(ebook-pdf) - Religion - Aleister Crowley - Book of the Law.pdf.{Zoryn}

This was one of three books in the mid-70's that published various edits of the 3 or 4 commentaries that Crowley wrote about Liber L/Liber al vel Legis/Liber AL, usually referred to as The Book of the Law. For begginning collectors, I'll explain the differences



The first book, Magical and philosophical commentaries on The book of the law, was a beautiful and amazing hardback edition from 93 Publishing in Montreal. Although very expensive today ($500+ a copy) and somewhat more complete in the Old and New Comments due to less editing, it's been noted many times over the last 30 odd years that this edition contains more typographical errors and inaccuracies than Regardie's edition.



The Regardie 1st edition from Llewellyn has a 3-page double-sided fold out of illustrations of the front and back of the Stele of Revealing on one side, and a miniature of the original manscript of Liber L/Liber al vel Legis/Liber AL with the pages "pasted from left to right" that is not included in later editions. (The the detail oriented will note that this "original reproduction" of the manuscript [like every other in the last 100 years] does not contain the cover sheet proclaiming the book's title to be "Liber L".) It's a durable paperback: I still proudly own this edition, it's held up marvelously the last 38 years. VG or better copies of this book can be found for $30-50. Later editions from New Falcon can be even more affordable.



The third of those commentaries books, The commentaries of AL: Being the Equinox Vol. V, no. 1 is spurious, confusing and over-editorialized by its editor. Definitely NOT worth the $250-500 I see it go for these days. This book is only for Motta-philes and Equinox completists who already have Nos. 2-4 of Motta's Vol. V.



A new, re-edited and expanded edition of the Commentaries of Liber Al has been more recently released by Hymaneaus Beta The Law Is for All: The Authorized Popular Commentary of Liber Al Vel Legis Sub Figura Ccxx, the Book of the Law and is very affordable for the student. Again, there's a bit of controversy-- some people claim that this edition is "more edited" than Regardie's, however, those involved in the production of the book say that the Wilkinson edit used in this edition was composed under the direction of Crowley, and that this edition is much closer to Crowley's intended vision of the Commentaries than any other previously published.



(Those genuinely curious on the subject of edited material may find the various unexpurgated versions that are freely available on the Internet quite useful for comparative purposes-- I did so, and in the end, found that many of the inclusions or exclusions told more about the editor's affiliations and prejudices than it told about the actual mysteries of the Holy Books, and that most of the other edits were usually relatively minor.)



The verdict: Any student of Crowley's should find either Regardie's or Hymenaeus Beta's edition sufficient, however this newest edition has an introduction by the material's original editor, the late Louis Wilkinson, annotations, reading lists and indexes not found in Regardie's edition. These are instructive to any beginning student, and as such contribute a lot to the students understanding of the text.



The less "orthodox" Thelemites are also advised to seek out "The Genesis of the Book of the Law" by David Allan Hulse, and learn the sometimes bizzare coincidences and more bizzare discrepancies surrounding The Book Of The Law.