John Symonds was Crowley's literary executor, and his biography of Aleister Crowley is the fullest account of the life of this most bizarre Englishman. The present edition has been considerably revised and augmented, and remains the standard work on Crowley.
John Symonds Books
March 12, 1914 – October 21, 2006
John Symonds was an English writer recognized for his explorations of the occult, biographies, and children's literature. His work frequently delved into both fascination with and critique of controversial figures like Aleister Crowley, whose writings and legacy he helped preserve. Symonds' style is noted for its ability to capture farcical situations as well as complex human motivations, offering readers a unique lens into history and psychology. He also found a broad audience through his children's books, showcasing his imaginative storytelling.
Aleister Crowley's autobiographical confessions are a fascinating record of his lifetime's journey into Strange regions of consciousness. A 'saint' of the 'Gnostic' church, Crowley subtitled his six-volume work 'an autohagiography'. He describes his initiation into magic, his world-wide travels and mistresses, his experiments with sex and drugs, and the philosophy of his famous Book of the Law which contains the gospel that Crowley proclaimed for all mankind: the Law of Thelema, or Do What Thou Wilt.Generations before his time, Crowley invoked sex, drugs, and Eastern philosophy in his perpetual and often bizarre search for self-realization. The Confessions, skillfully edited and annotated by John Symonds and Kenneth Grant, serves as the perfect introduction to Crowley's extraordinary life and thought.