In The Acid Queen, Susannah Cahalan brings long-overdue attention to Rosemary Woodruff Leary, a woman too often relegated to the shadow of her infamous husband, Timothy Leary. Through meticulous research and rich storytelling, Cahalan paints a vivid and empathetic portrait of a woman at the heart of the psychedelic movement, not as a bystander, but as an active and influential participant.

Rosemary emerges from these pages not only as Leary’s partner but as a visionary in her own right — a beatnik, a boundary-pusher, and a woman who defied the narrow definitions of her time. Cahalan expertly pieces together Rosemary’s life from interviews, diaries and previously unpublished material, revealing someone who helped shape one of the most controversial and transformative periods of the twentieth century.

The book is as much about reclaiming history as it is about illuminating Rosemary’s interior world — her intellect, her sacrifices and her unwavering belief in the potential of expanded consciousness. Far from being an accessory to Leary’s fame, Rosemary is portrayed as his equal, both in their shared pursuit of a psychedelic revolution and in the personal risks she took to protect others involved.

The Acid Queen is a fascinating and compulsively readable biography that challenges our assumptions and reclaims a vital voice from the margins. It is essential reading for anyone interested in countercultural history, feminism or the personal costs of idealism.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

This certainly brought back memories of the Sixties when, for a decade, peace not war prevailed. Make love not war was the saying then, and it was a great time to be alive. A fantastic book focusing on Leary's wife as well as the story of what went on in pre feminist days. Highly recommended.