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Laylah: The Life of Leila Waddell
Professional violinist, muse to the infamous Aleister Crowley.
Though Leila Waddell has become an iconic figure in twentieth century occultism, precise details of her life are mostly obscure. From her early years in Australia to her career as an international touring musician, her role as paramour and inspiration to the wickedest man in the world, and finally her return to home shores and tragic early death, The Life of Leila Waddell is the first and only biography of her to be published.
Thoroughly researched and lovingly written, Laylah shines a light on Leila’s extraordinary career as Australia’s ‘finest violiniste’ and puts to lie Crowley’s assertion that she was no more than a ‘fifth rate fiddler’. While Crowley did not name Leila as one of his Scarlet Women, her impact on his life cannot be denied.
Our Lady An Introduction
That Ease and Grace Which Shows a True Artist (1880-1909)
Agatha and Perdurabo (1910)
Laylah, My Night (1911)
It’s Nice to be a Devil When You’re One Like Me (1912-1913)
Love Alway Love Alway Hardeneth (1914-1923)
Marked by Charm and Refinement (1924-1932)
Bibliography
Though Leila Waddell has become an iconic figure in twentieth century occultism, precise details of her life are mostly obscure. From her early years in Australia to her career as an international touring musician, her role as paramour and inspiration to the wickedest man in the world, and finally her return to home shores and tragic early death, The Life of Leila Waddell is the first and only biography of her to be published.
Thoroughly researched and lovingly written, Laylah shines a light on Leila’s extraordinary career as Australia’s ‘finest violiniste’ and puts to lie Crowley’s assertion that she was no more than a ‘fifth rate fiddler’. While Crowley did not name Leila as one of his Scarlet Women, her impact on his life cannot be denied.
Our Lady An Introduction
That Ease and Grace Which Shows a True Artist (1880-1909)
Agatha and Perdurabo (1910)
Laylah, My Night (1911)
It’s Nice to be a Devil When You’re One Like Me (1912-1913)
Love Alway Love Alway Hardeneth (1914-1923)
Marked by Charm and Refinement (1924-1932)
Bibliography
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 14, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 6, 2025
The women who helped Aleister Crowley formulate Thelema are often relegated to the background, so I was very excited when I came across this book's listing on Amazon and immediately preordered it. Unfortunately, outside of a few newspaper articles, this biography is mostly informed through the myriad of books written about Crowley and from Crowley's writings. This leaves the image of Waddell in her biography to still be mostly defined through Aleister Crowley himself. After reading this book, I am left feeling like I didn't get any closer to understanding Waddell as a personality in her own right.
July 30, 2026
Well sourced
Lets the reader draw their own conclusions about the internality of the subjects, and is stronger for it. Well recommended.
Lets the reader draw their own conclusions about the internality of the subjects, and is stronger for it. Well recommended.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews