Gareth Hewitson-May

[merlin]

Gareth Hewitson-May wrote a famous and highly sought-after book on the Typhonian Tradition, titled “Dark Doorway of the Beast”, published in 1992. Kenneth Grant supplied the foreword to this book. It is now one of the most difficult contemporary occult books to find. To this day, it was never reprinted. If someone on this board has it, could you please write something about the book’s contents, its author, and so on?

[stephen]

Why am I doing most of the work around here? I do know that I had a conversation with someone (Frater Shadad?) about this book, a long time ago on these forums.

I do have a copy of 'Dark Doorway of the Beast' which I purchased from Gareth Hewitson-May, whom I knew and who was a member of the Typhonian O.T.O. at that time.  It was self-published and he did a good job of it in quality hardback; put the O.T.O. Seal on the spine too, cheeky!  Contains a section of illustrations and Kenneth Grant did write a generous Foreword/Introduction.  Among others, I get a mention in the acknowledgments.

The central theme of the book is that it purports to demonstrate the role of the Funnel Effect in the magickal process and it relates this to the function of Daath.  Trouble is that the book is very badly written and the author occasionally makes glaringly incorrect statements, as well as expressing some dubious opinions. I cannot say that I find it all that enlightening on the matter.

Having said that, it does fetch a high price when one rarely becomes available on the second-hand book market, and although I'm kind of fond of my own copy I may want to sell it one day, so don't go spreading this personal assessment around too much  !

[The Double-wanded One]

I haven't read it for quite a while but it really impressed me, definitely an essential book to read on Typhonian matters not written by Grant.