I've read a bit around occult topics but didn't know much at all about Crowley. This was a great book to get a reasonably complete high level survey of Crowley's life and work. It's quite chronological. It touches on Crowley's thinking but never goes very deep. We don't learn much about where Crowley might have gotten his ideas - well, of course, he'd joined the Golden Dawn, but how and why did he change those practices? We get brief appearance from e.g. Dion Fortune, but we don't see how her ideas developed in parallel to Crowley's.

Sutin's book is very much an introduction to Crowley. It's a great place to start. He points to folks like Israel Regardie and Kenneth Grant for further reading. ( )

A long, rather academic study which although only just readable, is not accessible to the lay reader. This isn't a volume that will allow the starter in this subject area to feel as though they can understand Crowley or his motivations or even the Magic that he purports to perform. Good on detail and good on placement, this does not however describe or explain much of the magic or the motivations of the man. Difficult and at times, plodding. Make this the second or third volume you read about Crowley when you already have some insight and know what the esoteric socitiies mean. ( )

Well researched, with copious source notes, and well written. As with any biography, the success or failure as a book depends very much on the subject material, and in this respect it is Crowley himself who fails to satisfy (a surprise, for a sexual magician). Whilst Sutin tries hard to be even-handed in his assessments, nothing can dispel the ultimate sense that whilst Crowley the personality may have been interesting, as a poet, artist and/or "mage" he was really rather dull. There is a sense that even he did not believe his own charades at times, even at the same time as revelling in the credulity of others.
Useful as a warning tale for overly melodramatic children - stop showing off or you'll end up like the Great Beast. ( )

An interesting read for the time periods. Not much to like in this fellow. As he would have liked it.

This was my first biography of Aleister Crowley - and for some time, I guess, my last. While Mr. Crowley certainly was an intriguing person and biographical subject, there is just too much in the description of his life that I find downbearing, depressing, revolting or just a bit unappetitely. But that is just me and it does not diminish the biographical work done by Mr. Sutin. The book contains a wealth of details which are, as far as I can judge, well commented and assessed, especially with regard to Crowley's artistic and magickal work. The book is well written and very readable and - the aforesaid notwithstanding - worth reading. I would have expected a more extensive bibliography - although just now, having finished the book yesterday, I would not really want to immediately read more on the subject of Mr. Crowley, but for my later use, maybe, or those who would want to dig deeper. ( )