International Freak by M Syd Rosen review – the British Timothy Leary

Piccadilly Circus, London, in 1969. Farquharson was a key member of the UK counterculture. Photograph: ShutterstockView image in fullscreenPiccadilly Circus, London, in 1969. Farquharson was a key member of the UK counterculture. Photograph: ShutterstockBooksReviewInternational Freak by M Syd Rosen review – the British Timothy LearyRobin Farquharson was a prize-winning game theorist, anti-apartheid activist and countercultural chaos merchantSukhdev SandhuTue 30 Jun 2026 04.00 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleEven as an undergraduate, Robin Farquharson was famous for being erratic. He provoked anxiety and goodwill in equal measure. His aim in life, according to an anonymous writer in an Oxford student newspaper, was “to become a contradiction in terms.

…

Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Guardian — Books.