The Beast.
Canada: Privately printed, 1988. Pirated Edition. Softcover. Octavo. 140pp (+ 4pp. adverts). Plain white covers lettered in black on upper cover, black cloth tape spine over binding stapled. Appears to be a pirated copy of the 1951 Ballantine paperback original - reproducing the original Ballantine covers, preliminaries and end matter on pages at the front and rear. It has no publication details other than a few lines added to the verso of the title-page, indicating that it is a "Second Edition" of the work, republished in facsimile from the original, in Canada in 1988. The book itself is a 'trash paperback' biography of Crowley, who, according to the original rear cover: "Practiced Sex Magic and Worshiped Satan - Founded a religion Based on Drugs and Debauchery - Branded his wives and drove them insane." This copy from the collection of Clive Harper with his discreet book-label neatly tipped in at the rear. Harper is well- known as the bibliographer of Austin Osman Spare, for updating the Aleister Crowley bibliography in the 2011 Teitan Press collection of Gerald Yorke's writings, and as someone who has lent his expertise to numerous other publications. Very light wear and a few faint spots to covers, What looks like offset browning on both sides of first leaf, else a tight and unmarked VG+ copy. Unusual. Item #69776
Price: $50.00