Unmask Alice
LSD, Satanic Panic, and the Imposter Behind the World's Most Notorious Diaries
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Unmask Alice
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Narrated by:
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Gabra Zackman
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Written by:
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Rick Emerson
About this listen
Two teens. Two diaries. Two social panics. One incredible fraud.
In 1971, Go Ask Alice reinvented the young adult genre with a blistering portrayal of sex, psychosis, and teenage self-destruction. The supposed diary of a middle-class addict, Go Ask Alice terrified adults and cemented LSD's fearsome reputation, fueling support for the War on Drugs. Five million copies later, Go Ask Alice remains a divisive bestseller, outraging censors and earning new fans, all of them drawn by the book's mythic premise: A Real Diary, by Anonymous.
But Alice was only the beginning.
In 1979, another diary rattled the culture, setting the stage for a national meltdown. The posthumous memoir of an alleged teenage Satanist, Jay's Journal merged with a frightening new crisis—adolescent suicide—to create a literal witch hunt, shattering countless lives and poisoning whole communities.
In reality, Go Ask Alice and Jay's Journal came from the same dark place: a serial con artist who betrayed a grieving family, stole a dead boy's memory, and lied her way to the National Book Awards.
Unmask Alice: LSD, Satanic Panic, and the Imposter Behind the World's Most Notorious Diaries is a true story of contagious deception. It stretches from Hollywood to Quantico, and passes through a tiny patch of Utah nicknamed "the fraud capital of America." It's the story of a doomed romance and a vengeful celebrity. Of a lazy press and a public mob. Of two suicidal teenagers, and their exploitation by a literary vampire.
Unmask Alice...where truth is stranger than nonfiction."
©2022 BenBella Books (P)2022 BenBella BooksYou may also enjoy...
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 96
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 152
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 127
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 125
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 57
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 51
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What listeners say about Unmask Alice
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2024-01-03
Deliciously dramatic
This really scratches my itch for a well-researched, well-written work of investigative journalism. Gabra Zackman’s narration is wonderful, as well. Highly recommended!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Rina Clarke
- 2022-11-22
Good book
Overall, this was a really good book. I did get a bit lost at one point, not seeing some of the connections to other aspects of the story. It was very enjoyable to learn more about this ‘Dr. B’ and the fraud surrounding her.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2023-06-14
It’s weirder than you imagine
I loved Ricks telling of this story it is a classic “you’re wrong about” and so glad I read it! Truly entertaining, weird and morbidly sad. Also curious and tantalizing. I binged it over 24 hours so yeah… it’s worth a listen!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nicole Orlans
- 2022-09-15
Incredible
like many people here, I bought this book after listening the podcast "your wrong about" which did a three part series on Go Ask Alice - the last episode of which has Rick Emerson as a guest.
I Iistened to the podcast series because like many many (many) before me, I'd been obsessed with go ask alice as a teen. If I was excited to find my favourite podcast doing a 3 part series on Alice, you better believe I was ecstatic when I learned about this book.
Rick Emerson does a fantastic job covering a ton of different topics, social issues and cultural events here, and weaving them together into a cohesive, engaging story. At its core I think this book is not just an "unmasking" of the truth behind go ask alice, but a damming glimpse into American Christian hegemony and the tactics it's biggest supporters used - and still use - to accomplish their agenda.
I couldn't recommend it more and I probably will keep reccomomending for a really long time to everyone I know.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kyla Sentes
- 2022-09-21
Must read for those interested in satanic panic
I thought I knew a lot about the satanic panic, but this book reveals an entire hidden dimension. It is also a thoughtful discussion of the realities of teenage suicide and a wonderful tribute to a family who was broken apart by the monstrous acts of Beatrice Sparks. I hope that this book becomes a cornerstone of her “legacy.”
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- ErinK
- 2023-02-15
Worth the listen
If you have any recollection of the Satanic panic, or read Go Ask Alice or Jay’s Journal, this is a must read.
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