This definitive work on the occultrsquo;s ldquo;great beastrdquo; traces the arc of his controversial life and influence on rock-and-roll giants; from the Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin to Black Sabbath. When Aleister Crowley died in 1947; he was not an obvious contender for the most enduring pop-culture figure of the next century. But twenty years later; Crowleyrsquo;s name and image were everywhere. The Beatles put him on the cover of Sgt. Pepperrsquo;s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The Rolling Stones were briefly serious devotees. Today; his visage hangs in goth clubs; occult temples; and college dorm rooms; and his methods of ceremonial magick animate the passions of myriad occultists and spiritual seekers.Aleister Crowley is more than just a biography of this compelling; controversial; and divisive figuremdash;itrsquo;s also a portrait of his unparalleled influence on modern pop culture.
#2888690 in eBooks 2007-01-31 2007-01-31File Name: B00DGW8Y2U
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Book for the Conscious ImaginationBy Richard Hiroshi KanekoMuller realizes the urgency of addressing the diversity of life on this planet; both within the anthropomorphic sphere and beyond; and sets a radical yet vital foundation for integrating two seemingly contradictory disciplines; ecology and architecture. The book uses the diagram; imaginative word play; and language to synthesize ecological concepts into architectural concepts that may be used as generators and foundations in design.Muller avoids many of the tropes in ecological design discourse by employing the syntax of ecology as a source of architectural imagination; rather than relying on biomimetic aesthetics or accessory/supplemental technological solutions. Consequently; no hard solutions to world problems are outlined in the book; instead; it remains intentionally esoteric so that the reader may interpret and imagine new concepts on a per project basis.The beauty in the book lies in Muller’s language. Incredibly dense; every sentence; every paragraph; stimulates the mind; filling you with colorful possibilities creative ideas for both current architectural work and the future of architecture in general. The book can be read for its thesis as explained above; as a source of spontaneous inspiration through Muller’s playful and evocative prose; or as a critical look at the role diagrams and language play in the way we think about and conceptualize architecture and design.I found the book lacking in tangible solutions and examples of ecological design; though I realize the success of the book lies in its address of a very specific area of design: that of the concept and imagination in architecture; or; the very beginning of the design process; in other words; it would not have made sense for Muller to include “solutions†in the book as he is providing inspiration and formula.An incredible read and highly recommended. Few books blend ecology and architecture into such a fluid and holistic set of concepts.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Architectures Entry into Ecological LiteracyBy William F. SmithTo the young architect searching for a beginning point regarding ecologically calibrated design process; Brook Muller has provided it.While an oversimplification; it is somewhat typical within current discussions of ecologically-active architecture to land within one of two general territories. At one extreme; the technically oriented case study of contemporary; or vernacular; projects that align with espoused ecological values. At the other; broader essays that delve into the ontological basis of "ecology" and how that might interact with the field of architecture."Ecology and the Architectural Imagination" meanwhile is placed within the rarely found territory between these two extremes. Muller begins by laying out a rich context of how ecosystems are currently understood to function and how the process of architecture may serve as an appropriate means of interacting with them. From here the book expands into a conversation of what an ecologically oriented process of architecture might be. From metaphor to language and the hybridization of eco-architectural concepts; Muller leads the reader through all the potential that such a generative process has to offer. After context and process; Muller moves then to action offering ways of integrating these layered ideas into the real world whether in practice; interdisciplinary collaborations or with communities.The real currency of architecture lies in its process; yet in most discussions of ecologically-active architecture; process is hardly addressed. Brook Mullers "Ecology and the Architectural Imagination" provides exactly this and anticipates what will become the defining realm of inquiry for the next generation of architects.0 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Academia taken too farBy Mel D.This book was required reading for my Environmental Science class. I love reading about environmental issues but this book is dense for the sake of being dense. It is unfortunate that the author falls into the academia standard of using an elitist approach to the English language. Feel like hes filling space. Additionally Brook Muller only actually writes about 30% of the book. The remaining 70% includes quotes and thoughts from other authors. If you like research papers perhaps this is the book for you. I recomend The Post Carbon Reader instead.