New York Times bestselling author and investigative journalist Susannah Cahalan (Brain on Fire, The Great Pretender). Susannah’s latest book is The Acid Queen
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“The ultimate goal of psychedelics was ego death—to become a ‘God-intoxicated being’ and change the world.”
The Acid Queen
On this episode of the Shifting Perceptions Podcast, I sit down with New York Times bestselling author Susannah Cahalan, whose groundbreaking memoir Brain on Fire became a Netflix film. Her newest book, The Acid Queen, explores the untold life of Rosemary Woodruff Leary, Timothy Leary’s wife, accomplice, and muse—an extraordinary woman erased from history despite shaping the counterculture movement.
Susannah’s new book isn’t just a biography—it’s a revelation. The Acid Queen uncovers how Rosemary Woodruff Leary went from an airline stewardess and Ford model to becoming a central figure in the psychedelic revolution of the 1960s. She lived on the edge of history, helping Timothy Leary escape from prison before disappearing underground for 25 years.
“She ends up helping her husband escape from prison—this cinematic moment in history—and then vanishes for decades, living under assumed names across Europe and the Americas.” – Susannah Cahalan
The book sheds light not only on Rosemary’s story but also on the cultural legacy of psychedelics, counterculture, and the fragile nature of the self.
About Susannah Cahalan
Susannah Cahalan is an acclaimed investigative journalist and the author of multiple bestsellers. Her memoir Brain on Fire (2012) chronicled her sudden descent into autoimmune encephalitis, selling over a million copies worldwide and adapted into a Netflix feature film. Her follow-up, The Great Pretender (2019), investigated the roots of psychiatry and the blurred lines of mental illness.
With The Acid Queen, Cahalan once again turns her sharp eye and empathetic storytelling to a story of a woman who helped define—and then disappeared from—the psychedelic movement.
“Rosemary became a one-named media heroine—Rosemary the Acid Queen—and then she was erased from history.” – Susannah Cahalan
Psychedelics, Ego Death, and the Messianic Stage
One of the most fascinating themes we discussed was how Rosemary and Timothy Leary viewed psychedelics not simply as a chemical experiment, but as a spiritual mission.
“The ultimate goal of psychedelics was ego death—to become a ‘God-intoxicated being’ and then change the world.” – Susannah Cahalan
While Timothy embraced a messianic self-image, Rosemary maintained her grounding force, described by many as having her “feet on the ground, head in the sky.”
“They believed he was Jesus and she was Mary. They entered a messianic stage, but Rosemary was far more circumspect about the power and responsibility of turning people on.” – Susannah Cahalan
Rosemary’s Legacy
Rosemary Woodruff Leary was a caretaker, creator of environments, and a grounding influence within chaos. Her legacy challenges us to reconsider how history remembers women in movements dominated by larger-than-life men.
“Her real art wasn’t acting or singing—it was creating an environment and elevating those around her.” – Susannah Cahalan
Through The Acid Queen, Susannah Cahalan restores Rosemary’s place as an essential, if forgotten, icon of the psychedelic revolution.
Listen to the Episode
? Hear the full conversation with Susannah Cahalan on the Shifting Perceptions Podcast. We dig into Rosemary’s story, Susannah’s writing rituals, and the blurred line between memory, myth, and truth.
Available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
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Key Takeaways from Jay Alders’ Conversation with Susannah Cahalan
- Rosemary Woodruff Leary’s hidden legacy – once a media icon, she vanished underground for 25 years after helping Timothy Leary escape prison.
- The role of women in the psychedelic revolution – Rosemary was more than a muse; she was the grounding force behind a chaotic movement.
- The power of “set and setting” – Rosemary became known as the “queen of setting,” mastering the art of guiding psychedelic experiences.
- Ego death vs. ego inflation – psychedelics promised transcendence, but often produced messianic self-images in Leary and others.
- The fragility of memory and myth – as Cahalan notes, “Sometimes you see what you want to see and sometimes you remember what you want to remember.”
- Writing as discipline, not inspiration – Susannah reveals her creative process as 98% daily discipline and 2% inspiration.
- Legacy and storytelling – Rosemary’s life reminds us that we all edit and mythologize our past to survive.
Psychedelics, Ego Death, and the Messianic Stage
One of the most fascinating themes we discussed was how Rosemary and Timothy Leary viewed psychedelics not simply as a chemical experiment, but as a spiritual mission.
“The ultimate goal of psychedelics was ego death—to become a ‘God-intoxicated being’ and then change the world.” – Susannah Cahalan
Rosemary’s Legacy
Rosemary Woodruff Leary was a caretaker, creator of environments, and a grounding influence within chaos. Her legacy challenges us to reconsider how history remembers women in movements dominated by larger-than-life men.
“Her real art wasn’t acting or singing—it was creating an environment and elevating those around her.” – Susannah Cahalan
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