Tripping

December 20, 2000
The bulk of this book consists of 50 first-hand accounts of the authors' experiences on various drugs, including cannabis, peyote, LSD, and Ecstasy. The narrators, drawn from across the globe, include poets, musicians, healthcare professionals, and members of the clergy--not to mention a few librarians. Although many speak anonymously, others, like poet Anne Waldman and journalist Steve Silberman, write under their own names. Several stories recount similar experiences: feelings of unspeakable bliss, a direct connection with God or Nature, a vision of one's own birth or death. There are also horrific experiences like that of Kenny who, high on LSD, burned over 60 percent of his body after jumping into a bonfire. Supplemental essays discuss the basic features of the psychedelic experience and the cultural history of tripping. The author intends the book for "psychonauts" who want to compare notes and for the uninitiated who wish "to vicariously experience the thrills and trauma of the trip." It is the latter to whom the book will appeal most.--William Gargan, Brooklyn Coll. Lib., CUNY

Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2000
\deflang1033\pard\plain\f0\fs24 Editor Hayes' "brief cultural history of tripping" contains 50 personal accounts of psychedelic drug use both by such names as sf author Robert Charles Wilson and, mostly, by first-name-only regular folks. Hayes' purpose is to delineate the place in contemporary cultural history of psychedelic substances and the urge to ingest them. "The fact is that human beings will always want to suspend everyday reality . . and they will always be at least curious about alternate states of consciousness," he says, citing historical antecedents. The reminiscences recall using the likes of LSD and psilocybin mushrooms, and the range of experiences reported is panoramic and includes much rumination. The concluding conversation with "shamanologist," lecturer, and author Terrence McKenna, "arguably, the most eloquent . . . spokesman for the psychedelic experience and the plant kingdom from which it emanates," is entirely fitting. For seriously treating what is often characterized as nihilistic and destructive entertainment, the book deserves its place in the literature of psychoactive substances. \plain\f0\fs17 (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)