All the books about psychedelics
Food of the Gods: The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge by Terence McKenna is one of the most famous books on psychedelics. It explores our human history through the lens of psychedelics (psilocybin specifically) and forms a theory (stoned ape) that is both loved by some and not accepted in scientific circles. McKenna also argues that we have to restore balance to nature and ourselves (archaic revival).
Magic Medicine by Cody Johnson is a great exploration of 23 (categories of) psychedelic plants and substances. It takes an observational perspective in which it’s open to theories and traditions, but sticks to the science and actual description of the drugs’ effects. Both for people who are new to psychedelics and the more experienced, the book offers new insights to all.
The Psychedelic Experience by Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner, and Richard Alpert (Ram Dass) merges the psychedelic experience with the Tibetan Book of the Dead. It’s an interesting book that tried to merge Western use of psychedelics (which originate mostly from South America) with Eastern philosophy. The book can best be seen as a product of the time (the 1960s), not as a complete guide on how to approach the psychedelic experience.
Consciousness Medicine by Françoise Bourzat and Kristina Hunter is a guide and personal reflection on how to hold sessions with psychedelics. It’s written for guides/coaches/healers and leans heavily on experience and tradition
LSD: My Problem Child by Albert Hofmann recounts the discovery, first trip, and dissemination of LSD from the perspective of its discoverer. The book describes the chemical history, the subsequent trouble with it leaving the lab, and Hofmann’s perspective on the effects LSD elicits. It describes his personal experience (bicycle day), experiences of others, and how he reflects on his most curious discovery.
Mescaline: A Global History of the First Psychedelic by Mike Jay gives you a full history of Mescaline. It takes you on a journey through the jungles of South America, over the plains of North America, to labs around the world. It not only documents who has been involved with the early use of it, but also how it’s been taken up (and later left behind) in popular culture. A deep-dive into mescaline.
PIHKAL: A Chemical Love Story by Alexander & Ann Shulgin is a (next to THIHKAL) great tome that captures the work being done by these two pioneers in the psychedelics field. It is part (fictionalized) biography (including trip reports) and part chemistry on how to make over 150 psychedelic phenethylamines.
TIHKAL by Alexander & Ann Shulgin is another (after PIHKAL) great biography and chemistry exploration by this amazing couple. You’re taken across the world, from small French villages to Brazilian villas. It’s humorous, opinionated, open-hearted, and overall a great read. The book details both personal experiences and chemical manuals for making 55 psychedelic (tryptamine) compounds.
The Psychedelics Explorer’s Guide by James Fadiman outlines his experience with psychedelics and gives you a guideline on how to safely and effectively use them. It reviews old and new (up to 2011) research. The book can be a bit spiritual (read: less grounded in good research) sometimes and could have used some more editing.
Heaven and Hell by Aldous Huxley is a philosophical exploration of our minds. In essence, it asks what is extraordinary; What makes us wonder? It’s part exploration of the psychedelic experience (with mescaline and LSD), part exploration of what those experiences might mean.