While most people of a certain age have heard of Timothy Leary, fewer people know or remember Rosemary Woodruff Leary, one of his wives and muses. This biography tells her story from her childhood until death, but focusing mostly on her relationship with Leary and how its trajectory informed her later life. More importantly, it tells the important story of how crucial she actually was to his fame and life. Meticulously researched and written, this is a seminal book on the history of the era, although I found it difficult to not view it from a twenty-first century perspective (all that smoking is going to kill you!). But I cannot underscore the importance of telling the story of Rosemary Woodruff, with the underlying reminder that most great/famous/important men in history have had an unseen or underappreciated woman in the background enabling them. And Rosemary Woodruff certainly falls into that category. She was known for her beauty, less so for her important contributions to Leary's work. #TheAcidQueen #NetGalley

I only knew of Timothy Leary peripherally [from different books I have read about that era], and had never [that I remember] even heard of Rosemary before this book, so I really went into this blind.

Overall, this was just an okay read for me [I love the author and in all honesty, took it when it was offered simply because of that]. Clearly, it is very well researched and the writing was also excellent; the problem is, even good writing cannot mask meh if the person being written about is not enjoyable to read about [this was the case for me. It is absoutely not because of the writing. I just did not care about Rosemary after awhile and thought her choices were...questionable]. I cannot deny that Rosemary did some amazing things, but overall, I really struggled to see why she made the choices she did [her whole personal was wrapped around one man, even after he completely betrays her] and...I don't know, I just found that I didn't really like her.

What I did like was some of the history of that time frame; it was interesting to read about all the people that were actually involved in this culture [the stories of Timothy's children was some of the saddest parts of this book; what a crime that really was] and how it ultimately affected everyone, good and bad.

While I am not sorry that I read/listened [the author narrates and she does a really excellent job here] to this, I will admit I was glad when it was finally over.

I was invited to read/review this by the publisher [PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin/Viking] and I thank them, Susannah Cahalan, and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An intriguing look at Timothy Leary's third wife Rosemary- the one who stood behind and beside him during the most tumultuous years. Calahan makes no excuses for Rosemary's choices or actions but struggles to bring her to life (not Calahan's fault but rather Rosemary''s nature). It's a portrait of the period as much as it is as biography especially for those who either don't remember or know little about it. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good read.

They say behind every great man is a great woman, and Rosemary Woodruff Leary's story is no different. While Timothy Leary may not be held in high esteem by many of the institutions that he sought to belong to and then turn around and rebel against, Rosemary was there by his side throughout some of his biggest moments in the 1960s, and not only as a companion, but as a person with a vital role in Leary's image and future legacy.

It is important to tell the stories of these women, even if they don't stand up to the modern image of independence and feminism, even if they seem to retreat into perfect 1950s housewives when the man's ego is bruised. Rosemary and the other woman of these counterculture movements were irreplaceable in what they did, even if some of the men thought that they were. Rosemary's story is unlike any other, and I am glad that it has been able to be told in this way.