Confessions of English Opium-Eater

Confessions of an English Opium-Eater is an autobiographical account written by Thomas De Quincey, about his laudanum (opium and alcohol) addiction and its effect on his life. The Confessions was the first major work De Quincey published and the one which won him fame almost overnight. First published anonymously in September and October 1821 in the London Magazine, the Confessions was released in book form in 1822. This is work is a reproduction of the 1823 edition. De Quincey's account is organized into two parts: Part I begins with a notice "To the Reader," to establish the narrative frame. It is followed by the substance of Part I, Preliminary Confessions, devoted to the author's childhood and youth. Part II is split into several sections: A relatively brief introduction, followed by The Pleasures of Opium; Introduction to the Pains of Opium; and The Pains of Opium. Another "Notice to the Reader" attempts to clarify the chronology of the whole.