Diary of a Drug Fiend by Aleister Crowley — Aleister Crowley

This new edition of Diary of a Drug Fiend is from the original, 1922 edition. It has been lightly edited with footnotes and original illustrations. "This is a true story. It has been rewritten only so far as was necessary to conceal personalities." Diary of a Drug Fiend, published in 1922, was the first novel by occultist and mystic Aleister Crowley. Despite being written as fiction, the story is believed to be based on Crowley's own experiences with drugs, especially with heroin. The plot concerns Sir Peter Pendragon, veteran pilot of World War One, who has recently come into a large inheritance, following the death of his uncle. During a night out he meets Lou Laleham, a devotee of occultist Basil, King Lamus. Pendragon and Laleham fall in love and begin a wild trip on cocaine and heroin during which they marry and travel throughout Europe, becoming seriously addicted to their drugs and indulging in decadence and destructive behavior. Diary of a Drug Fiend is the earliest known reference to the famous Abbey of Thelema. It contains much of Crowley's philosophy concerning Thelema and his conception of True Will.