A Star in the West

Alta

Title:The Star In The West: A Critical Essay Upon The Works Of Aleister Crowley
Author: Fuller, J. F. C.
ISBN:142861883X

I have never come across this book before. Does anyone have any comments, as in, is it worth reading?
 

ravenest

Yes, read it. But remember Fuller wrote the essay to win a competetion, which he did. The competition was basically the best essay about A.C. (guess who ran the competition?)

Check Fuller out, I reckon the guy is amazing. He was a very mystical magical major general (no this is NOT Gilbert and Sulivan) in the British army. he wrote theories of warfare to make his own army and country invincible yet the British authorities were not interested, so he published the book about it instead of having the army use it. The Nazis thought the theories worth while and adopted them, developing their style of blitzkrieg (sic?) warfare from them and laying waste to most of Europe.

He was a great poet/prose writer and wrote long 'prayers' for each astrological sign .... to be continued
(kicked out of library)
 

ravenest

(now someone else kicked out ... grabbed theirs he he)

In a collection called The Treasuer House of Images (images like; "Oh my God, Oh my God, all my toil is as a small white mouse swimming in an ocean of blood ...") Crowley prfixed each one of his Rites of Eleusis with one of these astrological writings by Fuller.

Also he was a brilliant ... BRILLIANT ! occult artist. His use of form and colour (and subject matter) seems very modern (for a pos-Victorian Army General!) WELL worth hunting down to have a look at.

As far as the essay goes, I cant remember much about it, I read it some time ago. But I would read anything of Fullers (even a 'suck up' to AC) just to get a further inight into this little known occult genius.
 

Aeon418

I'm not sure if I would or wouldn't recommend The Star in the West. Fuller did write it in a very fan-boy, over blown, and gushing style. Probably because he wanted to win the £100 that Crowley offered. (I don't think he ever got it. :laugh:)

Bear in mind that up to the date when The Star in the West was published (1907) Crowley had really only printed his own poetry and one or two philosophical essays. That's what you find in this book. It's a commentary on Crowley's early poetry.
There's no comment on magical works or Thelema. At that time Crowley had lost the manuscript to Liber AL.
 

Alta

So, try and find other material by Fuller but this particuliar piece may well not be worth it. Thank you both.
 

Aeon418

Marion said:
So, try and find other material by Fuller but this particuliar piece may well not be worth it. Thank you both.
I'm not sure I would even go that far. Maybe ravenest sees something in Fuller's writing that I don't. (or maybe he has read more Fuller) It may be just a matter of style, but in my opinion J.FC. Fuller graduated from the same overly verbose, obfuscatory school of writing as A.E.Waite, and that should tell you something. :laugh:
 

ravenest

Aeon418 said:
I'm not sure I would even go that far. Maybe ravenest sees something in Fuller's writing that I don't. (or maybe he has read more Fuller) It may be just a matter of style, but in my opinion J.FC. Fuller graduated from the same overly verbose, obfuscatory school of writing as A.E.Waite, and that should tell you something. :laugh:

Ahhh, overly verbose, obfuscatory ... my favorite :)
No I have'nt read much Fuller except the Treasuer House of Images (which I should have stated above also includes as well as writings / hymns/ prayers / ? to the astrological signs,also to the Sephiroth, phases of the Moon and 168{I think} stella adorations). I think these are well worth reading, especially when he starts going backwards and dissolves into nothingness.

I'm wondering if Fullers winning entry was the only entry ;)

Have you ever seen his artwork?

PS. What happened to the eye (a pentagram now!)? Has it been sent out on a mission or have you gone Wiccan?
 

Aeon418

ravenest said:
No I have'nt read much Fuller except the Treasuer House of Images
Try reading Fuller's contributions to the first four installments of The Temple of Solomon the King. He talks a lot but he ain't saying much. :laugh:
ravenest said:
I'm wondering if Fullers winning entry was the only entry ;)
Actually it was the only entry. He couldn't fail to win. :laugh:
ravenest said:
Have you ever seen his artwork?
Yep!
http://www.foolsrealm.com/artexhibit/hist/fuller2120.jpg

http://www.foolsrealm.com/artexhibit/hist/fullerG1120.jpg
ravenest said:
PS. What happened to the eye (a pentagram now!)? Has it been sent out on a mission or have you gone Wiccan?
Stooping down, dipping my wings, I came unto the darkly-splendid abodes. There in that formless abyss was I made a partaker of the Mysteries Averse. Liber LXV.
 

ravenest

Thanks for the links. I wonder what a JFC Fuller tarot would have looked like?
I'd buy one if it came out (or winge and try to get someone else to buy me one ;) )