The Acid Queen
The Psychedelic Life of Rosemary Woodruff Leary
Published on 5. June 2025
Book
Hardback
384 pages
978-1-83885-742-4 (ISBN)
Description
A New York Times Book Review Podcast's 'Books We're Excited About in Early 2025'
A Town & Country Best Book to Read This April
A New York Post Best Book for Spring
Rosemary Woodruff Leary has been known only as the wife of Timothy Leary, the Harvard professor-turned-psychedelic high priest, whose jailbreak captivated the counterculture and whose life on the run with Rosemary inflamed the U.S. government. But Rosemary was more than a mere accessory. She was a beatnik, a psychonaut and a true believer who tested the limits of her mind and the expectations for women of her time.
Long overlooked by those who have venerated her husband, Rosemary spent her life on the forefront of the counterculture, working with Leary on his books and speeches, sewing his clothing and shaping - for better and for worse - the media's narrative about LSD. Ultimately, Rosemary sacrificed everything for the safety of her fellow psychedelic pioneers and the preservation of her husband's legacy.
Drawing from a wealth of interviews, diaries, archives and unpublished sources, Susannah Cahalan writes the definitive portrait of Rosemary Woodruff Leary, reclaiming her narrative and her voice from those who dismissed her. Page-turning, revelatory and utterly compelling, The Acid Queen shines an overdue spotlight on a pioneering psychedelic seeker.
A Town & Country Best Book to Read This April
A New York Post Best Book for Spring
Rosemary Woodruff Leary has been known only as the wife of Timothy Leary, the Harvard professor-turned-psychedelic high priest, whose jailbreak captivated the counterculture and whose life on the run with Rosemary inflamed the U.S. government. But Rosemary was more than a mere accessory. She was a beatnik, a psychonaut and a true believer who tested the limits of her mind and the expectations for women of her time.
Long overlooked by those who have venerated her husband, Rosemary spent her life on the forefront of the counterculture, working with Leary on his books and speeches, sewing his clothing and shaping - for better and for worse - the media's narrative about LSD. Ultimately, Rosemary sacrificed everything for the safety of her fellow psychedelic pioneers and the preservation of her husband's legacy.
Drawing from a wealth of interviews, diaries, archives and unpublished sources, Susannah Cahalan writes the definitive portrait of Rosemary Woodruff Leary, reclaiming her narrative and her voice from those who dismissed her. Page-turning, revelatory and utterly compelling, The Acid Queen shines an overdue spotlight on a pioneering psychedelic seeker.
Reviews / Votes
Thrilling. Cahalan tells an incredible story * * Telegraph * * Sharp and satiric . . . A fond, imaginatively researched tribute to [a] free, forever-seeking spirit * * Guardian * * A colourful story, involving love triangles, drug busts and the dramatic jailbreak of Leary . . . well researched * * Financial Times * * The story of a woman who embodied an era of freedom, experimentation and psychedelic adventure. Meticulously reported and beautifully crafted -- SUSAN ORLEAN, author of THE ORCHID THIEF An electrifying portrait of Rosemary Woodruff Leary, who was at the centre of the turbulent and passionate counterculture of the '60s. These star-studded pages give us the life - as criminal, muse, lover and fugitive - of the true "acid queen" and the iconic presence of her era -- JENNIFER CLEMENT, Professor Emerita of PEN International and author of WIDOW BASQUIAT Rosemary Woodruff Leary defied the FBI, the CIA, the American prison system and her famous husband to become a fugitive. But who was she really running from? That fascinating question looms over Susannah Cahalan's insightful, intimate biography - part romance, part thriller, all astounding. An extraordinary life told by an extraordinary author -- MAUREEN CALLAHAN, the SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING author of ASK NOT Cahalan has done the world a service in restoring Rosemary's legacy with this stellar biography, which is rich in sumptuous detail, both personal and historic, and is artfully constructed from the archives. Whether you know anything about the acid scene or are a complete novice, there is so much to enjoy in this excellent book -- KATE MOORE, author of THE RADIUM GIRLS Cahalan shines a light on one of the twentieth century's most amazing untold life stories. Rosemary Woodruff Leary blazed an astonishing trail through the red hot centre of Sixties counterculture - the downtown Beats, the pioneers of hallucinogenics, the Summer of Love, rock and roll royalty, the Weather Underground, the Black Panthers and more. With her captivating storytelling, Cahalan helps us all see this wildly misunderstood epoch of American life with new eyes. An essential read - and an unforgettable trip -- ROBERT KOLKER, author of HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD Cahalan is the perfect guide on this very trippy ride * * Boston Globe * * The Acid Queen reclaims the legacy of a psychedelic pioneer . . . Marks yet another compelling entry in the growing body of work reclaiming the stories of women unfairly relegated to the footnotes of history * * San Francisco Chronicle * *More details
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
With dust jacket
Illustrations
16pp 1c plate section
Dimensions
Height: 242 mm
Width: 162 mm
Thickness: 39 mm
Weight
630 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-83885-742-4 (9781838857424)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Susannah Cahalan is a number one New York Times bestselling author, journalist and public speaker. Her first book, Brain on Fire, has sold over a million copies and has been translated into more than twenty languages. Her second book, The Great Pretender, was shortlisted for the Royal Society's 2020 Science Book Prize. She lives in New Jersey with her family.
susannahcahalan.com | @suscahalan
susannahcahalan.com | @suscahalan