Beezlebub and the Beast

[MichaelStaley]

This is a comparative study of Crowley and Guirdjieff, written in the mid 1970s by David Hall, a founder and editor of the near-legendary Thelemic magazine Sothis. Unfortunately David never found a publisher for Beezlebub and the Beast in his lifetime. Preparation of the book for publication is now at last nearing completion, and it will be published by Starfire Publishing this coming Summer.

Driven by a voracious intellect and a thirst for spiritual insight, David was interested in many traditions but Gurdjieff's work was his primary interest. Given his strong interest in Crowley and Thelema, an expression of which was his work on Sothis, he was well-equipped to write this absorbing and enlightening study.

I'll post further details as production of the book progresses. In the meantime, should anyone wish to join our mailing list and thus be kept abreast of the progress of this and other of our forthcoming titles, please email us at admin@starfirepublishing.co.uk.


Best wishes,

Michael Staley,
Starfire Publishing Ltd.
 

[Azidonis]

Very interesting. I knew you would find some way to get me on that mailing list.

[the_spurious_simon_iff]

Is "Beezlebub" another absurd neologism of Gurdjieff's?

[MichaelStaley]

Is "Beezlebub" another absurd neologism of Gurdjieff's?

No, not really. Beezlebub as used here is a reference to a key work of Gurdjieff's, Beezlebub's Tales to his Grandson, in which Gurdjieff set out the principles of his work in an imaginative, sprawling tapestry of myth, fable, allegory and science-fiction. Whilst writing this work, he read out sections of early drafts of it to students, and seems to have taken the view that if they could understand it then he needed to make it more obscure.

The Beast might, I suppose, be characterised as "another absurd neologism" of Crowley's, but will, I think, require little by way of explanation on this website.

[the_spurious_simon_iff]

Ah, Beelzebub's Tales.

"Gurdjieff set out the principles of his work in an imaginative, sprawling tapestry of myth, fable, allegory and science-fiction."

I couldn't agree more. Although, if you read it in the manner prescribed by B himself then you'll undertand what happened to Webb in a very direct way.

[MichaelStaley]

I'm happy to say that preparatory work on this title is nearing completion, and it will shortly go out for typesetting, with publication set for July or August.
 
Once more, anyone wishing to be added to our mailing list and thus kept abreast with the publication of this and other titles should email us at admin@starfirepublishing.co.uk.


Best wishes,

Michael.

[pharos]

Thanks, I'm looking forward to this one.

[MichaelStaley]

It's an extremely good study, which David wrote in the mid 1970s; unfortunately he didn't manage to find a publisher. It is nevertheless listed as Forthcoming in Nightside of Eden by Kenneth Grant, who tried interesting Muller in considering it. I recall discussing the book with Kenneth a few years later, in the 1990s; he retained a high opinion of it.

The book considers the work of Crowley and Gurdjieff, their parallels, and common origins.


Best wishes,

Michael.

[MichaelStaley]

I'm pleased to say that this book has now gone out for typesetting.

"Nearer, ever nearer, my God, unto Thee".

As ever, those wishing to be kept up to date with progress on this and others of our titles can email me at admin@starfirepublishing.co.uk and ask to be added to the mailing list. And lo, it shall be done.


Best wishes,

Michael.

[FraterLucius]

Really looking forward to this.

[MichaelStaley]

I'm pleased to say that preparation of this book is now almost complete, and it will be going to the printers by the end of this month. Further details of the book, including the front cover - based on a commissioned painting by Stuart Littlejohn -  can be found on the Starfire Publishing website here:

http://www.starfirepublishing.co.uk/beelzebub_and_the_beast.htm

Pre-publication ordering for the standard and deluxe editions of this book will open later this month. Anyone wishing to be notified of this is welcome to  email us at admin@starfirepublishing.co.uk and ask to be added to the mailing list.

Publication is likely to be in the second half of September. A launch of the book will take place at Treadwells Bookstore in London on the evening of Saturday October 6th. The launch will be preceded in the afternoon by several talks, again at Treadwells, on the themes of the book. I'll be providing more details of this programme of talks nearer the time.

Best wishes,

Michael Staley,
Starfire Publishing Ltd.

[MichaelStaley]

Though later than hoped, I'm pleased to say that Beelzebub and the Beast by David Hall is now at the printers and will be published at the end of September or beginning of October.

Beelzebub and the Beast is an attractive, sewn hardbound book, octavo format, 350 pages long, with a full-colour wrap-around dustjacket, and limited to 750 copies. Included is an eight-page section of colour plates, a colour frontispiece, black and white custom printed endpapers, and line drawings throughout the text. The book is an engrossing comparative study of Gurdjieff and Crowley. More details of the contents of Beelzebub and the Beast can be found at http://www.starfirepublishing.co.uk/Beelzebub_moredetails.htm

The standard edition is bound in black cloth and is priced at £25.00. Postage and packing is an additional £5.00 within the UK, £7.00 within Europe, and £12.00 elsewhere. For customers in Canada and the USA, the standard edition should be ordered from Holmes Publishing, our distributors there. For all customers not in Canada or the USA, payments can be made directly by Paypal to starfire.books@btinternet.com (in Sterling only) or via the link http://www.starfirepublishing.co.uk/Beelzebub_paypal_standard.htm. Payment can also be made (again, in Sterling only) by a cheque drawn on a UK bank, or by International Money Order or Banker's Draft. Cheques, money orders or drafts should be made payable to 'Starfire Publishing Ltd.' and posted to Starfire Publishing Ltd., BCM Starfire, London WC1N 3XX, United Kingdom.

The deluxe edition will be available in November 2012. Limited to 75 copies, it is available from the publishers only, and advance orders are being taken now. The boards are bound in hand-made paper, and there is an additional leather quarter-binding. The book is slip-cased, with full-colour dust-jacket, and comes with black and white custom printed endpapers, and with top and tail bands to the binding. Each copy is hand-numbered, and signed by the publisher, Michael Staley. The price is £120.00. Postage and packing is an additional £7.00 within the UK, £15.00 within Europe, and £18.00 elsewhere. Payments can be made directly by Paypal to starfire.books@btinternet.com (in Sterling only) or via the link http://www.starfirepublishing.co.uk/Beelzebub_paypal_deluxe.htm. Payment can also be made (again, in Sterling only) by a cheque drawn on a UK bank, or by International Money Order or Banker's Draft. Cheques, money orders or drafts should be made payable to 'Starfire Publishing Ltd.' and posted to Starfire Publishing Ltd., BCM Starfire, London WC1N 3XX, United Kingdom.


Michael Staley,
Starfire Publishing Ltd.

26th August 2012

admin@starfirepublishing.co.uk

[Azidonis]

Awesome! Thanks for the update.

[N.O.X]

Very much looking forward to this!

[WilliamThirteen]

read the blurb and am looking forward to the book. I've some other Tawûsê Melek activity around me, so it’s all coming together!