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Title: Diary of a Drug Fiend by Hymenaeus Beta XI, Aleister Crowley ISBN: 1-57863-288-9 Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser Pub. Date: June, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.95

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Average Customer Rating: 4.69 (36 reviews)

Rating: 5
Summary: A Book on Personal Triumph
Comment: Aleister Crowley's first published novel was "Diary of a Drug Fiend." The book was originally published in London in 1922. Although written over seventy-five years ago, the book is still relevant for today's readers. The book paints a vivid picture of the mind of drug users. The drug user's highs, lows, and sometimes strange thought patterns are described in great detail in this interesting book.

The infamous Aleister Crowley invokes a reaction with some people. Some say he was strange and went off the deep-end with his involvement in Magick, the practice of using various techniques to exert control over the forces of nature. If one is too close-minded to read this book because of the author's reputation, he or she would be missing a great read.

This story is supposedly based on truth. False names were used to conceal the identities of the people in the book. For instance, Aleister Crowley is called Peter Pendragon in the book. Peter went to a pub and was socializing with some people he knew when he saw the woman that would change his life, Lou.

"Across the moaning body of the blackmailer, I was looking at the face of a girl that I had never seen before. And I said to myself, "Well, that's all right, I've known you all my life." And when I said to myself "my life," I didn't in the least mean my life as Peter Pendragon, I didn't even mean a life extending through the centuries, I meant a different kind of life --something with which centuries have nothing whatever to do (Crowley 11)."

This truly eloquent description of Peter's first glimpse of Lou reveals that Crowley was truly a master of language. The book is written in such a clever way that the reader continues to want more.

Basically, the story is of Peter falling madly in love with a woman named Lou. They run off to Paris and travel throughout Europe. Lou introduces Peter to cocaine and heroin and they quickly become dependent on the narcotics. When their supply of drugs runs out, the withdrawal troubles begin. Lou's father, King Lamus, helps the two overcome their addiction by the application of practical Magick. Both Peter and Lou find their true purpose in life and live happily ever after.

"Diary of a Drug Fiend" would be a beneficial source of information for professionals involved with the psychology of addiction. Doctors, lawyers, police, and the average person would gain insight into the thought patterns of a drug addict from the first high, to the constant effort to regain the effects of the first high. The craving for the drug, and how it is the only thing the user thinks about when he or she does not have the drug for a period of time is covered thoroughly. How selfish and careless one becomes when he or she needs a fix is also mentioned in the book. Peter lost his love for Lou because he could only think of the drugs. He quickly knew this was wrong and constantly tried to regain his love for Lou.

If people are open-minded and enjoy challenging their beliefs, then "Diary of a Drug Fiend" may be the book to read. At the time of reading this book, I found many useful insights that could dramatically change one's life contained within its pages. Overall, this book by Aleister Crowley is fantastic.

Rating: 5
Summary: A story of love and more importantly addiction.
Comment: Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. This book tells the story of a man and woman who fall in love on cocaine and end up doing heroine. Then they try to stop and go through crazy, intense pain. King Lamus helps them free their pain by taking them to the Abbey of Thelema. While there they cut down drug use and find their True Wills. A good book if your interested in the Occult and/or Magic and you have experienced the effects of Cocaine Hydrochride in your brain until you went insane! If you never used drugs I doubt you'll really understand this book; but I think that you should read it anyway to become more educated on the effects of drugs (if you've never used them). This book is definitely a classic in my opinion. Love is the law, love under will.

Rating: 4
Summary: A surprisingly good novel
Comment: at first i was sceptical as to whether Crowley, a mad magician, could write a decent piece of fiction. well, he pulled it off in my opinion. unlike our modern novels on drugs, Crowley never glorifies it; he doesn't resort to stream-of-consciousness or wacky, juvenile humor as most hip modern writers have done. this novel, rather, maintains absolute objectivity while pulling us in to the roller coaster ride of heroin and cocaine use. we get to see the ups and downs, without any self-righteous moralistic preaching.

and we also learn through this novel, that people don't merely turn to drugs to have a good time. the actual catalyst for starting drug use is one's own sense of aimlessness, of feeling lost, and estranged from the world. as drugs increasingly take a hold on our times, this novel forces us to question how and why this alienation occurs. it is too easy to chastise all addicts as being degenerate evil doers. we must recognize that the addict turns to drugs because he can no longer bear the illusions of society; he desires something better; he quests after a spiritual catharsis that everyday living cannot provide. for Crowley, the answer to aimlessness is to stop drifting about mechanically in the herd, because most people out there, he tells us, are already dead; they shun new opportunities for growth, and slog along by inertia alone. so what do we do? well, we can try to realize our own wills, vague as that may sound. and once we actualize this will, then we can do what nature has always planned for us as individuals. some people think they already possess this will, when all they are doing is aping the people around them. the unified will is something greater than that. it transcends the herd, and gives one a sense of purpose. []this book is good!