Diary of a Drug Fiend – Aleister Crowley
“Diary of a Drug Fiend”, published in 1922, was occult writer and mystic Aleister Crowley’s first published novel, and is also reportedly the earliest known reference to the Abbey of Thelema in Sicily. The story is widely thought to be based upon Crowley’s own drug experiences, despite being written as a fiction.
This is a true story. . . It is a terrible story/ but it is also a story of hope and of beauty. Written by Aleister Crowley, Diary of a Drug Fiend tells the story of young Peter Pendragon and his lover Louise Laleham, and their adventures traveling through Europe in a cocaine and heroin haze. The bohemian couples’ binges produce visions and poetic prophecies, but when their supply inevitably runs dry they find themselves faced with the reality of their drug addiction. Through the guidance of King Lamus, a master adept, they use the application of practical Magick to free themselves from addiction. First published in 1922 and dubbed “a book for burning” by the papers of the time, Diary of a Drug Fiend reveals the poet, the lover, and the profound adept that was Aleister Crowley.