Click HERE for the USA & Elsewhere — Edward Bulwer, Lord Lytton, once the most successful novelist in the English speaking world, now unfairly neglected and even derided, was also the central figure in the underground culture of magic and the occult. With his esoteric studies he built a reputation for deep learning in the history and philosophy of this alternative tradition, as well as passing for an adept in his own right. His creative influence, especially through his occult fiction, was surprisingly far reaching.
The book sets the achievement of this nineteenth century magus into a large historical context, exploring the intellectual and other influences on him as well as movements he inspired. Some chapters discuss aspects of Bulwer’s life, while some explore people and ideas that influenced him and others those he influenced. His seminal role in several cultural movements has been largely forgotten, not least in his home country. This book offers an often unfamiliar perspective on the Victorian era and hopefully succeeds in provoking some questions about our own times.
With Bulwer as its focus, and employing a wealth of illustrations, it manages to provide a whirlwind tour of much occult and esoteric culture, from Iamblichus to Symbolist art and literature, Theosophy and modern psychedelia.
The Books of The Beast Timothy d’Arch Smith Format: Softcover ISBN 9781869928179 £15.00 / US$22.00 Subjects: Aleister Crowley/Crowleyiana/Publishing History/Antiquarian Books/Occult.
Timothy d’Arch Smith’s The Books of the Beast is a compelling collection of essays that delves into the intricate world of occult literature, with a particular focus on Aleister Crowley and his contemporaries. Originally published in 1987 and later expanded in a 2010 edition, this work offers both bibliographic detail and cultural insight.
Overview
D’Arch Smith, an esteemed bibliographer and antiquarian bookseller, explores the symbolic significance Crowley attributed to every aspect of his publications—from colour and paper type to pricing. The book serves as an authoritative guide to Crowley’s magical first editions, providing context and commentary that illuminate their esoteric meanings.
Contents
Beyond Crowley, the essays examine figures such as:
Montague Summers: A Roman Catholic priest and demonologist, whose private indulgences contrasted with his public condemnations of the occult.
Ralph Chubb: A poet and artist who attempted to establish a new religion centred around a boy-god, reflecting his controversial personal beliefs.
Florence Farr: A prominent member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, known for her associations with literary figures like W.B. Yeats and George Bernard Shaw.
R.A. Caton: Publisher of the Fortune Press, noted for his interest in homoerotic literature.
The book also discusses the British Library’s Private Case collection and includes an autobiographical epilogue detailing d’Arch Smith’s experiences in the London occult scene of the 1950s and 1960s, featuring encounters with individuals like Michael Houghton of the Atlantis Bookshop, biographer Jean Overton Fuller, and musician Jimmy Page.
Tone and Style
The essays are noted for their scholarly rigour combined with a gentle humour, making complex and potentially controversial topics accessible and engaging. D’Arch Smith’s firsthand experiences and extensive research provide a unique perspective on the interplay between literature, sexuality, and the occult.
Editions and Availability
The 2010 edition, published by Mandrake, includes an additional chapter on Crowley and is available in both paperback and Kindle formats. For those interested in the intersections of esoterica, literature, and cultural history, this book offers a rich and nuanced exploration.
REVIEWS
”…one could hardly wish for a more stimulating guide…’‘ –The London Magazine
”One of the more immediately striking things about the book is its gentle humour.”– Time Out
The Books of The Beast. Timothy d’Arch Smith. (Mandrake). The author of this collection of studies of twentieth-century occultists is a well-known antiquarian bookseller, bibliographer and reviewer with a life-long interest in esoterica and erotica. This collection has a bibliography of Crowley that gives the book its title and biographies of the Roman Catholic priest, playwright, schoolmaster, collector of homoerotic pornography, demonologist and closet Satanist, Montague Summers, the eccentric R.A. Caton, who shared Summer’s interest in young boys and was briefly his publisher, Ralph Chubb, writer, artist and pederast who tried to create a new religion based on the worship of a boy-god, and pioneering female occultist Florence Farr of The Hermetic Order of The Golden Dawn. There is also an account of Crowley’s disguised appearance as a character in Anthony Powell’s famous novel A Dance to the Music of Time (1951), one of many he made in fictional works, and a description of the private collection of erotica in the British Library. The book concludes with a fascinating autobiographical epilogue on the author’s adventures in the London occult scene of the 1950s and 1960s. These feature Michael Houghton from the Atlantis Bookshop (compared by the author to Grumpy in Walt Disney’s Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs because of his stature and demeanour!), Crowley’s forgotten biographer and cricket fan Charles Richard Cammel, who died during a Test Match at the Oval (what a way to go!), the writer and biographer Jean Overton Fuller, the Beatles (who attended a witchcraft exhibition organised by the author), and Crowley follower Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. Highly recommended. The Cauldron # 136, May 2010.
