells me very little about the man. I knew very little about Crowley before reading this book, I know even less for having done so. The title of the book perhaps should have clued us in to the omission of any analysis or explanation of Crowley's mystical beliefs. It's probable that the intention was to present Crowley 'the man'. The problem being that this makes for only slightly more interesting reading than discussing Pete Sampras without discussing tennis The author seems to regard Crowley as such a thorough fraud, that he does not even bother to debunk most of Crowley's tales and instead ignores them completely. This is only an 'autobiography' in the loosest terms. He was born, he lied, he died.
Rating: 
Summary: A Wicked Read
Review: This is a very fascinating, well researched, entertaining biography of a very difficult, perplexing, endlessly diverting subject. Despite complaints by some reviewers that there is no bibliography, everything is documented in the text itself, from citing court testimony, newpaper interviews listing the dates of the articles, and even personal letters are quoted and sourced. I have studied the theory, and some of the "extra-curricular" exploits of Crowley for over a decade, and this book made the old material fresh and, despite the complaints of some reviewers, did indeed provide new insights and offerings of obscure Cowleynalia. The portrait of Crowley presented in this book is certain to ire his surely-unwanted present-day sycophants: they don't get his collosal joke. "...Sometimes I hate myself," he had said on his death-bed, and sometimes I hate him too. But then there is Crowley's wit, his cruel but funny humor, his amazing adventures from Mexico to bizarre political fumblings: all brought to life by Hutchinson with none of the dry, cliched, out-dated styling of previous Aleister biographers. A wicked read!
Rating:
Summary: A Wicked Read
Review: This is a very fascinating, well researched, entertaining biography of a very difficult, perplexing, endlessly diverting subject. Despite complaints by some reviewers that there is no bibliography, everything is documented in the text itself, from citing court testimony, newpaper interviews listing the dates of the articles, and even personal letters are quoted and sourced. I have studied the theory, and some of the "extra-curricular" exploits of Crowley for over a decade, and this book made the old material fresh and, despite the complaints of some reviewers, did indeed provide new insights and offerings of obscure Cowleynalia. The portrait of Crowley presented in this book is certain to ire his surely-unwanted present-day sycophants: they don't get his collosal joke. "...Sometimes I hate myself," he had said on his death-bed, and sometimes I hate him too. But then there is Crowley's wit, his cruel but funny humor, his amazing adventures from Mexico to bizarre political fumblings: all brought to life by Hutchinson with none of the dry, cliched, out-dated styling of previous Aleister biographers. A wicked read!
Rating: 
Summary: the title says it all
Review: This isn't a book, it's a book report- slapped together by an obsequious, schoolboy, establishment, apple polisher. It is an appalling effort that reveals more about the sad state of current U.K. publishing than it does about its subject matter. It is increasingly depressing to find more and more of these books stocking the shelves at such break neck pace. Truly,it is apparent, "no bad book shall go unpublished". And no more truer, when it happens to be a dreadful, pious and nauseatingly moralistic account of the late great Master Therion (Aleister Crowley). Where are we as a culture if all we have to offer as insight into our more stellar and grandiose lives than the type of unimaginative, establishment propaganda and pablum as concocted here? Phooey!This is a childish, hateful and pedestrian look at one of the towering iconoclasts and mystics of the Twentieth Century.
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