"Diary of a Drug Fiend" by Aliester Crowley

Weiser Publications

Much has been said about the writing of Aliester Crowley; and without wishing to start any magical or social death matches, it is only diplomatic to say that there are many criticisms which can be levelled to counter-balance the praise which is heaped upon him from some quarters. He can be wilfully obscure, complex and egotistical in the extreme. However, he can also deal with complex spiritual matters with surprising clarity and insight, and often experience informs his writing to such a degree that you can forgive the occasional self appreciating comment.

Diary of a Drug Fiend is a novel that expresses some of the best and the worst of Crowley's writing. This is a book that delighted and infuriated me in equal measure, however it is precisely because it did this that I would recommend it.

Following the main character through the soaring highs and crippling lows of drug use and addiction, I found that as I was reading the exploits of Mr. Pendragon, I was moved from the burning desire to give myself fully over to the drugs experience; to see for myself the transcendence which is described, to being horrified at witnessing the intensely private and soul-wrenching depths of suicidal withdrawal.

It is the first two parts of the book that hold a great deal of the impact of this story. Unfortunately it is in the final part that we see Crowley giving in almost fully to his desire to promote his spiritual philosophy and set out his personal vision of the Abbey of Thelema. Whilst this section reads with surprising clarity, setting out well the tenets of Thelema and the aims that it promotes, it increasingly reads like a thinly veiled advertising leaflet. Taking this into consideration, the end of the novel is unsurprisingly predictable. This having been said, it is a poignant counterpoint to the reality of the Abbey as it functioned in real life.

I admit that I was wary of reading Crowley's fiction, basing my opinion on the majority of his poetry and his more obscure and convoluted occult writings. However I was surprised and pleased to find that this was an entertaining and thought-provoking read, despite suffering from the lack of an editor: always a problem when anyone self publishes.

I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking of dabbling with illegal substances, and those who enjoy a book which requires some thought, but which yields great rewards.

Any one who wishes to borrow it, contact me

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