Opium: The Illustrated Diary of His Cure

Rating:
Summary: Opium is one of the most important books I have read.
Review: Cocteau is a genius. In Opium, Diary of a Cure, he recounts the experience of his recovery from opium addiction in 1929. He gives an account that sometimes touches on his moment to moment experiences of drug withdrawal, sometimes remarks on his current thoughts about other people and things in his world. Since he lived in the world of avante-garde French culture, his comments include Picasso or Satie. His descriptions and criticisms include references to his own works or to the climate of the period and offer a stunning look at his own thoughts in this extraordinary moment.