Dubbed the 'great beast', Aleister Crowley has a terrifying reputation. He dabbled in the occult, was addicted to opiates, was admired and befriended by a host of celebrities, and many who associated with him died tragically in mysterious circumstances. Here, in this new and challenging appraisal of Crowley's life, Roger Hutchinson lifts the smokescreen of mythology to reveal a truly astonishing figure.