Often referred to as the "wickedest man alive," Aleister Crowley had a shocking reputation. Stories abound of drugs, orgies, sacrificial rites, and the tragic deaths of those who associated with him. His early life, however, was one of considerable achievement. One of the most accomplished mountaineers of his generation, he was also the friend and literary model to a host of celebrated figures. An early convert to Eastern philosophies, Crowley attempted to replace Western Christianity with his own brand of religion. Addicted to opiates, hounded by the press, and pursued through the courts, the tribulations of his later years would have ruined a lesser man. This biography presents Crowley for the first time as an accessible figure--a flawed, egotistical man who left an indelible mark on his era.