Characters
Richard Alpert
Discover more about Ram Dass
John Perry Barlow
Barlow, the lyrical voice behind the Grateful Dead, became a fervent advocate for cyberculture's pressing issues. He credits Leary with teaching him that "It’s never too late to come into a sense of the spirit." Barlow, alongside his partner Cynthia, embraced her final moments of life in Leary's company, a poignant experience that clarified his thoughts on "the second commonest event in the world"—death—and the widespread denial surrounding it.
Denis Berry
Berry, a devoted companion of Leary, shared precious time with him during his final chapter.
Sarah Brown
As Leary's granddaughter, Brown learned a profound truth from his passing: "everybody must and will die."
David Byrne
International rock sensation and Talking Heads' frontman, Byrne cherishes memories of Leary as a man who "performed" his own life, a steadfast friend who prioritized others.
Dean Chamberlain
The esteemed photographer Chamberlain captured the essence of Leary's last days. Their paths crossed in 1996, post-Leary's cancer diagnosis. Chamberlain inspired Leary to craft "word drawings" as his mental acuity waned. Viewing the world through a lens, Chamberlain likened Leary to a source of light, noting, "The closer Tim got to death, the more I saw him take great pleasure in the wordlessness of illumination."
Robin Christiansen
Christiansen, a friend, massage therapist, and artist, provided soothing massages twice weekly during Leary's last five months. His cherished memory is the shared experience of hallucinogenic journeys with Leary in his final days.
Aleister Crowley
A controversial figure, Aleister Crowley (1875–1947), was a poet and occultist from Leamington, Warwickshire, England. He renounced his Christian upbringing, delving deeply into the mysteries of the occult, becoming a prominent member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Crowley championed the mind-expanding power of drugs and the uninhibited expression of sexuality, provided it harmed none. His legacy resonates with artists and musicians, celebrated as a visionary. Leary draws a parallel between Crowley's alchemy and the modern digital age, both seen as forms of magic.
Ram Dass
Renowned as Ram Dass, formerly Richard Alpert, is a spiritual guide and was Leary's original collaborator in the psychedelic explorations of the 1960s. He gained fame through his seminal work, Be Here Now, a defining text of the era's counterculture.
Albert Einstein
Einstein (1879–1955), the brilliant German-American physicist, revolutionized our understanding with his theory of relativity, asserting that physical laws remain consistent across all inertial frames. Leary references Einstein while contemplating how the doctrines of stability and gravity have evolved, proposing that the cosmos is now perceived as more tumultuous than once believed.
Aileen Getty
Getty, a close confidante of Leary, treasures the memory of spending a night with him just five days before his departure from this world.
William Gibson
Gibson, an acclaimed sci-fi and cyberpunk author, is celebrated for his bestseller Neuromancer. He is credited with bringing the concept of "cyberspace" into everyday language.
Nina Graboi
A devoted friend from the 1960s, Graboi was a maternal figure to many in Leary's entourage. She marveled at Leary's final act, describing it as "the greatest show on earth."
James Grauerholz
Grauerholz, a Beat writer and William Burroughs' assistant, first encountered Leary at a 1978 convention, forging a connection with the iconic figure.
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Kübler-Ross authored the groundbreaking book On Death and Dying, pioneering a compassionate discourse on death within Western society. Leary acknowledges Ross’ work as a positive exploration of life’s final journey.
Ken Kesey
Kesey, a luminary of the 1960s counterculture, led the Merry Pranksters, a vibrant collective of creatives who voyaged across the country in their iconic bus, "Further." Immortalized...
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in Tom Wolfe'sThe Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, Kesey also penned classics like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. When Leary was confronted with his cancer diagnosis, he reportedly confided to Kesey, "I’ve exhausted this planet’s particular pleasures."
Jack Kevorkian
Kevorkian, a physician from Michigan, fervently championed the right to die and physician-assisted euthanasia. His controversial efforts to aid those with terminal illnesses in ending their suffering gained him notoriety. Leary praised Kevorkian as "the greatest taboo smasher of all," yet advised him to refine his public persona and avoid appearing victimized by the press. Kevorkian faced imprisonment after a second-degree murder conviction.
Paul Krassner
Krassner, a yippie and founding force behind the underground journal The Realist, observed that "the lesson of [Leary’s] death was the lesson of his life, to have as much fun as possible, to be in control of that fun, to communicate that sense of fun to others, and to be responsible to it himself."
R. D. Laing
Laing, a bold British psychiatrist and poet, became a counterculture icon of the 1960s and 1970s. He advocated for unconventional treatments for mental illness and introduced Leary to the world of heroin.
Timothy Leary
Timothy Leary, the pioneering mind behind Design for Dying, was more than just an academic; he was a visionary. A former Harvard professor and research psychiatrist, Leary was a luminary of the counterculture movement, championing personal agency in life and death choices. His journey intertwined with the legendary Merry Pranksters of Ken Kesey fame, marking him as a profound influencer beneath the surface of the mainstream. Design for Dying opens in 1995, a pivotal year when Leary confronted the reality of prostate cancer. The narrative is not just a contemplation on mortality but a vibrant discourse on the art of living. Though his writing brims with academic rigor, often cloaked in complex terminology, his words resonate with authenticity, reflecting a life lived in steadfast adherence to his ideals.
Zach Leary
As the stepson of Timothy Leary through his union with Barbara, Zach Leary bore witness to a remarkable display of courage. He recounts the indomitable spirit with which Leary embraced his final chapter, a testament to his unwavering resolve to keep joy alive amidst the shadows of impending farewell.
Terence McKenna
Terence McKenna, an esteemed writer, proposes a revolutionary theory: human evolution was catalyzed by the mind-altering diet of our ancient kin—championed by psilocybin mushrooms. Timothy Leary draws upon McKenna's radical ideas, positing that mind-expanding substances are vital threads in the tapestry of human evolution. To him, the war on drugs is a crusade against the boundless potential of human consciousness.
Ralph Metzner
A close ally in psychedelic exploration, Ralph Metzner shared many milestones with Leary. Astonished by Leary's mastery over his own mortality, Metzner and others in Leary’s circle bore witness to a remarkable orchestration of life’s grand finale.
Doug Rushkoff
Doug Rushkoff, an astute writer and media theorist, frames Leary's death as a "meme," a cultural phenomenon akin to a gene in biology. He unravels the media spectacle that surrounded Leary's exit, suggesting it mirrored the collective consciousness of a generation of baby boomers grappling with the loss of their own parents. "He was dying for the rest of us," Rushkoff aptly notes.
Michael D. Segel
Michael D. Segel, a filmmaker and Leary’s confidant, collaborated with him on various Hollywood productions where Leary transformed conventional narratives into philosophical inquiries that challenged audiences. One such inquiry pondered the feasibility of preserving human bodies in liquid nitrogen, with the hope of future revival. Segel accompanied Leary on his final road adventure, which included a poignant reunion with Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters.
R. U. Sirius
Under the guise of R. U. Sirius, an enigmatic force within the counterculture, he painted vibrant pictures of the art and cyber worlds. As the editorial helm of Mondo 2000, the inaugural cyberculture magazine, and a frequent voice in Wired, Sirius captivated audiences worldwide with his insights into the nexus of technology and culture. A dear friend of Leary, he played a pivotal role in shaping Design for Dying.
Trudy Truelove
Trudy Truelove, an artist and musician, stood by Leary's side in his twilight days, orchestrating press engagements and public appearances. Her reflections capture Leary’s love affair with media attention and the poignant contrast between the vibrant images of his youth and the frailty of his final days.
Stacy Valis
Working in Warner Brothers' art department, Stacy Valis was married to Dean Chamberlain, Leary's photographer. Her role as a "den mother" during Leary's final months saw her tending to household needs, despite being an outsider to the counterculture and having scant personal experience with drugs. Through her husband, she came to know Leary, discovering in him not just a counterculture icon but a man of "unwavering bravery, honesty, love, and indefatigable work ethic," as she writes in the book's addendum. Her narrative reveals his profound impact on those within his orbit.
