I can no longer find my copy, but my recollection of reading it a few years back is that i liked it, found it entertaining, and helpful in explaining qabalistic concepts clearly. I've read several of Duquette's books, and liked them all.

Duquette, and Breeze's scholarship on the Blue Brick, are the two best advertisements for the (c)OTO. Duquette also is unique among (c)OTO public figures in having a sort of wholesome/non-creepy vibe.

Agreed with you both. The "Ten Command-rants" alone are worth the price of the book.

It's a good book for what it is and gives a bit of a Robert Anton Wilson vibe with it's "serious but not-serious" relationship with the reader.

Duquette himself is a nice guy and all but I don't like what he's doing to the wider community of Thelemites with all that whitewashing.

Sonofthoth: can you explain what you mean by "what [Duquette is] doing to the wider community of Thelemites with all that whitewashing"?

What "whitewashing"? Not trying to dispute that he has done this, he may well have for all i know, but trying to figure out what you mean.

@strider said:

Agreed with you both. The “Ten Command-rants” alone are worth the price of the book.

Haven't read this book but this quote got me searching the Borg. Found this image:

a full post of the "Ten Command-rants" is here: occultforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17904

Ig: Duquette also is unique among (c)OTO public figures in having a sort of wholesome/non-creepy vibe.

I haven't entered his presence, but all reports indicate he's a straight-shooter. That means he doesn't lurk behind veils and hint at secret, possibly demonic, procedures.

Now that the one and only true secret of immortality, piles of gold coins, racy multi-dimensional sex, the elixir and medicine of metals, philosopher's stone, and the supreme key to enlightened, illumined, liberation, of the Sanctuary of the Gnosis of the ninth (Roman numerals) degree, is known by anyone who has a Borg Searching Device (BSD = 66 = the magical number of Tipereth, the City of the Sun), and cares, can pierce all veils of secrecy. Did I miss anything?

So the (c)OTO doesn't have any "secrets" (carrots) to offer anymore, except for the steps, words, grips, and signs of the degrees (if they've been changed since "Secret Rituals" was posted in the vulgar marketplace for all cowans to read).

What does that leave? Just what it is, and what it professes to be, a social, fraternal society, similar to Masonry, but promoting Thelema, where people who like Baphomet's work, go attend Mass. At the upper end, copyrights are held on Crowley's unpublished works, the rest having fallen into the public domain just over four months ago.

So if Duke is essentially a nice guy, and he's just explaining levels of consciousness in the common language, then more power to him.

I don't see or hear any "white-washing." Maybe somebody can give an example or two. I didn't know (c)OTO had anything to hide. Oh, sure, they're trying to gain a "respectable" image, which means they don't publish letters (say, from AC to Germer) that show what a shit AC was. They don't print pictures of McMurtry, dressed as Saladin, holding a beer and a joint. There may be some sweeping of "cultural prejudice" data under the rug. But this is all known (by us LAShTAL Scholars) through the Borg that reveals all. So what is being whitewashed?

I don't have any vested interest in "Thelemic culture" or identity either way, so if there's any "white-washing" of Thelema going on, it still doesn't detract from the reason I like LMD's books (I've read several):

they're useful

. He provides thorough and readable commentary and instructions on various aspects of magick in an entertaining and humane style that still manages to be intelligent and insightful. He is clearly not hung up on any particular dogmatic or ideological approach to Thelema, magick, or anything else, but attempts to encourage the reader to discover his/her own methods. Rather than scaring people off with ominous warnings and endless conditions for the practice of magick (a la some "old school GD" writers or "Grimoire purists"), he encourages people to banish fear and sense of inadequacy, and to come on in and get their feet wet. His essay on the A.'.A.'. from Angels, Demons and Gods of the New Millenium cuts through so much confusion and nonsense regarding the topic that it's almost unbelievable. His book on Enochian magick is an example of how he is able to fuse tremendous research-based knowledge of a subject with extremely practical suggestions for operation. His "dare to be lazy" philosophy and his "if you can't work magick using a paper ring, then you probably won't be able to do it with a 'real' one" (paraphrase) have been inspirational to me in getting me to actually "do stuff", simply because he makes it impossible to make excuses. I would put him up there with Crowley and Peter Carroll when it comes to this practical aspect of his writing.

Writing all this, I realize the same things could be said about AC's books (except that AC definitely did seem to get hung up on his own dogmas and ideology, but in terms of practicality, his books lay it all out for the would-be seeker in a similar manner, mutatis mutandis).

Personally I despised this book. There is very little qaballah contained therein. But sure go learn the great secrets of the Hebrew alphabet! A better book with actual merit for Thelemites is The Hermetic Qaballah Foundation by John St. John.

(Caveat empor: I'll warn you that I find St. John's somewhat unorthodox approaches to Thelema, AC, and Egyptology to be off putting but by all means make your own informed opinions.)