Shrouded in mystery and misunderstanding, Aleister Crowley is one of the 20th centuryas most revered occult figures. With the Weiser Concise Guide to Aleister Crowley, readers are given a careful, comprehensive overview of Crowleyas life from poet to practicing magician as well as his lifeas work, including the basic principles and rituals of his magical practices. Set aside your preconceptions and dismiss the rumors. Crowley was certainly a complex, controversial, and colorful man, but the truth is far more interesting than the legend.

Richard Kaczynski, PhD, has been a student of the western mystery tradition--and of Thelema and the works of Aleister Crowley in particular--since 1977. He has been a member of O.T.O. since 1987, and an international lecturer on magick since 1990. He is the author of the critically acclaimed biography Perdurabo: The Life of Aleister Crowley as well as the books Perdurabo Outtakes and Panic in Detroit: The Magician and the Motor City. Along with Hymenaeus Beta, he is co-editor of The Revival of Magick and Other Essays. Over the years, his writing has appeared in various magazines (High Times, Different Worlds, The Magical Link, Mezlim, Eidolon, Neshamah, Cheth) and books (Golden Dawn Sourcebook, Rebels and Devils). He currently lives in Maryland with his wife and cat.

James Wasserman is a lifelong student of esotericism. His writings include The Mystery Traditions: Secret Symbols and Sacred Art, and Aleister Crowley and the Practice of the Magical Diary. His Chronicle Books edition of The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth by Day features the fullcolor Papyrus of Ani with integrated English translation. The Templars and the Assassins: The Militia of Heaven has thus far been published in six languages. His controversial The Slaves Shall Serve: Meditations on Liberty defines political freedom as a spiritual value. His newest book is An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar. He is currently editing a series on Western occultism known as The Weiser Concise Guides. You can find him online at www.studio31.com. He lives in New York City with his wife Nancy.