TASCHEN is a highly esteemed publisher. It started in 1980. The books are well-made, printed on high-quality paper, and researchers find excellent source images.
I have a huge book on Tutankhamun and I look through it often - I keep it (literally) on a coffee table. That cost about £30, a bargain.
Some of Taschen's books are very expensive, in the area of £10,000, such as the colossal Hockney book.
BUT THEN I SAW THIS FANTASTIC bargain for only £500: Manly Hall's book about the Secret Teachings of all the Ages.
In 1928, this opulent, heavily illustrated book was sold for $50-$100. The originals can be bought for a fortune, but Taschen has tried to outdo its predecessors by its clarity in printing (see blurb at the link).
I think many Lashtal.com readers will be interested in this dazzling book.
I must say that I would love this book: but I have two copies of a previous edition this book, in softcover (very large format). I saw 2 at eBay where some divot had mixed up the ISBNs and I got the posh but good recent reprinting, for about £20 each. So I am torn about buying another version of the book.
I am torn about buying another version of the book.
Bibliophilia is a terrible condition - I tears one in half, or threes.
I once had an original in my possession, loaned by Frater Aquarius (who was an "associate" of Manly P. A very cool book. Then they (PRS - his Philosophical Research Society) published a smaller version in black and white, so the data was available to the public.
I sat in the audience at a few of Manly's lectures. In ~2000, I became a lecturer at the PRS, and that went on for a while, but he had gone to heaven by that time.
It is the tak of the Student to become familiar with all the systems of attainment. The official A.'.A.'. Reading List hardly covers all systems. Manly's Secret teachings provides a very wide base of information on most of the all systems. If anyone is on a budget, just get the b&w edition. But, essentially, this book should not be overlooked when one is rumaging around in the book pit at the beginning of The Path.
For the financially-distressed but sincere pilgrims, I have located a place (several, in fact) where this encyclopedia can be downloaded in pdf for frr. The magnificent (really) pictures have been rendered into B&W, and upu need to click a thumbnail to get a larger fuzzy pic pop-up, but the text is all there ...
Bibliophilia is a terrible condition - I tears one in half, or threes.
[correction after edit bell]
It - not "I" ... I am not a tearerist.
I mentioned the book by Taschen which was called King Tut, which is full of photos by Sandro Vaninni. I believe that many Crowleyites would like this catalogue of the contents of Tutankhamun's tomb in great detail. I bought it £30, but it now is about £35 (owing to the war in eastern Europe).
I believe that in many cases Taschen brings out a very posh version of a book, then a bon marché version: softcover, about half-sized but with all the same illustrations. A super-value version.
What I am hoping to see is that the Secret Teachings of All Ages by Taschen released in a bargain version.
I wonder if the Great Man bought the book when it came out, in 1928. The book must have looked superb, with its manifold full colour foldouts (like MAD magazine), but for Crowley there would be little there for him to learn.
Possibly Crowley saw Manly Hall's great opus, felt slightly envious, and tried to emulate Hall by writing LIBER ABA.