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The Simon Iff Stories & Other Works
This volume brings together two series of short fiction by the poet, writer and religious philosopher Aleister Crowley (1875-1947). It includes the first complete publication of Simple Simon, the detective series featuring Crowley's most memorable fictional creation, the mystic-magician-philosopher-psychoanalyst-detective Simon Iff. The idealised Crowley in old age, Simon Iff is wise, knowing and unfailingly humorous as he applied psychoanalysis, Taoism and his own religious philosophy of Thelema to divine the depths of human nature and solve a wide array of crimes and mysteries.
The six Scrutinies of Simon Iff stories are set in France and England, anchored by Iff's beloved Hemlock Club. The twelve Simon Iff in America stories afford Crowley's penetrating insights into America as he found it during his residence from 1914 to 1919. His three Simon Iff Abroad stories take the reader to tribal North Africa, inaccessible Central Africa and to the high seas. The two Simon Iff Psychoanalyst stories were among the earliest tales to use the new science of psychoanalysis to solve mysteries. Also included is Crowley's other major short fiction series, the eight stories of his legendary Golden Twigs, which were inspired by Sir J.G. Frazer's encyclopedic study of myth and religion in history, The Golden Bough.
The six Scrutinies of Simon Iff stories are set in France and England, anchored by Iff's beloved Hemlock Club. The twelve Simon Iff in America stories afford Crowley's penetrating insights into America as he found it during his residence from 1914 to 1919. His three Simon Iff Abroad stories take the reader to tribal North Africa, inaccessible Central Africa and to the high seas. The two Simon Iff Psychoanalyst stories were among the earliest tales to use the new science of psychoanalysis to solve mysteries. Also included is Crowley's other major short fiction series, the eight stories of his legendary Golden Twigs, which were inspired by Sir J.G. Frazer's encyclopedic study of myth and religion in history, The Golden Bough.
551 pages, Paperback
First published March 8, 2012
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About the author
Aleister Crowley
866 books1,878 followersAleister Crowley was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, novelist, mountaineer, and painter. He founded the religion of Thelema, proclaiming himself as the prophet destined to guide humanity into the Æon of Horus in the early 20th century. A prolific writer, Crowley published extensively throughout his life.
Born Edward Alexander Crowley in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, he was raised in a wealthy family adhering to the fundamentalist Christian Plymouth Brethren faith. Crowley rejected his religious upbringing, developing an interest in Western esotericism. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge, focusing on mountaineering and poetry, and published several works during this period. In 1898, he joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, receiving training in ceremonial magic from Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and Allan Bennett. His travels took him to Mexico for mountaineering with Oscar Eckenstein and to India, where he studied Hindu and Buddhist practices.
In 1904, during a honeymoon in Cairo with his wife Rose Edith Kelly, Crowley claimed to have received "The Book of the Law" from a supernatural entity named Aiwass. This text became the foundation of Thelema, announcing the onset of the Æon of Horus and introducing the central tenet: "Do what thou wilt." Crowley emphasized that individuals should align with their True Will through ceremonial magic.
After an unsuccessful expedition to Kanchenjunga in 1905 and further travels in India and China, Crowley returned to Britain. There, he co-founded the esoteric order A∴A∴ with George Cecil Jones in 1907 to promote Thelema. In 1912, he joined the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), eventually leading its British branch and reformulating it according to Thelemic principles. Crowley spent World War I in the United States, engaging in painting and writing pro-German propaganda, which biographers later suggested was a cover for British intelligence activities.
In 1920, Crowley established the Abbey of Thelema, a religious commune in Cefalù, Sicily. His libertine lifestyle attracted negative attention from the British press, leading to his expulsion by the Italian government in 1923. He spent subsequent years in France, Germany, and England, continuing to promote Thelema until his death in 1947.
Crowley's notoriety stemmed from his recreational drug use, bisexuality, and criticism of societal norms. Despite controversy, he significantly influenced Western esotericism and the 1960s counterculture, and remains a central figure in Thelema.
Born Edward Alexander Crowley in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, he was raised in a wealthy family adhering to the fundamentalist Christian Plymouth Brethren faith. Crowley rejected his religious upbringing, developing an interest in Western esotericism. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge, focusing on mountaineering and poetry, and published several works during this period. In 1898, he joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, receiving training in ceremonial magic from Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and Allan Bennett. His travels took him to Mexico for mountaineering with Oscar Eckenstein and to India, where he studied Hindu and Buddhist practices.
In 1904, during a honeymoon in Cairo with his wife Rose Edith Kelly, Crowley claimed to have received "The Book of the Law" from a supernatural entity named Aiwass. This text became the foundation of Thelema, announcing the onset of the Æon of Horus and introducing the central tenet: "Do what thou wilt." Crowley emphasized that individuals should align with their True Will through ceremonial magic.
After an unsuccessful expedition to Kanchenjunga in 1905 and further travels in India and China, Crowley returned to Britain. There, he co-founded the esoteric order A∴A∴ with George Cecil Jones in 1907 to promote Thelema. In 1912, he joined the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), eventually leading its British branch and reformulating it according to Thelemic principles. Crowley spent World War I in the United States, engaging in painting and writing pro-German propaganda, which biographers later suggested was a cover for British intelligence activities.
In 1920, Crowley established the Abbey of Thelema, a religious commune in Cefalù, Sicily. His libertine lifestyle attracted negative attention from the British press, leading to his expulsion by the Italian government in 1923. He spent subsequent years in France, Germany, and England, continuing to promote Thelema until his death in 1947.
Crowley's notoriety stemmed from his recreational drug use, bisexuality, and criticism of societal norms. Despite controversy, he significantly influenced Western esotericism and the 1960s counterculture, and remains a central figure in Thelema.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 12, 2013
I have a rather strict personal policy of finishing books I've started, but less than a week after starting, this one was seriously testing my resolve. Ultimately, I persevered largely due to mention in other reviews of the Golden Twigs portion of the book as somewhat worthwhile.* About 3 weeks later, with several breaks and a slew of palate cleansing YA fluff tomes, I'm finally able to get this out of my life.
I noticed a remark by another reviewer that this book was not quite so racist as feared. I would say quite the opposite. Barely through the first fifth of it, I had already slammed the book shut in disgust several times. Obviously, these stories being written nigh on a good hundred years ago, you can't expect them to reflect contemporary moral sensibilities. But things like 'I should like here to make the point that she was a sex-degenerate, like his mother; for all white women who marry coloured men must be classed as such.' (p.106)? Or '"Scratch the Russian and you find the Tatar?" Well, scratch the Scotchman and you have a being who can give points and a beating to the Chinese or the Red Indian.' (p.124)?
I might have been able to wince my way through the rank racial generalisations and overt misogyny with a bit less grumbling if the mysteries had indeed been '...the greatest sensation since Sherlock Holmes.' (p. 12, quoted from September 1917 issue of the Crowley edited literary monthly 'The International'). Some of the stories had well written, captivating openings. However, none of the deductions or "psychological" analyses have impressed me. There has never been a "Wow!" moment like the ones Arthur Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie have been able to elicit from me, just contrived explanations. Simon Iff just brings to mind a description of annoying adolescent hipsters I think I picked up from the NME: some dude who wears a trilby and tape measure tie and walks around with a biscuit tin JUST BECAUSE. The rendering of Simon Iff's "offbeat" intelligence and brilliance is neither intelligent nor brilliant. The character is nothing more than someone utterly pleased with himself despite essentially being an utter moron, smugly tottering around with a biscuit tin waiting for an opportunity to be wacky and offer a stranger an unsolicited biscuit out of the blue. In his mind, the biscuit tin is delightfully inspired BECAUSE HE'S SO KOOKY AND UNIQUE, but really it's just a sad device used in a desperate attempt to draw attention to his self perceived genius and garner some praise from others. Considering how Simon Iff is supposed to be some kind of flattering reflection of the author, the Crowley quote mentioned in the editor's notes (re. his birthplace, Warwickshire: 'strange coincidence that one small county should have given England her two greatest poets - for one must not forget Shakespeare.' from his "Confessions") seems to capture how grossly and falsely self-agrandising this whole exercise really is.
I held off on the star rating until I'd made my way through the Golden Twigs portion. These were marginally better. Most read like parables without any clear governing principles. I can however recall just the one story as being possibly likable on its own - rather sweet even - and with an ending that was mildly amusing rather than pointless. I will admit to not being familiar with The Golden Bough at all. Some light research after the fact makes me think I may have been even more warmly inclined if I'd been better versed with this inspirational material, especially considering how 95% of the minimal joy I was able to derive from this book came from the historical/character backgrounds provided in the 'Notes and Sources' at the end.
In sum: the appendix was rather interesting; some of Golden Twigs was ok; Simon Iff = UUGGGGGH.
* The ONLY other reason I kept reading: the drink recipe, Crowley Cup No. 3 - 'Take a large jug, the larger the better; half fill with selected strawberries; cover the fruit with Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge; ice carefully; fill up with iced champagne, the best obtainable. Stir the mixture; drink it; order more, and repeat.' (p.101) - had me holding out for more in-story foodie moments. According to the final notes, 'Crowley was an innovative chef who gained a reputation for dinner-parties featuring his unusually hot curries; he left dozens of recipes that are being collected for publication.' (p.539) Examples of other offerings from these miserable tales:
-... a savoury invented by himself consisting of Toast Melba spread with mushrooms, anchovies, olives and pimento made into a paste. This was covered with bay-leaves, on which was spread a mixture of caviar, raw onions, ginseng and Bombay Duck, sprinkled lightly with powdered hashish. ... Cocktails consisting of two teaspoonfuls of liqueur brandy, one of Curacao and one of laudanum, preceded the repast. (p.268)
-For drink, he concluded, let there be a great stein of the old musty ale laced with a wine-glassful of gin and another of rum; flavour the mixture with a tablespoonful of crème de noyaux. (p.282)
I noticed a remark by another reviewer that this book was not quite so racist as feared. I would say quite the opposite. Barely through the first fifth of it, I had already slammed the book shut in disgust several times. Obviously, these stories being written nigh on a good hundred years ago, you can't expect them to reflect contemporary moral sensibilities. But things like 'I should like here to make the point that she was a sex-degenerate, like his mother; for all white women who marry coloured men must be classed as such.' (p.106)? Or '"Scratch the Russian and you find the Tatar?" Well, scratch the Scotchman and you have a being who can give points and a beating to the Chinese or the Red Indian.' (p.124)?
I might have been able to wince my way through the rank racial generalisations and overt misogyny with a bit less grumbling if the mysteries had indeed been '...the greatest sensation since Sherlock Holmes.' (p. 12, quoted from September 1917 issue of the Crowley edited literary monthly 'The International'). Some of the stories had well written, captivating openings. However, none of the deductions or "psychological" analyses have impressed me. There has never been a "Wow!" moment like the ones Arthur Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie have been able to elicit from me, just contrived explanations. Simon Iff just brings to mind a description of annoying adolescent hipsters I think I picked up from the NME: some dude who wears a trilby and tape measure tie and walks around with a biscuit tin JUST BECAUSE. The rendering of Simon Iff's "offbeat" intelligence and brilliance is neither intelligent nor brilliant. The character is nothing more than someone utterly pleased with himself despite essentially being an utter moron, smugly tottering around with a biscuit tin waiting for an opportunity to be wacky and offer a stranger an unsolicited biscuit out of the blue. In his mind, the biscuit tin is delightfully inspired BECAUSE HE'S SO KOOKY AND UNIQUE, but really it's just a sad device used in a desperate attempt to draw attention to his self perceived genius and garner some praise from others. Considering how Simon Iff is supposed to be some kind of flattering reflection of the author, the Crowley quote mentioned in the editor's notes (re. his birthplace, Warwickshire: 'strange coincidence that one small county should have given England her two greatest poets - for one must not forget Shakespeare.' from his "Confessions") seems to capture how grossly and falsely self-agrandising this whole exercise really is.
I held off on the star rating until I'd made my way through the Golden Twigs portion. These were marginally better. Most read like parables without any clear governing principles. I can however recall just the one story as being possibly likable on its own - rather sweet even - and with an ending that was mildly amusing rather than pointless. I will admit to not being familiar with The Golden Bough at all. Some light research after the fact makes me think I may have been even more warmly inclined if I'd been better versed with this inspirational material, especially considering how 95% of the minimal joy I was able to derive from this book came from the historical/character backgrounds provided in the 'Notes and Sources' at the end.
In sum: the appendix was rather interesting; some of Golden Twigs was ok; Simon Iff = UUGGGGGH.
* The ONLY other reason I kept reading: the drink recipe, Crowley Cup No. 3 - 'Take a large jug, the larger the better; half fill with selected strawberries; cover the fruit with Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge; ice carefully; fill up with iced champagne, the best obtainable. Stir the mixture; drink it; order more, and repeat.' (p.101) - had me holding out for more in-story foodie moments. According to the final notes, 'Crowley was an innovative chef who gained a reputation for dinner-parties featuring his unusually hot curries; he left dozens of recipes that are being collected for publication.' (p.539) Examples of other offerings from these miserable tales:
-... a savoury invented by himself consisting of Toast Melba spread with mushrooms, anchovies, olives and pimento made into a paste. This was covered with bay-leaves, on which was spread a mixture of caviar, raw onions, ginseng and Bombay Duck, sprinkled lightly with powdered hashish. ... Cocktails consisting of two teaspoonfuls of liqueur brandy, one of Curacao and one of laudanum, preceded the repast. (p.268)
-For drink, he concluded, let there be a great stein of the old musty ale laced with a wine-glassful of gin and another of rum; flavour the mixture with a tablespoonful of crème de noyaux. (p.282)
May 9, 2013
This is a marvelous and affordable collection of Aleister Crowley's "Simon Iff" detective series and his "Golden Twigs" series of stories inspired by Frazier's "Golden Bough." This collection is published as companion volume to "The Drug and Other Stories (Tales of Mystery & the Supernatural)." The character of Simon Iff is himself an idealized character of the author, Crowley.
This contains all six of the stories originally included in the Teitan edition The Scrutinies of Simon Iff, and a number of other Iff stories not included in that volume, almost 600 pages of rare, if not previously unpublished Crowley material. Long unavailable except occasionally through privately published pamphlets of individual stories from Crowley esotericists, this is the first time since their original publication almost a century ago that they all have been collected and anthologized. Quite entertaining in its own right, Crowley's fiction is a delight to read. One hopes that the publishers will compile Crowley's rarer poems and plays in a similar companion volume.
This contains all six of the stories originally included in the Teitan edition The Scrutinies of Simon Iff, and a number of other Iff stories not included in that volume, almost 600 pages of rare, if not previously unpublished Crowley material. Long unavailable except occasionally through privately published pamphlets of individual stories from Crowley esotericists, this is the first time since their original publication almost a century ago that they all have been collected and anthologized. Quite entertaining in its own right, Crowley's fiction is a delight to read. One hopes that the publishers will compile Crowley's rarer poems and plays in a similar companion volume.
February 27, 2022
"Simon Iff, insanlar öldüğü zaman onlar hakkında "göçüp gitti" ya da "aramızdan ayrıldı" denmesinden nefret ederdi, çünkü her türlü kamuflajdan nefret ediyordu." Sf 14
June 6, 2012
The under-appreciated and under-valued work of Crowley is found in his fiction. While it certainly doesn't make any kind of Top 10 list in a fancy newspaper, when compared to the rest of his corpus, The Simon Iff Stories & Other Works stands out as a collection of some of Crowley's best work and a worthy companion to
The Drug and Other Stories
. The stories are compelling and interesting. They flow from beginning to end with a logic, simplicity, and intrigue that rivals many of the best detective stories of his day and are equal to many stories of our own time. It is refreshing to finally see Crowley's genius published in a manner that is affordable and accessible.
November 8, 2020
Despite what other reviewers have said I actually enjoyed these stories quite a bit! I’m usually not a huge fan of detective stories but the novelty of the 20th century occultist Aleister Crowley penning these attracted me to try it out... It is also quite obvious that Simon Iff is an idealised version of what Crowley hoped to age into himself. In fact, many of the other characters that appear in the story are also based on real people Crowley had met, both friends and enemies. It seems most of the stories were written during his time in the U.S.A. These are not your average Sherlock Holmes style mysteries, a lot of the solutions involve psychological and other mind tricks... Mind you, like the rest of his fiction it is not great, but it’s decent enough. He wrote these as pulp for a magazine he was editing while in the US. A lot of the principles of magick that he is more known for also come into play in the stories as well.
Now, it is no secret that Crowley was a bit of a racist. It was unfortunately more common at the time these stories were written. But I also think that Crowley was not as racist as some of his other contemporaries (like H.P. Lovecraft for example). And despite a few observations and comments that would be totally inappropriate now, for the most part I think Crowley was actually more sympathetic to the hard life of African-Americans at the time. He at least has an appreciation for the cultures of others as evidenced in the stories found in “Iff Abroad.”
The final batch of stories in this anthology are not Simon Iff stories at all, but they were definitely my favourite of the bunch. They were part of a smaller Anthology called “Golden Twigs” which were largely inspired J.G. Frazer’s “The Golden Bough.” These stories largely feature uses of sympathetic magic and other sorts of rituals. Quite a few of these are set in ancient Greece and read like fantasy stories from “Astounding Tales.” Almost all of them end with the so-called “bad guys” winning out through the use of magick.
Not a literary masterpiece by any means, but still a fun read for those willing to give it a try.
Now, it is no secret that Crowley was a bit of a racist. It was unfortunately more common at the time these stories were written. But I also think that Crowley was not as racist as some of his other contemporaries (like H.P. Lovecraft for example). And despite a few observations and comments that would be totally inappropriate now, for the most part I think Crowley was actually more sympathetic to the hard life of African-Americans at the time. He at least has an appreciation for the cultures of others as evidenced in the stories found in “Iff Abroad.”
The final batch of stories in this anthology are not Simon Iff stories at all, but they were definitely my favourite of the bunch. They were part of a smaller Anthology called “Golden Twigs” which were largely inspired J.G. Frazer’s “The Golden Bough.” These stories largely feature uses of sympathetic magic and other sorts of rituals. Quite a few of these are set in ancient Greece and read like fantasy stories from “Astounding Tales.” Almost all of them end with the so-called “bad guys” winning out through the use of magick.
Not a literary masterpiece by any means, but still a fun read for those willing to give it a try.
February 18, 2020
[Read this as part of my Insane-Read-All-Sources-League-Of-Extraordinary-Gentlemen-Project]
Crowley isn't half the writer he thinks he is. Alan Moore's fascination with him continues to baffle me, although it's possible that he respects him less as a storyteller and more as a provocateur and role-model.
The Simon Iff stories (85% of the book) are dull and self-indulgent, with the occasional ham-handed attempt to titillate. The Golden Twigs (the remaining 15%) are short stories referencing the Golden Bough (Frazer's MASSIVE treatise on folk religion and ceremonial magic), and they are far more compelling, although reading the Golden Bough just to get the references is probably not going to be worth the average reader's time.
So mote it be.
Crowley isn't half the writer he thinks he is. Alan Moore's fascination with him continues to baffle me, although it's possible that he respects him less as a storyteller and more as a provocateur and role-model.
The Simon Iff stories (85% of the book) are dull and self-indulgent, with the occasional ham-handed attempt to titillate. The Golden Twigs (the remaining 15%) are short stories referencing the Golden Bough (Frazer's MASSIVE treatise on folk religion and ceremonial magic), and they are far more compelling, although reading the Golden Bough just to get the references is probably not going to be worth the average reader's time.
So mote it be.
November 1, 2022
The titular Simon Iff stories are rather miserable examples of detective fiction; the Golden Twigs tales hold up a little better, but they're nothing that hasn't been rendered with more panache by other hands. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/202...
December 29, 2016
Interesting and somewhat odd, but that was only to be expected. Preferred the Simon Iff stories to the Golden Twigs at the end. He does seem to have a lot of disturbed women as characters.
October 31, 2012
Not as racist as I feared... Simon Iff is a clever variation of the consulting detective a la Holmes, but also a mystic and a little bit cantankerous. Quite funny even. Other Works included in this compilation are all of Crowley's "Golden Twigs", stories based on "The Golden Bough", about pagan ritual or magick. They come close to some of some of Arthur Machen's works and are quite unique little fantasies. But darkly.
September 26, 2012
An entertaining, if patchy, read; particularly the Simon Iff stories, where the mystic Simon Iff (a thinly-veiled, idealised older version of Crowley) uses his psychological and mystical insights to solve with ease crimes and problems baffling the lesser mortals around him. The Golden Twigs draw upon J G Frazer's 'The Golden Bough' to explore mythological themes in the form of short stories. Definitely worth reading for anyone with an interest in Crowley.
November 19, 2013
Pungent effluvia from a mind supremely overconfident in its own depth and literary originality. The stories are duller than cow’s teeth, pretentious, and usually stupid. If you are interested in Crowley, start elsewhere.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews