How Rosemary Woodruff Leary left St. Louis and became ‘The Acid Queen’

How Rosemary Woodruff Leary left St. Louis and became ‘The Acid Queen’

Author: St. Louis Public Radio March 16, 2026 Duration: 49:52
Rosemary Woodruff Leary, a St. Louis native, was best known during her life as the wife of the psychedelic pioneer Timothy Leary. But a book highlights her unsung role in that movement, including how she helped her husband escape prison and become international fugitives. We'll revisit a September 2025 conversation with author Susannah Cahalan about her latest book “The Acid Queen: The Psychedelic Life and Counterculture Rebellion of Rosemary Woodruff Leary," which also tells the story what happened after Timothy Leary and Rosemary separated, and her decision to come return to the public eye before her death.

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