Book Description

Diary of a Drug Fiend (1922) is a novel by Aleister Crowley. Published at the height of his career as a poet and occultist, his debut novel draws on Crowley's experiences as a heroin addict. Despite his lifelong struggle, Crowley's penchant for recreational drug use and scientific informed many of the tenets of his religion Thelema. Diary of a Drug Fiend would inspire such musicians as Ozzy Osbourne, The Lemonheads, and The Beatles. Before there was Sir Peter Pendragon, decorated pilot and veteran of the First World War, there was Peter, a dedicated medical student with his whole life ahead of him. After the war, he struggles with depression and ennui while living off an inheritance from a deceased uncle. Alongside his lover Louise Laleham, he develops a passion for heroin and cocaine, which lead them across Europe in a series of drug-fueled escapades. Back in England, they attempt to use magick as a means of breaking their dependencies, but soon find themselves hopelessly lost in the world of addiction. At their lowest point, they meet Basil King Lamus, a powerful magician who offers them a way out. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Aleister Crowley's Diary of a Drug Fiend is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.