The premise of the work is to examine how use and research of psychedelic substances have changed over the last half-century, especially given the recent resurgence of scientific inquiry in the 90s. The book itself is part history lesson, science journalism, and part memoir. In particular, the author recounts the psychedelic experiences both from his past and those he sought out in conjunction with this book.
Pros:
- The book is thorough, and covers a wide variety of topics in the realm of psychedelics. This includes, but is not limited to: the history and scope of psychedelic research before the substance was banned in the 1960s, the natural history of psilocybin myshrooms, the “crack-up,” around psychedelics in the 1960s (including people like Timothy Leary), the neuroscience of psychedelics, and Pollan’s own experiences using psychedelic substances both with and without a therapist / “guide.”
- The book does not require technical expertise to understand or enjoy. This is especially true as the author lays out his own experiences on psychedelics. The approachable writing style reminded me of, Twilight of the Gods, which expertly interwove the personal and this historical in an approachable way.
- The book includes a vibrant cast of characters, from academics and clinicians to those on the fringes of society.
Cons:
- Chapter markers are too few and far between. To add insult to injury, they often do not match up with the actual chapters / parts of the books (or even the “codas” the author adds in after 2 of the chapters).
- This may not be the case with the print version, but citations seemed few and far between in the audiobook.
- (nit-pick) The author has a few pet phrases that appear multiple times in the work like, “shaking the snowglobe,” of one’s mind, or how any attempt to describe a psychedelic experience would be, “thin,” or do, “violence to the experience.”
Conclusion:
Though the work has a few issues, they are minor when compared against the scope of the work and the talent of the writer. While I can’t give it a 5 star review, it is definitely worth checking out by anyone with an interest in psychedelics.
Check it out here.
You may also enjoy…
- “Twilight of the Gods: My Journey to the End of Classic Rock,” by Steven Hyden
- “The Hidden Power of F*cking Up,” by The Try Guys
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