CROWLEY, Aleister. New Foreword by Leslie Shepard. [ Martin P. Starr association copy ].

The Diary of a Drug Fiend [With the annotations from one of Crowley's own copies transcribed onto the margins and endpapers by Martin P. Starr].

New Hyde Park, NY: University Books, 1970. First Edition Thus. Hardcover. Octavo. x + 368 pp. White cloth with red title, etc. to spine. A reprint edition of Crowley's famous novel of addiction, magick and redemption. This copy heavily annotated by Crowley scholar Martin P. Starr, transcribing Crowley's own annotations. A couple of paragraphs in Starr's handwriting on the front pastedown explains "Notes copied from an annotated copy residing in the Lilly Library, Bloomington IN. All notes not in brackets are A[leister] C[rowley]'s. M.E.2. [Montgomery Evans II] writes 'This book was annotated from his own copy by Crowley and a Polish Countess who was his amanuensis of the moment. At Foyot's in Paris one night in Paris in late April 1928 ... The annotations are very complete, identifying most of the actual persons and incidents used by the author in his story. Inserted autograph card by the author.'" Well over 50 pages have annotations, ranging from a single word correction to a couple of paragraphs. Martin P. Starr is well known as the author of "The Unknown God", an essayist, editor of Crowley texts, and co-founder of the Teitan Press. With Starr's ownership signature above the text on the front pastedown, and one of his personalised "post it notes", with his name printed on it, loosely inserted for use as a book mark. Overall a tight, clean VG + copy in dust jacket (dust jacket a bit shelf worn, some uneven darkening, a few small chips and short tears at spine ends and corners, price clipped. Now in mylar cover.) A fascinating piece of Thelemic research history. Item #68188

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