
Unmask Alice
LSD, Satanic Panic, and the Imposter Behind the World's Most Notorious Diaries
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Narrated by:
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Gabra Zackman
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By:
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Rick Emerson
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 BooksListeners also enjoyed...




















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I was listening to a podcast between audio books and Go Ask Alice was the topic. I knew there was controversy about the author/editior but had no idea how deep it went.
I am not bothered by Go Ask Alice, I read it as a teen and I still think it is a good book despite contradictions.
I had no idea about the second book the author spends much time on. The story broke my heart. The devastation of a very real family was absolutely heart wrenching. Any good from the first book is completely wiped out by this story.
I found myself googling for more information and was disappointed. The story left me wanting to know more about the life of Sparks and where she was vs where she claimed to be.
I would have liked a reference list-probably because I'm persuing a real doctorate degree and have to refernce everything.
This is a powerful story.
I Couldn't Stop Listening
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Just as riveting as Alice
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I could keep reading/listening this forever
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Holy Cow
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All these years
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I'm glad I listened!
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The Imposter of the subtitle, Beatrice Sparks, was more than just an imposter; she was a pathological liar, a narcissist, and a very self-centered person who hurt a lot of people. Emerson looks at her background and, I think, tries to present her as fairly as possible. However, the pain she caused people is traumatic just to read about.
Besides Sparks, there is also: LSD, Mormons, schools for troubled teens, Satanic Panic, doomed/star-crossed teenage lovers, drug addiction, drug myths, Art Linkletter, Richard Nixon (and his racism and paranoia), Jefferson Airplane, Toni Morrison, teen suicide, Dungeons and Dragons, book bans, people who want books they have not read banned, and the ever popular "We Have to Save the Children!" (back then, it meant from drugs and pushers and "dirty" books).
This book provides not just a great understanding of the time period (late 1960s-1990s), but also shows how things happening today are so similar/connected to the events of 50 years ago.
The narration was great throughout. The pace of the book and the performance were both appealing--I never found myself bored or distracted.
I Highly Recommend This Book
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This is the truth behind the lies.
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This book made me angry
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Masterclass is researched story telling
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