Since November of 2007 to present day August 27, 2009 I have read an estimated 160 books. Daniel Pinchbeck is a voice that speaks to me more than any I've encountered along my self-developmental path. With a supreme command of the English language, Pinchbeck accounts the history of his and many great minds of the "Beat" generation while venturing into unfamiliar cultures, ritualistic initiations, and transcendent states of being and alteration through a number of organic substances and synthetic solutions. Mindful encounters with the drugs iboga, ayahausca, psilocybin mushrooms, DMT (dimethyltryptamine), and DPT (dipropyltryptamine) among others lift the veil from this remarkable author's eyes as he hears, "This is it. Now you know. This is it. Now you know."

Undeniable spiritual encounters, true hallucinations, and the emergence of fresh realities relayed via a vast lexicon render this title one I have purchased at least 4 times and hand delivered to friends.

This is my number one pick for 2008; Daniel's voice and topic leaves the reader thirsty for more of his words.

This is much more than a cultural history of psychedelics. It is an argument for 21st century spirituality, which Pinchbeck claims is necessary to regain different levels of consciousness lost to the Western world. Towards the end, the book takes a rather bizarre turn but until then it's a good read. As a person who had previously only taken psychedelics for fun, Pinchbeck's book really made me reconsider the possibilities of these drugs and what other realities could be out there. It could have done with some information on acquiring some of these drugs, particuarly ibogaine which sounds potentially lifesaving. Pinchbeck was lucky enough to be able to go to shamanic retreats and that sort of thing through his work but the majority of people don't have that luxury.

What starts a relatively objective become a little more woo-woo and New Age-y as it goes on. Also, don't forget he's been accused of being a sexual predator.

However, the idea of Shamanism meeting Modernism is an enjoyable and escapist narrative to consider in this world. The idea that the ecological crisis is a rite of passage or initiation for humanity collectively, forcing us to reach the next level of our consciousness as a species is an idea that fun to consider as the world appears to erode.

As such, this book is a nice throwback, its fun to consider a time when Burning Man wasn't so compromised and those ideas weren't so commercialized, but Pinchbeck's analysis is of shamanism and his conclusion is that it's a valid choice in a world that favors rational materialism.

He's a bit of a looney when he gets to Quetzalcoatl (not in this book), it's the noble idea that we are working towards being Star Children. The ideas of my favorite writers like Grant Morrison and Jodorowsky still lives on. It's a naive optimism to me, but sometimes we need that. Especially as Childhood ends.

Very fascinating and informative book. However, there are some parts where it reads rather like a research paper and I found it dragging on through these parts. The bits where Pinchbeck goes through tales of his "trips" in various countries were my favorites, although the research-y bits were still very interesting. Still haven't finished the book, though, and I'm not sure I will just because it's a little to dense for my taste. Still, this is a fascinating read and if you're interested in the subject of shamanism and exploring higher consciousness this book will definitely pique your interest.

This was a refreshing book to read when it came out and the fact that it seems a bit dated now is an indication of how much has happened since then, in terms of use of research chemicals and the expansion of festivals, than a reflection of the book.

It journals a mans journey from that of a cynical hack to a new age neo shamanic enthusiast, via assignments to the jungles to take shamanic potions and also via the use of research chemicals. Those descriptions are a touch navel gazing but better than many accounts of drug use in recent literature.

The books in itself is good but it is unfortunate that much of his subsequent book, The Return of Quetzalcoatl, contained so much information that was a re-hash of it.

The descriptions and history of Burning Man are one of the most original aspects of the book and certainly would have helped some decide on whether or not they would wish to spend days in the blazing sun with IT folks.

In terms of writing style, it is perhaps a bit American for English tastes but one certainly gets a sense of the angst of being Daniel Pinchbeck, which is what it's all about.

I love a book that makes me look at the world and my own way of thinking differently and this one definitely did that for me.

Eye opening and thought provoking. Some observations whether true or not, definitely resonated with me. The possibility that another dimension can exist and how it’s preached across various civilizations and races from ages when the world was still remote is surprising. The quest for spirituality should be normalized, whether they choose self destructing ways or remote cultural ways is upto the individual. Either way, you will be an outcast and is a journey off the mainstream.
This book is an account of various findings from other books as well as the authors personal adventures into these other worldly realms. This is a good passageway before diving deep into other books, that I can’t wait to read.

There's some stuff in here that totally resonates with me. There's other stuff that leaves me cold.

Other dimension? Sure, why not. Psychic vampires in other dimensions that want to such you dry. Hmm, maybe. We should break open our heads with the rock of heavy-duty drugs? Nah; leave that.

For a book that seems to be about 'knowing oneself' there are no real descriptions of that self (aside from one of being a TV that could only look at the room it was in). It's mostly just descriptions of visions of geometric shapes and elves of one sort of another. Again - nah!

And sure, I appreciate that Mr Daniel is a compelling writer and has many interesting things to say, but ultimately, I'm fine with my drug-free existence not to mention completely in awe of the dimension we live in. I mean: look at it. Wow!

Read this book if you're curious. Then put it down and go for a long walk by the river.

This was a book I think was meant to be written. It's possible every book ever was meant to be written, but this one especially lol. At times it felt a bit dry, perhaps that was just my pre-existing knowledge on many topics covered here. Either way it was enjoyable, informative, transformative, & enlightening. More so if I had a less advanced knowledge of this topic of course, I think this would be a decent place to begin a psychedelic search, there is a decent overview of many aspects included here. 4/5 stars.

interesting subject, author seems generally unpleasant

This book took well known and cultish drugs and took them through their cultural roots, and how they have impacted the author's life. I found this book eye opening (one could even say head-opening). I was really fascinated to learn about the traditions of the native people who used these substances for different purposes than we use them in modern society for escapism. Regardless, I have a greater respect for natural substances and how they should be treated with respect because you don't know what's on the other side of your mind.

An interesting account of one author's personal journey through experimentation with entheogens. Pinchbeck shares his experiences with Iboga (African psychotropic ritual substance) and Ayahuasca (South American hallucinogenic tea) in a manner that is very personal and immersive, thinking out loud about his reliance on alcohol throughout life and how these substances have effected his permanent consciousness. I found the continual speculation about the meaning of "life, the universe and everything" to be tiring, but this was simply due to my own personal beliefs on the subjects and I do feel we need this sort of dialogue within society. My guess is that anyone wishing to read this book has some interest in man's history with mind altering plants, and with that in mind, Pinchbeck has proved himself capable of engaging writing that pulls the reader in and immerses them in his own feelings and thoughts, aiding our own mental conversations.