Talk:Aleister Crowley/GA1

GA Review

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Reviewer: Quadell (talk · contribs) 12:35, 29 October 2013 (UTC)
Nominator: Midnightblueowl

I will begin this review shortly. – Quadell ^(talk) 12:35, 29 October 2013 (UTC)

(While preparing this review, I noticed that I'm involved with another of your GANs, Midnightblueowl, as well as one of your FACs. I promise, I'm not stalking you; I just seem to be interested in many of the same subjects. I'll give you a little extra time, if you like, since you have so much open at once.) – Quadell ^(talk) 12:38, 29 October 2013 (UTC)

Much appreciated Quadell! All the best, Midnightblueowl (talk) 19:11, 29 October 2013 (UTC)

This article is excellent, and could well be of "Featured" quality already. It is extremely thorough, well-written, and sourced to a professional level. I only have one major concern, which I wanted to bring up.

I can't see the sources, so I can't tell whether or not Crowley can be said with certainty to have been a British intelligence agent. Up until the "United States: 1914–1919" section, the article takes a cautious, guarded approach. For instance, it always says something like "Biographers Richard Spence and Tobias Churton suggested that Crowley had done so as an intelligence agent under the employ of the British secret service, speculating that he had been enlisted while at Cambridge" or "Spence has suggested that the purpose of the trip might have been to explore Mexican oil prospects for British intelligence." But then, in the "United States: 1914–1919" section, the prose switches to certainty. "In reality, Crowley was a double agent, working for the British intelligence services ... the real intention was to make the German lobby appear ridiculous in the eyes of the American public." Is that certainty warranted here, but not in the former instances? The article gives no information on the evidence used in making such a determination. Since you have access to the sources, and I don't, could you check on that for me?

Beyond that, I have a very minor question. When you refer to Trift, do you mean Trift Glacier? It's in the Urner Alps, not the Bernese Alps, but it is close by. Do you have a way of knowing?

I'll put this on hold. Once you've dealt with the "level of certainty of spying" question, I'll be delighted to promote this. – Quadell ^(talk) 18:47, 30 October 2013 (UTC)

Hello there Quadell, and thank you for your comments. It is established fact that during the First World War, Crowley worked for British intelligence agencies operating in the United States, during which time he pretended to be a Fenian and hence a German sympathiser; we have firm, documentary evidence of this. That being the case, Spence and Churton have suggested that in earlier life, Crowley had also worked for British intelligence, and that many of his trips abroad were at the behest of these services. There is however no hard evidence to confirm these suggestions, which mean that they should be treated with a great deal of scepticism. I hope that this clears up your main query. Best, Midnightblueowl (talk) 19:49, 30 October 2013 (UTC)

Oh, and regarding Trift... I'm afraid I really don't know. Maybe it's best to leave that until someone with better knowledge of the subject comes along and can confirm it ? Midnightblueowl (talk) 19:59, 30 October 2013 (UTC)

I do believe it would be an improvement, and would make it clearer, to mention how we know that he was a British agent, just given the speculation about previous involvement. This is really not a GA requirement at all, just something I thought I'd mention, and you might want to shore that part up before it goes to FAC. – Quadell ^(talk) 20:38, 30 October 2013 (UTC)

This article is one of the most well-prepared, fascinating, and impeccably-sourced GANs I've had the pleasure to review. I'm happy to promote it. – Quadell ^(talk) 20:38, 30 October 2013 (UTC)