Discovered in the 18th century in Val-de-Travers (Neuchâtel, CH), absinthe soon became the trendy drink of the Parisian bohemia and gained worldwide fame—until the Green Fairy was banned in most European countries in the early 20th century and survived underground for nearly 100 years. This book traces the history of this "magical" beverage: from its origins as a health elixir to its significance as a cult drink and "fuel" of the Fin de Siècle and its artists—leading up to the ban and the myths and legends that are still told today. These stories have contributed to absinthe becoming a cult-status scene drink, recently legalized once again.