Sex Magicians: The Lives and Spiritual Practices of Paschal Beverly Randolph, Aleister Crowley, Jack Parsons, Marjorie Cameron, Anton LaVey, and Others

by Michael William West, Hannah Haddix (Foreword)

An in-depth look at the lives and occult practices of 12 influential practitioners of sex magic from the 19th century to the present day

• Explores the background and sexual magical beliefs of Paschal Beverly Randolph, Ida Craddock, Aleister Crowley, Maria de Naglowska, Austin Osman Spare, Julius Evola, Franz Bardon, Jack Parsons, William S. Burroughs, Marjorie Cameron, Anton LaVey, and Genesis P-Orridge
• Details the life of each sex magician, how they came to uncover their occult practice, and, most importantly, how the practice of sex magic affected their lives

Offering a fascinating introduction to the occult practice of sex magic in the Western esoteric tradition, Michael William West explores its history from its reintroduction in the early 19th century via Paschal Beverly Randolph to the practices, influence, and figureheads of the 20th and 21st century such as Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan, and Genesis P-Orridge, founder of Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth.

Focusing on 12 influential sex magicians, some well-known and some who have remained in obscurity, West details the life of each sex magician and how the practice of sex magic affected their lives. He explains how most of the figures presented in the book used sex magic as a means rather than an end, utilizing their practice to enhance and enrich their life’s work, whether in the arts, sciences, or as a spiritual leader. He examines what is known about Paschal Beverly Randolph, the founding father of modern sex magic, explores the tragic and mystical life of Ida Craddock, and discusses, in depth, iconic figures like Aleister Crowley and Austin Osman Spare, who saw sex magic as a source of artistic power and is now seen as a prophet of the chaos magick movement. Other sex magicians explored deployed magic to drive themselves to the highest echelons of achievement: in literature, William S. Burroughs; in music, Genesis P-Orridge; and in science, Jack Parsons, who openly used magic while making unconventional breakthroughs in rocket science. The author also examines Maria de Naglowska, Julius Evola, Franz Bardon, Marjorie Cameron, and Anton Szandor LaVey.

While these sex magicians each followed a different spiritual path and had varying degrees of notoriety and infamy, one common thread emerges from looking at their interesting lives: utilizing magic to know thyself and change your reality is a journey that requires imagination, creativity, and self-awareness to the quest for enlightenment.

Genres: Nonfiction, Occult, Sexuality, Biography, Magick, Spirituality, History

256 pages, Paperback

Published March 30, 2021

About the author

Michael William West is an author and filmmaker from Paris, France. He has been a student of the occult and practitioner of left-hand traditions for almost 20 years. He writes for A Void magazine and released the film, 9 Circles: Limbo. He lives in Paris.

Reviews

[Walter Five · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes interesting overviews, but the book should have been fact-checked a bit better, the author's memory fails him on a number of occasions, for example, Byron Gison employed the Master *Musicians* of Jajouka in his Arabian Nights restaurant in Tangiers, NOT 'The Master Magicians of Jajouka'... so verify everything before you cite this book in a paper, or use it to prove a literary/occult point, it has errors. The best part of the book is the Bibliography.

[Scott Holstad · Rating 1 out of 5]

I barely know what to say about this, aside from I don't know what the hell I was thinking when I got it! I guess cause I grew up reading Crowley, LaVey and some others, I thought it could be interesting. Nope, wrong. Not recommended, even for fans.

[Carmilla Voiez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed these short biographies of mages and sorcerers.

[Chris Healey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting overview of the key characters. I enjoyed how the author humanised a lot of these larger than life personalities with details & observations that aren’t often talked about. I almost skipped the chapter on LaVey with rolled eyes but it wasn’t out of place at all & makes you appreciate his role in the grander story.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I already knew about half of the stuff in this book after reading about Crowley and Jack Parsons but the book was simultaneously one of the funniest and most disgusting books I have ever read. I listened as I did my morning walk and laughed out loud many times.

These kinds of books leave more questions than they answer and remind me of James Burkes “Connections”. One connection leads to another and you end up having a list of other books to read to verify the crazy stories that the author quotes.

I should listen again and take notes. There is so much crazy stuff that it can’t be true but the impact on popular culture is huge so it is worth knowing about.

[Tod Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

This potentially fascinating book is irredeemably marred by the author's abysmal and at times nearly incomprehensible writing, and by his many careless factual errors. Throughout the book I wondered again and again how any editor could permit it to be published in its present state. He or she is either grossly derelict or supremely unqualified, and should certainly seek employment in some other field.

Only someone indifferent to style and ignorant of history could read this book with pleasure.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot speak to the voracity of all of the details in this book, but it has certainly raised my interest in the lives of these magicians and their beliefs.

[John Cramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every man and every woman is a critic, err, I mean star!

[Hëck Lawërt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to read if you're a profane at this subject

[Nathaniel Owen · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was there, so I read it. And I read it, so I might as well review it.

Hyperbolic, too charitable to fantastical narratives, and a poor resource from which to learn about the related biographies, Sex Magicians might as well be labeled a work of complete fiction. This is part, I believe, of popular occultism in general. Crowley, for instance, couldn't be trusted to say a true word in his life. That was part of his charm. And such charm ought to be left to charmers and withheld from wannabe biographers.

I gave it 1 star because Goodreads won't let me offer any less.