Unmask Alice: The Notorious Diaries

The world of literature has witnessed its fair share of sensational scandals, but few can rival the captivating tale behind the notorious diaries that shook the young adult genre. In 1971, the supposed diary of a middle-class addict, "Go Ask Alice," reinvented the young adult genre with its blistering portrayal of sex, psychosis, and teenage self-destruction. Terrifying adults and fueling support for the War on Drugs, the book's mythic premise – "A Real Diary, by Anonymous" – cemented LSD's fearsome reputation and went on to sell five million copies, dividing censors and earning new fans alike.

However, the story of "Go Ask Alice" was only the beginning. In 1979, another diary, the posthumous memoir of an alleged teenage Satanist, "Jay's Journal," rattled the culture and set the stage for a national meltdown. Merging with the frightening new crisis of adolescent suicide, the book sparked a literal witch hunt, shattering countless lives and poisoning whole communities.

The truth, however, is even more extraordinary. Both "Go Ask Alice" and "Jay's Journal" shared a common origin: 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, stretching from Hollywood to Quantico and passing through a tiny patch of Utah nicknamed "the fraud capital of America."

This captivating narrative is the story of a doomed romance and a vengeful celebrity, a lazy press and a public mob, and two suicidal teenagers whose exploitation by a literary vampire has left an indelible mark on the world of nonfiction. It is a tale where truth is, indeed, stranger than fiction.

Two teens. Two diaries. Two social panics. One incredible fraud. The story that unfolds in "Unmask Alice" is a testament to the power of deception and the enduring allure of the written word, a cautionary tale that reminds us that even the most sensational stories may be built upon a foundation of lies. It is a must-read for anyone captivated by the complexities of the human condition and the intricacies of the literary landscape.

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