The Stratagem and other Stories
Encyclopedia
"The Stratagem and other Stories" was a small book of short stories written by Aleister Crowley
(1875-1947), occult magician, poet and self-proclaimed prophet of a new Æon.
The book was originally published in 1929 and one of a series of Crowley's works to be published on the new Mandrake Press
label after a difficult period in which Crowley found it difficult to publish due both to financing and notoriety. The works published by Mandrake Press in 1929 were The Confessions of Aleister Crowley
volumes I and II, and Moonchild.
Crowley hardly ever published collections of short stories, but the title story received such a good review from British novelist Joseph Conrad
when he published it in The English Review
that he thought it was a possible calling to conventional fame. "The Testament of Magdalen Blair" is the longer of the three and was originally published in "The Equinox" volume I, no.9 in 1913. It tells the haunting story of a psychic woman who delves into the dying, subconscious psyche of her husband and bears resemblance to Edgar Allan Poe
's "Mesmeric Revelation" and "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
". The third short story, "His Secret Sin", was first published in "The Equinox" volume I, no.8 in 1912 and has a pervert absconding a photograph of the Venus de Milo
.
The inscription at the front of the book read:
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
(1875-1947), occult magician, poet and self-proclaimed prophet of a new Æon.
Contents
| 121 | His Secret Sin | http://www.the-equinox.org/vol1/no8/eqi08006.html |
The book was originally published in 1929 and one of a series of Crowley's works to be published on the new Mandrake Press
Mandrake Press
The Mandrake Press was a British small press founded by Edward Goldston and P. R. Stephensen in 1929. In 1930 the company had financial problems and a consortium led by Aleister Crowley formed Mandrake Press Ltd. The new consortium was equally unsuccessful and the company was dissolved in 1930.In...
label after a difficult period in which Crowley found it difficult to publish due both to financing and notoriety. The works published by Mandrake Press in 1929 were The Confessions of Aleister Crowley
The Confessions of Aleister Crowley
The Confessions of Aleister Crowley : An Autohagiography, by Aleister Crowley , is a book written in six parts, the first two parts published in 1929. It is subtitled "An Autohagiography" which refers to the autobiography of a Saint, a title which Crowley would also have associated with the...
volumes I and II, and Moonchild.
Crowley hardly ever published collections of short stories, but the title story received such a good review from British novelist Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad was a Polish-born English novelist.Conrad is regarded as one of the great novelists in English, although he did not speak the language fluently until he was in his twenties...
when he published it in The English Review
The English Review
The English Review was an English-language literary magazine published in London from 1908 to 1937. At its peak, the journal published some of the leading writers of its day.-History:...
that he thought it was a possible calling to conventional fame. "The Testament of Magdalen Blair" is the longer of the three and was originally published in "The Equinox" volume I, no.9 in 1913. It tells the haunting story of a psychic woman who delves into the dying, subconscious psyche of her husband and bears resemblance to Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
's "Mesmeric Revelation" and "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
"The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" is a short story by American author Edgar Allan Poe about a mesmerist who puts a man in a suspended hypnotic state at the moment of death. An example of a tale of suspense and horror, it is also, to a certain degree, a hoax as it was published without claiming...
". The third short story, "His Secret Sin", was first published in "The Equinox" volume I, no.8 in 1912 and has a pervert absconding a photograph of the Venus de Milo
Venus de Milo
Aphrodite of Milos , better known as the Venus de Milo, is an ancient Greek statue and one of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture. Created at some time between 130 and 100 BC, it is believed to depict Aphrodite the Greek goddess of love and beauty. It is a marble sculpture, slightly...
.
The inscription at the front of the book read:
To the Memories of Three Dead Friends: Joseph Conrad, who applauded the first story; Allan Bennett, Bhikku Ananda Metteya, who suggested the second, and Eugene John Weiland, who bowled me out over the third.
See also
- Collected Works of Aleister Crowley 1905-1907Collected Works of Aleister Crowley 1905-1907The Collected Works of Aleister Crowley 1905-1907 was originally a trilogy of books published by the occultist, magician, and self-proclaimed prophet of Thelema, Aleister Crowley during his early career as student of magick, and is now considered among his very numerous rarities.- Collected Works...
- Works of Aleister CrowleyWorks of Aleister CrowleyAleister Crowley —mystic, occultist, and mountaineer—was a highly prolific writer, not only on the topic of Thelema and magick, but on philosophy, politics, and culture. He was also a published poet and playwright and left behind a large number of personal letters and daily journal entries...
- Libri of Aleister CrowleyLibri of Aleister CrowleyThe Libri of Aleister Crowley is a list of texts mostly written or adapted by Aleister Crowley. Some are attributed to other authors. The list was intended for students of Crowley's magical order, the A∴A∴....
- Clouds without WaterClouds without WaterClouds without Water is a poetry collection by Aleister Crowley , an English author, occult magician, mountaineer and founder of the religious philosophy of Thelema. Clouds without Water was one of many of Crowley's eccentric works published in his lifetime and was first seen in 1909...