Aleister Crowley

The Writings of the Great Beast - Some Short Stories by Aleister Crowley (Fantasy and Horror Classics)

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

Enter the shadow world of the 20th century's most infamous occultist. This chilling collection unveils the rare short fiction of Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), the self-proclaimed "Great Beast 666," whose life and work were devoted to exploring the darkest corners of human consciousness and forbidden knowledge. Crowley's fiction is not merely horror; it is a dangerous literature of initiation, designed to unsettle, challenge, and lead the reader down the treacherous path of his magical philosophy, Thelema. The stories are steeped in authentic magical lore, esoteric philosophy, and a profound, often unsettling, understanding of human will. This collection contains some of his most potent and evocative short works: An Experiment in Necromancy: A terrifying descent into the black art of raising the dead and the horrific price of forbidden power. The Black Lodge: An intense journey into the dark side of spiritual aspiration and the perilous tests that await the unwary initiate. At the Fork of the Roads: A fable of destiny, choice, and the moment a soul is irrevocably set upon a path of damnation or enlightenment. The Dream Cicean and The Initiation: Tales that blur the line between dreams and ritual, showing how the mind is both the temple and the proving ground for the mystical aspirant. A profound and genuinely unsettling literary artifact, The Writings of the Great Beast offers a direct, unvarnished look into the terrifying realities--or delusions--of one of history's most controversial figures.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Fantasy and Horror Classics
• Seitenzahl: 88
• Erscheinungstermin: 28. April 2011
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 216mm x 140mm x 5mm
• Gewicht: 123g
• ISBN-13: 9781447405900
• ISBN-10: 1447405900
• Artikelnr.: 33454804

Autorenporträt

Aleister Crowley was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, and mountaineer. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the prophet entrusted with guiding humanity into the Æon of Horus in the early 20th century. Born to a wealthy Plymouth Brethren family in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, Crowley rejected this fundamentalist Christian faith to pursue an interest in Western esotericism. He was educated at the University of Cambridge, where he focused his attentions on mountaineering and poetry, resulting in several publications. In 1898 he joined the esoteric Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, where he was trained in ceremonial magic by Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and Allan Bennett. Moving to Boleskine House by Loch Ness in Scotland, he went mountaineering in Mexico with Oscar Eckenstein, before studying Hindu and Buddhist practices in India. He married Rose Edith Kelly and in 1904 they honeymooned in Cairo, Egypt, where Crowley claimed to have been contacted by a supernatural entity named Aiwass, who provided him with The Book of the Law, a sacred text that served as the basis for Thelema. Announcing the start of the Æon of Horus, The Book declared that its followers should adhere to the code of "Do what thou wilt" and seek to align themselves with their Will through the practice of magick. After an unsuccessful attempt to climb Kanchenjunga and a visit to India and China, Crowley returned to Britain, where he attracted attention as a prolific author of poetry, novels, and occult literature. In 1907, he and George Cecil Jones co-founded a Thelemite order, the A¿A¿, through which they propagated the religion. After spending time in Algeria, in 1912 he was initiated into another esoteric order, the German-based Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), rising to become the leader of its British branch, which he reformulated in accordance with his Thelemite beliefs. In 1920 he established the Abbey of Thelema, a religious commune in Cefalù, Sicily where he lived with various followers. His libertine lifestyle led to denunciations in the British press, and the Italian government evicted him in 1923. He divided the following two decades between France, Germany, and England, and continued to promote Thelema until his death.