Bitter Blue

by Jeremy Reed

A frank and revealing account of a struggle with addiction in the wild streets of London by the cult poet and novelist Jeremy Reed.

192 pages, Paperback

First published May 17, 1996

Reviews

[Stu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The original title 'Bitter Blue: Tranquilizers, Creativity, Breakdown' seems more apt, as this is a meditation on creativity and its links to drug use, dependency and madness (and I use the latter term affectionately). Reed relates some of his own experiences in the first and last chapters, but the rest of the book discusses the likes of Arthur Rimbaud, Anna Kavan, Marcel Proust and Henri Michaux.

[Rachel Winters · Rating 5 out of 5]

About drug addiction, yes, but more a compelling visit to the wilder shores of creativity. Fascinating for anyone, even those of us whose drug of choice is a glass of wine. Brilliantly written, lucid, and entertaining. Reed has written widely about the fin de siecle writers and esthetes, Baudlelaire, Petrus Borel, Rimbaud, and their effect on his sensibility is obvious. I plan to read this author further.