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Need a good non-fiction book on LSD

Keaton

Keaton

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I have to write a book report on a non-fiction book about LSD and was wondering what people would suggest.
I have to be able to relate it to LSD's impact on the society we live in today and it should tell about the cultural impact it had when in first became a prominent drug for people to use.
 
You can start with the book of the maker: 'LSD, my problem child - Albert Hoffman'
 
cant beat problem child

wish i owned that one

from my collection id recommend the electric kool-aid acid test, left my first copy in Dallas County Jail cuz i was soo excited when they called my name to leave, but my girl got me a new copy for christmas :)
 
'Acid Dreams: The Complete Social History of LSD: The CIA, the Sixties, and Beyond' by Martin A. Lee is a good one. I enjoyed it. Good read, lots of background.

'The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test' by Tom Wolfe is a factual account that reads like fiction so maybe not quite what you're looking for but a good insight into the West Coast U.S. counter-culture and the beginnings of the Haight Ashbury scene, etc. Seminal stuff.
 
Realms Of The Human Unconscious: Observations From LSD Research by Stanislav Grof might be worth checking out
 
Sepher said:
'Acid Dreams: The Complete Social History of LSD: The CIA, the Sixties, and Beyond' by Martin A. Lee is a good one. I enjoyed it. Good read, lots of background.
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I was coming in here to suggest this one. Good stuff indeed.
 
^Picked it up off Amazon last night as well as LSD: My Problem child.
Super excited for them to get here so I can dive right into them.
 
Not strictly LSD related, but TiKHAL and PiKHAL have wonderful portions in them that describe Alexander (and his wife) Shulgin's life and lifestyle. How he came to do what he's doing, and why, etc. They're definitely on my list to purchase.
 
most_illogical said:
I would suggest "Storming Heaven" for a well rounded account.
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Yes, of course. I was racking my brains for it when I put up my previous, Googling like mad. I knew I needed a Jay in the search terms somewhere but could I land on it? Excellent book. Probably the best I've read. Full title for the OPs benefit: Storming Heaven: LSD and the American Dream, Jay Stevens.

Cheers! :)
 
yes i too advocate Hofmann's writing

since you are specifically looking for LSD based infomation, naturally the inventor seems a significant place to start. perhaps his work can give you some tip offs as to what else to look up
 
LSD:Psychotherepy by Grof

High Priest by Leary

The Variety of Psychedelic Experiences
 
I've read them all and they're all pretty much shit unfortunately. Storming heaven is interesting but it's limited - takes 4 or 5 chapters to even get to LSD and then the information is pretty poor - gets bogged down in legal debates after a while. Acid dreams is probably even worse than Storming heaven.

Anything by Groff reads more like a psychiatry textbook than a book you'd read for enjoyment. Same goes for "The variety of psychedelic experiences".

Leary's autobiography - not High Priest - the one he did later called Flashbacks - is probably the most entertaining tho how true it is is anyones guess.

Unfortunately there's been very few books written by people who both respect psychedelics and are good writers.
 
If you want a very detailed history of mk ultra and the cia's projects with brainwashing and LSD check out the book The Search for the Manchurian canidade.When I read acid dreams this section of the history of LSD was by far the most interesting and reveals the intentions and mind set of the US government. Some of the projects are like things schizophernics would have delusions about the government doing, but its historical fact and not a delusion unfortunatly.
 
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