marisbest2's review against another edition
5.0
This was actually excellent. I really want to try some of these now so hopefully the research pans out and they become widely available. Well worth the read
bigenk's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating read for anybody interested in the U.S. history and western-science research of psychedelics. While the actual writing seems to me as rather dry and uninspired, there is some great content here that will give you a background on the topic from multiple vantage points. I felt that there was a lot of repetition behind many of the overarching themes/assertions in the book, but I did leave it feeling as though I thoroughly understand everything, so maybe the repetition did me some good. I appreciate that Pollan tried many of the drugs that he talked about to add his first-hand perspective to the mix.
john_hewitt's review against another edition
5.0
Extremely interesting. Pollan has tackled food and anthropology, so the natural next step is...psychedelics? I admit to knowing very little about LSD and psilocybin (mushrooms) before this book, so I was fascinated to hear that they were originally and primarily used by psychologists in guided therapy sessions that were met with incredible success. It wasn't until they left the laboratory and hands of professionals to be used recreationally that the widespread moral panic basically doomed years of promising research. For a natural substance that's supposed to dissolve the ego, it seems that it failed to stop several egotistical men (Timothy Leary, John Lennon, Steve Jobs) from ruining it for everybody. This is why we can't have nice things.
madimack12's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.25
mkehoe524's review against another edition
2.0
I love Michael Pollan and pre-ordered this book without really thinking of the content. Reading it reminded me how annoying it is to talk to others about their dreams/drug highs. There was some interesting information about studies being done though.
kitty_arcade's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
I quite enjoyed this, especially Pollan going into the history of psychedelics and how they are being tested as treatment for depression, addiction, and terminal illness. It gave me a better glimpse into some aspects of the 1960s counterculture and also made known how polarizing Timothy Leary is to the LSD and psychedelic community.
Do I want to try psychedelics after reading this? I don't know. But it definitely makes me curious about their potential for helping people, like myself, who suffer from depression and anxiety.
A read I'd recommend.
Do I want to try psychedelics after reading this? I don't know. But it definitely makes me curious about their potential for helping people, like myself, who suffer from depression and anxiety.
A read I'd recommend.
quillonon's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
4.5