Sunday, July 6, 2014

READERS' POLL: What is the most important esoteric/magic book of the 20th century?

Image credit: Idea Venue

Dear readers,

Now that we are a decade or so removed from the 20th century, I began to wonder, what is the most important esoteric/magic book of the 20th century? For example: What book has had the most lasting impact? What book has been the most influential? What book has preserved an entire tradition? What book has the greatest potential? Perhaps more importantly, What book has changed the world? I thought I would let my readers decide.

How one defines "important" is up to the reader. As one can see below, the choices span a wide range of traditions. They also cover the entire century, from works written at the dawn of the 20th century, to books written at the century's close. One may also notice that the authors range from practicing magicians to folklorists. For the purpose of this poll I have included individual books and book series, as many series constitute a large single system of practices. Additionally, some books have been published as multiple volumes and later as single volumes. In other cases single books contain multiple books, as Crowley's Book Four also contains Liber AL vel Legis (The Book of the Law).

I have also included the choice of "Other", as there are assuredly many very important books not included in this list. Those choices can be written in the comments section below this post and will be included in the poll. You can find the poll in the column to the right. The poll will run for roughly 2 months, at the end of which a winner will be decided.

The choices are:
  • Magick: Liber ABA (Book Four) -- Aleister Crowley
  • The Secret Teachings of All Ages -- Manly P. Hall
  • Liber Null & Psychonaut -- Peter Carroll
  • The Book of Pleasure -- Austin Osman Spare
  • Drawing Down the Moon -- Margot Adler
  • The Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic -- Israel Regardie
  • The Typhonian Trilogies -- Kenneth Grant
  • The Kybalion -- The Three Initiates (William Walker Atkinson)
  • Azoetia -- Andrew Chumbley
  • Hoodoo - Conjuration - Witchcraft - Rootwork by H. M. Hyatt
  • Other?

*** Edit  10/4/2014

The results of the poll have been finalized. 

Over 160 readers voted on this (very unscientific) poll. It was very close. Andrew Chumbley's Azoetia received 20% of the votes. However, Crowley's Magick: Liber ABA (Book Four) received 21%, making it the narrow winner.

 So, What is the most important esoteric book (or series) of the 20th Century? 

According to my readers it is Crowley's Magick: Liber ABA (Book Four).

Congrats to The Beast 666 and congrats to the late Mr. Chumbley for a very close second.