Description
Darren Francis
Hadean Press, 2025. Paperback. 220 pages. Brand New.
Professional violinist, muse to the infamous Aleister Crowley.
Though Leila Waddell has become an iconic figure in twentieth century occultism, precise details of her life are mostly obscure. From her early years in Australia to her career as an international touring musician, her role as paramour and inspiration to the wickedest man in the world, and finally her return to home shores and tragic early death, Laylah: The Life of Leila Waddell is the first and only biography of her to be published.
Thoroughly researched and lovingly written, Laylah: The Life of Leila Waddell shines a light on Leila’s extraordinary career as Australia’s ‘finest violiniste’ and puts to lie Crowley’s assertion that she was no more than a ‘fifth rate fiddler’. While Crowley did not name Leila as one of his Scarlet Women, her impact on his life cannot be denied; it is this publisher’s opinion that she should in fact hold that revered title, and we are privileged to offer this definitive biography of a most beloved woman to our readers.’
“In this important work and highly fascinating read, Leila Waddell is remembered not only for her musical talent but also as a seminal muse for Aleister Crowley, whose writings immortalised her spirit and influence within the sphere of early modernist occultism.” – Carl Abrahamsson, author of Meetings with Remarkable Magicians and Source Magic
“Darren Francis has provided a major corrective to a hitherto missing chapter of magickal history. Leila Waddell has not been best served previously, mostly thanks to the account left of her by Aleister Crowley himself. Like almost all the women – and men! – that were important to The Great Beast’s life and work, he was characteristically dismissive of her, falsely referring to his former muse, lover, and companion as ‘a fifth-rate fiddler.’ Here, for the first time, drawing on original research and with great attention to detail, the truth about Waddell’s considerable talents, intelligence, and independence of spirit are all duly noted. Darren Francis and Hadean Press are to be commended for providing a valuable work that will appeal to all those interested in the characters, sometimes unfairly forgotten or overlooked, who were pioneers of the modern Occult Revival. Essential reading for Thelemites everywhere!” — Matthew Levi Stevens, writer, speaker, and author of The Magical Universe of William S. Burroughs (Mandrake of Oxford, 2014)
Darren Francis writes and makes music. He is the author of the novels The Way We Leave, She Waits By The Water, Cutting, Alice Dee, Belong, and Skin, and the nonfiction Laylah: The Life Of Leila Waddell. He has recorded the spoken word albums God Thing, Future Ghosts, Uforia, Open The Dog, Left At The Luna Mansion, All Things Left On Earth, and Becoming Akhenaten, and six albums with the band Logos.
