First published 2019
Michael Pollan investigates the medical renaissance surrounding psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin. He examines how these substances treat depression, addiction, and anxiety in clinical settings. The research leads him beyond third-person reporting into personal experimentation with altered consciousness. Pollan traces the history of psychedelics from promising 1960s research through decades of cultural backlash to today's scientific revival. He explores underground therapeutic communities and current brain science. The book combines his own psychedelic experiences with interviews, historical analysis, and medical reporting. Pollan separates scientific facts from cultural myths about these drugs. His investigation reveals how psychedelics help both mentally ill patients and healthy individuals navigate life's challenges. The work offers readers insight into consciousness, meaning-making, and mental presence in a world of suffering and joy.
Genres: mental-health, addiction, medical, biography-memoir, health, history-of-medicine, alternative-medicine, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: medical-renaissance, personal-experimentation
464 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books
Content warnings: drug-use