Perdurabo, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Life of Aleister Crowley Hardcover – Illustrated, August 10, 2010

A lot of information, very well researched. Took awhile to read but was worth it. A complex book for a complex man.

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.This book on Aleister Crowley is exceptionally well done, and the narrator does a fantastic job bringing the material to life. If you truly want to understand Crowley, this is the book to read. It’s the best way to get to know who he really was behind the facade and mystery, revealing the actual man beneath it all. Absolutely fantastic. I love this book—both the physical version and the audiobook are excellent, with the narrator doing wonderful justice to the content. Highly recommend. Thank you, and keep up the great work. A++Love is the law, love under will.FS

Several years ago I had the chance to read a bit in the first edition, and I was thrilled to find a book on Crowley which was balanced and to the point. It was sold out for a long time, so I was delighted to find this new edition coming out. It is written so that the reader gets a deep insight in what life Crowley had, from his childhood and up to his death. The people he met and encountered. Like some already have written, Richard Kaczinsky does not glorify the man and he does not try to hide any facts. It is plain to see that he has gone to great lengths in order to reveal the truth. Citing known sources, people that had first hand contact with Crowley, digging out all sides to a story like an good journalist. I have read other biographies (Eye in the Triangle++), yet I was amazed to read and find out much I did not know already - and knowing in more detail about what I already knew. This book comes highly reccomended for everyone that wants to learn more about a remarkable man - ahead of his time and very spiritual. Read it and make up your own mind.

This is a true labor of love, the author immerses himself in everything Crowley related. It is a detailed account of Mr. Crowley's cradle to grave journey, but it is a somewhat dull read because we are presented the real Aleister Crowley, who does not fit the bill as the most wicked man in the world.

And absolutely fantastic biography. Dr. K put a LOT of work into researching this book. The prologue explains the lengths he went through to write it; looking through peoples' journals, and secret archives. This book is extremely unbiased, it doesn't paint Crowley as being an angel, and it doesn't make him look like a satan worshipper like the rest of the biographies I've read. This, in my opinion is the ultimate source for information on Crowley. It talks about his family's origin and his father's company, as well as Crowley's formative years, and college years. It features some of the most beautiful poetry I've ever read, that I didn't know Crowley wrote. Also, there are a lot of vivid descriptions of rituals Crowley performed, and they are re-written perfectly without some type of nefarious, made up details ike the rest of the books. Dr. Kaczynski has been in the OTO since the 1970s and he has a Ph.D in Psychology, and is currently a professor. He understands the importance of credibility and sufficient research. This is the ultimate source book for info on Crowley.

This bio goes above and beyond when it comes to the complex topic of Aleister Crowley. Compiled from numerous sources, This bio by Kaczynski presents a balanced view of Crowley that doesn't shy away from the most controversial aspects of AC's life. My only complaint is that extensive histories and detailed lineages of almost every single person mentioned in the book does get tiring after a while. You will eventually start skimming past these sections as you go on. Other than that minor complaint, if you are a fan of Crowley, or want to learn more about the "Most Wickedest Man in the World", this book is the definitive bio you should read, IMHO.

It's true that this book has been well-researched — but I have to agree with the other reviewers who stated that the author forgoes Crowley's greater significance and wider context in favor of the minutiae. Likewise — and note I am commenting on this as an esotericist myself — Crowley's claims are all taken at face value: he did not /write/ 'Liber Arcanorum,' for instance, but 'received' it [as a prophecy] — this is not taken into question. I understand this attitude as one who is devoted to the Hermetic tradition and yet, insofar as this is a biography which is supposed to have been researched with an academic level of rigor — and which is being presented by the author and others as the definitive Crowley biog, it seems inappropriate to present narrative as unquestionable fact. Worth the read if you're a fan, and yes — lots of facts, dates, quotations, details which are interesting to someone who already has the inclination. However, ultimately, I would recommend reading Crowley's own 'Confessions' in combination with 'Aleister Crowley and Western Esotericism' (Oxford Press) for a more stable and insightful grounding in the man and his legacy.

The story of one of history's most fascinating, influential but much maligned and misunderstood characters is brought to life in what must now be the definitive biography of Aleister Crowley. Dr. Kaczynski's magnum opus is meticulously researched and presented away from the Daily Mail/John Bull type sensationalism that normally surrounds anything bearing Aleister Crowley's name. That is not to say that Dr. Kaczynski is an apologist for some of the sometimes bizarre behavior from Crowley, he attempts to present both sides of the story, providing also background to the events which ultimately lets the reader decide. Be warned, this is not a short read, it is a very compelling and richly detailed journey through the life and adventures of the one and only Aleister Crowley.