Library
The reading list
38 books across science, memoir, clinical practice, and culture.
Chemistry
PIHKAL: A Chemical Love Story
A groundbreaking work documenting 179 phenethylamine compounds. Part autobiography, part chemistry textbook, Sasha and Ann Shulgin's love story intertwined with the synthesis and effects of psychoactive phenethylamines.
TIHKAL: The Continuation
The sequel to PIHKAL, focusing on tryptamines including DMT, psilocybin, and dozens of related compounds. Combines chemistry, pharmacology, and personal experiences with detailed synthesis methods.
The Nature of Drugs
A compilation of Shulgin's lectures covering the history, pharmacology, and societal impact of psychoactive drugs. Accessible introduction to the chemistry and philosophy behind his life's work.
Research
DMT: The Spirit Molecule
Groundbreaking clinical research on DMT exploring its profound effects on human consciousness. Dr. Strassman's study at the University of New Mexico investigates the biochemical and mystical aspects of the most powerful psychedelic known.
The Way of the Psychonaut
A comprehensive two-volume encyclopedia of inner exploration by the founder of transpersonal psychology. Grof's life work exploring non-ordinary states of consciousness through LSD research, holotropic breathwork, and psychedelic therapy.
How to Change Your Mind
The book that launched the psychedelic renaissance into mainstream consciousness. Pollan's investigation into the new science of psychedelics, their history, and their potential for treating mental illness and expanding human consciousness.
Realms of the Human Unconscious
Observations from LSD research - Grof's pioneering cartography of the psyche based on thousands of LSD sessions. Maps perinatal and transpersonal domains of consciousness.
The Ayahuasca Reader
Comprehensive anthology of ayahuasca research, ethnobotany, and cultural perspectives. Essential overview of the sacred Amazonian brew.
Trippy: The Peril and Promise of Medicinal Psychedelics
A New York Times reporter investigates the rapidly expanding world of psychedelic medicine, from underground therapists to FDA clinical trials. A balanced look at both the promise and the pitfalls.
Psychedelics and Psychotherapy
A comprehensive clinical anthology covering the therapeutic use of MDMA, psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD, and ketamine. Leading practitioners share protocols, case studies, and integration frameworks.
Consciousness
Alien Information Theory
A revolutionary synthesis of neuroscience, psychedelics, and consciousness theory. Gallimore proposes that DMT may provide access to genuine alternate realities through specific neurochemical pathways.
The Invisible Landscape
Mind, hallucinogens, and the I Ching - the McKenna brothers' exploration of psychedelics, shamanism, and consciousness. Their Amazon ayahuasca experiences and theories on time, evolution, and novelty.
Zig Zag Zen: Buddhism and Psychedelics
A landmark anthology exploring the intersection of Buddhist practice and psychedelic experience. Features contributions from Ram Dass, Jack Kornfield, Rick Strassman, Alex Grey, and dozens of other leading voices.
Neuropsychedelia: The Revival of Hallucinogen Research Since the Decade of the Brain
An anthropologist embeds with neuroscience labs studying psilocybin and DMT, examining how psychedelic research intersects with neuroscience, philosophy of mind, and the politics of consciousness studies.
The Psychedelic Experience
The classic manual based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead, adapted as a guide for navigating psychedelic states. A foundational text of the psychedelic movement from the Harvard Psilocybin Project era.
Culture
This Is Your Mind on Plants
An exploration of three plant-based drugs - opium, caffeine, and mescaline - examining their history, cultural significance, and effects on human consciousness. Pollan investigates our complex relationship with mind-altering plants.
Food of the Gods
The search for the original tree of knowledge - McKenna's theory that psilocybin mushrooms catalyzed human evolution and consciousness. Explores psychedelics' role in culture, religion, and history.
Psychedelics Encyclopedia
One of the most comprehensive reference works on psychedelic substances ever compiled. Covers LSD, mescaline, psilocybin, DMT, cannabis, and dozens more with history, chemistry, effects, and cultural context.
Acid Dreams: The Complete Social History of LSD
The definitive social history of LSD from CIA mind control experiments to the counterculture revolution. Extensively researched account of how a single molecule reshaped American politics, culture, and consciousness.
American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road
A gripping narrative account of the rise and fall of Ross Ulbricht and Silk Road. New York Times reporter Bilton reconstructs the FBI, DEA, and IRS investigation through interviews with agents, prosecutors, and Ulbricht's family, revealing how a physics student built a billion-dollar criminal enterprise and how a sprawling multi-agency investigation brought it down.
Silk Road: A Story of Evolution, Power, and the Dark Web
Australian journalist Eileen Ormsby provides the most comprehensive account of dark web markets from Silk Road through its successors. Drawing on extensive research and direct engagement with market communities, Ormsby examines the libertarian ideology, the trust mechanisms, the law enforcement response, and the human stories behind the headlines.
Policy
Drug Use for Grown-Ups
A bold and provocative argument for evidence-based drug policy and the right to responsible adult drug use. Hart, a Columbia neuroscientist, challenges drug war propaganda with science and personal experience.
Chasing the Scream
A sweeping investigation into the origins of the drug war, from its architects to its victims. Hari travels across nine countries to uncover the real causes of addiction and argues for a radical rethinking of drug policy.
Psychedelic Outlaws
The story of cluster headache patients who turned to psilocybin and LSD when medicine failed them. A compelling look at the underground psychedelic patient movement and the politics of prohibited medicine.
Drug Policy and the Public Good
A comprehensive, evidence-based analysis of drug policy strategies worldwide. Examines what works and what doesn't in reducing drug-related harm, drawing on decades of international research.
The Dark Net: Inside the Digital Underworld
Demos think tank director Jamie Bartlett explores the full spectrum of the dark net — from drug markets and cryptocurrency to political extremism and trolling culture. A balanced, deeply reported investigation into the hidden internet and the people who inhabit it, examining both its dangers and its role as a space for privacy and free expression.
Memoir
High Price
A groundbreaking memoir combining Hart's personal journey from the Miami projects to Columbia University with a scientific dismantling of drug war myths. Argues powerfully for decriminalization and evidence-based policy.
The Doors of Perception
The classic 1954 account of Huxley's mescaline experience. A profound meditation on consciousness, perception, and the nature of reality. Hugely influential on psychedelic culture.
LSD: My Problem Child
The autobiography of LSD's discoverer. Hofmann's accidental discovery, bicycle day, and reflections on LSD's potential and societal impact. Essential primary source history.
Breaking Open the Head
A psychedelic journey into the heart of contemporary shamanism. Pinchbeck's personal exploration of iboga, ayahuasca, and DMT across cultures.
The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge
The controversial and influential account of an anthropologist's apprenticeship with a Yaqui Indian sorcerer in the Mexican desert. Explores peyote, jimsonweed, and psilocybin mushrooms as tools for accessing alternate realities.
Mycology
Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World
The legendary mycologist's comprehensive guide to fungi's potential for medicine, environmental restoration, and ecological healing. Explores mycelium networks and mushrooms' role in planetary health.
Psilocybin Mushrooms of the World
The definitive field guide to psilocybin-containing mushrooms, covering identification, cultivation, and ethnobotanical history. Essential reference for mycologists and psychedelic researchers.
Guide
The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide
Safe, therapeutic, and sacred journeys - a comprehensive guide to responsible psychedelic use. Covers preparation, dosing, set and setting, and integration. The standard reference for psychedelic exploration.
The Psychedelic Therapy Workbook
A practical step-by-step guide for therapists and patients navigating psychedelic-assisted therapy. Covers preparation, the session itself, and integration with evidence-based frameworks.
The Ketamine Handbook
A thorough clinical and practical guide to ketamine therapy for depression, PTSD, and chronic pain. Covers pharmacology, treatment protocols, integration strategies, and the evolving legal landscape.
Modern Psychedelics
A comprehensive modern guide to the psychedelic landscape covering psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, LSD, and ayahuasca. Blends science, practical advice, and cultural context for the post-prohibition era.
A Really Good Day: How Microdosing Made a Mega Difference in My Life
A month-long experiment with microdosing LSD to treat mood disorders. Waldman's honest, funny, and deeply personal account brought microdosing into mainstream conversation.