Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Several times over the past year, when people have asked for more information on the man himself, I have recommend a few biographies to read. It may seem strange to some, but I don't particular find Crowley's Confessions to be terribly helpful. The main problem they suffer from is the same that Crowley suffered from, namely a myopia created by his boundless ego. Hence, I recommend works by other people who can put that work into a context and provide a much needed balance. Here are the top three biographies I typical recommend. I hope you will find these reviews helpful.
Kaczynski, Richard. Perdurabo: The Life of Aleister Crowley. Rev. Ed. North Atlantic Books: Berkeley, 2010. [Amazon]
Many hold this tome up as the new standard biography. Unfortunately, the text is hardly critical. Mr Kaczynski's biases (no doubt the result of being an active member of the O.T.O. and a personal friend of William "Hymenaeus Beta" Breeze, Frater Superior of the O.T.O.) simply get in the way of an otherwise solid effort. He glosses over Crowley's classism, his misogyny, his racism, his rampant drug use, and treats magical claims as though they are established facts. He shows a poor understanding of the artistic milieu that shaped Crowley's tastes and the philosophical currents that shaped his thinking. Despite these serious shortcomings, Kaczynski does a great job of highlighting Crowley's prolific mountaineering and climbing career, as well as tracing out the various genealogical webs of Crowley's friends and family. Though, it should not be the only biography a person reads.
Wilson, Colin. Aleister Crowley: The Nature of the Beast. Harper Collins: London, 1987. [Amazon]
The most significant drawback of Wilson's biography is the length. At under 200 pages, it is not nearly as exhaustive as other biographies available. However, it is considerably more balanced than Kaczynski's attempt. Wilson shares similar philosophical commitments with Thelema (he describes them as "phenomenological existentialism," though this seems a redundant label). But, he doesn't allow those commitments to cover over the serious flaws of Crowley. He is careful to give the reader a glimpse of Crowley at his best and at his worst. The reader gains the sense that Wilson respects his subject, even at times admires him but is no sycophant. Though out-of-print, this is the text I recommend people new to Crowley read first.
Symonds, John. The Great Beast: The Life and Magick of Aleister Crowley. 1952. Macdonald: London, 1971. [Amazon]
As a sign of changing times, this book was actually available for reading in my junior high school library. Hence, it was the first biography of Crowley I ever read. Despite only meeting Crowley a year before his death, Symonds was made Crowley's literary executor, though there was little available as Crowley was completely bankrupt. Nevertheless, he worked with Kenneth Grant to help publish and edit several of Crowley's works. Sycophants and ceremonial jesters consider Symonds a hostile biographer. But, this only demonstrates their lack of ability to view their "great prophet" with any kind of critical eye. For many years, this was the standard biography. And, I think it remains so. Symonds isn't easily taken in by silliness or grandiose claims. He works hard to establish the facts of Crowley's life. And, he does a passable job of placing Crowley within his contemporary context. In this case, Symonds strength is his personal knowledge of the man and his living through the events of the early 20th century that shaped an entire generation and culture.
Ideally, the fullest picture of Crowley is gained by reading all three texts. Unfortunately, only Kaczynski's is still in print. Crowley lived an expansive life, filled with fortune and misfortune, in great abundance. Any attempt to capture it all in a single text will likely always fall short of the mark. And, as is so often the case with all things Crowley, nothing can replace the benefits of a cautious and critical eye.
Love is the law, love under will.
