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252:, who called him "that most hostile biographer." Nonetheless, his significance in keeping Crowley's legacy alive has also been recognised, and it has been noted that "Regardless of his reception, it is no exaggeration to state that without the publication efforts of Symonds (and Grant) Crowley could easily have been a forgotten figure by the 1970s."
224:(O.T.O.), and made him Crowley's literary executor, though Crowley's legal status as an undischarged bankrupt meant that the copyrights actually ended up in receivership. At first fascinated by Crowley, Symonds became increasingly critical of his ideas and manners, in particular the use of drugs and sex. Along with one of Crowley's disciples,
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He found his widest (largest) audience in the writing of children's books. In 'The Magic
Currant Bun', (1953), a boy chases a magic bun, which came out of an oven, through the streets of Paris He enjoyed the bun very much when he caught it in his mouth. His feline magical fantasy,
325:(1967), two girls discover a lifelike doll in an attic which has a man's voice. With 'In Prophesy and the Parasites', 1973, a wealthy widow awaits prospective . Psychological issues predominate in
489:. London: Rider, 1951. 316pp., illus., with "Notes on the Horoscope of Aleister Crowley" by Rupert Gleadow & 'Bibliography of the Works of Aleister Crowley' compiled by Gerald Yorke.'
318:(1966) is a Russian film director who becomes obsessed with the Royal Family to the point of hiring an apartment near Buckingham Palace so he can observe their movements.
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162:. A partial reconciliation with his father resulted in the latter funding research work that John Symonds would later mine for his own novels later in life.
228:, Symonds edited and republished Crowley's autobiography and a number of his other works. Further to this, he authored four biographical works of his own:
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276:(1959), a story about little girl who is not allowed to play with dolls until she finished her punishment which was to trim her parents' bushes.
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and Lily
Sapzells. At the age of 16 he moved to London and began educating himself by spending long hours in the reading room of the
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in 1946, the year before
Crowley's death. Crowley's will left the copyright of his works to his unincorporated magical society,
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398:. She died in 2007, aged 93. There were two sons: Gabriel, a physician, and Thomas, a publisher, and four grandchildren.
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Symonds was married to his wife Renata for over 50 years. He died on 21 October 2006 and was buried on the east side of
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495:. London: Macdonald, 1971. viii, 413pp.,prt., with "Notes on the Horoscope of Aleister Crowley" by Rupert Gleadow.
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509:. London: The Pindar Press, 1997. x, 608pp., with 'Notes on the Horoscope of Aleister Crowley' by Rupert Gleadow.
244:(1997). Due to his somewhat negative attitude to Crowley in these works, there were many involved in Thelema and
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503:. London: Duckworth, 1989. xi, 588pp., with 'Notes on the Horoscope of Aleister Crowley' by Rupert Gleadow.
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and counsellor Renata
Symonds (1912-2007), and the following year (1946) he published his first novel,
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Symonds wrote twenty-six plays but not many were performed. He won critical praise in 1961 for his
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141:– 21 October 2006) was an English novelist, biographer, playwright and writer of children's books.
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After a period of writing children's books
Symonds returned to biographies in 1959 with
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in 2006, adapted and directed by the actress Vicki
Carpenter who played Florence, with
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314:(1963), in which a journalist researches into the world of the occult. The subject of
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181:' magazine. During this time he had a brief marriage with Hedwig Feurstein.
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His first job was at Hulton Press, where he worked as a journalist on
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283:, a life of the famous Theosophist. This was followed in 1961 with
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The King of the Shadow Realm. Aleister
Crowley his life and magic
287:, about the life of a Methodist who becomes involved with the
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177:. Being exempted from military service, he helped to edit '
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The Great Beast. The Life and Magick of
Aleister Crowley
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In 1970 Symonds was appointed to the editorial board of
571:(London: J. M. Dent & Sons, 1967), illustrated by
360:, his final work for the stage was performed at the
248:who were themselves critical of Symonds, including
56:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
285:Thomas Brown and the Angels: A Study in Enthusiasm
268:(1957), is the story of a talking doll and dog.
515:. London: Frederick Muller, 1958.209pp., illus.
169:and during this period he became friends with
487:The Great Beast. The Life of Aleister Crowley
212:Symonds met the occultist and founder of the
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528:. London: Sampson Low, Marston, 1947. 184pp.
451:Journal for the Academic Study of Magic 2009
507:The Beast 666. The Life of Aleister Crowley
591:, 11 November 2006, retrieved 10 May 2007.
436:Denis Duncan. Renata Symonds obituary, in
337:humbles himself by applying to work as an
116:Learn how and when to remove this message
695:20th-century British short story writers
465:Journal for the Academic Study of Magic
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386:, an account of Hamilton's adventures.
201:, and, in 1957, by another love story,
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345:(1976), a girl starts a new religion.
272:was the illustrator for this book and
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54:adding citations to reliable sources
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294:Novels followed, beginning with
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418:Christopher Hawtree. Obituary,
306:(1957), then a gothic fantasy,
197:. This was followed in 1955 by
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513:The Magic of Aleister Crowley
234:The Magic of Aleister Crowley
21:John Symonds (disambiguation)
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467:(5). Oxford: Mandrake. 2009.
341:for a London doctor. In
333:(1975), a German veteran of
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384:Conversations with Gerald
316:With a View on the Palace
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354:I, Having Dreamt, Awake
331:In Letters from England
189:In 1945 he married the
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300:The Lady in the Tower
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156:Robert Wemyss Symonds
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222:Ordo Templi Orientis
50:improve this article
19:For other uses, see
625:English biographers
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453:. p. 314.
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