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24th out of 54 books
—
24 voters
Acid Dreams: The CIA, LSD and the Sixties Rebellion
Acid Dreams is the complete social history of LSD and the counterculture it helped to define in the sixties. Martin Lee and Bruce Shlain's exhaustively researched and astonishing account-part of it gleaned from secret government files-tells how the CIA became obsessed with LSD as an espionage weapon during the early l950s and launched a massive covert research program, in
...morePaperback, 343 pages
Published
January 21st 1994
by Grove Weidenfeld (NY)
(first published January 21st 1985)
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http://www.examiner.com/review/acid-d... This is an impressive and scholarly-researched documentation of the CIA's intimate involvement with the psychoactive drug LSD-25 in the attempt to develop a compound that would prevent anyone being interrogated from keeping secrets. Generally speaking, when this organization is referenced in a work of nonfiction, there are a few inconsistencies. For instance, I've heard Albert Hoffman, the "discoverer" of LSD was an agent, but this book doesn't mention it...more
These gentlemen did their homework and I am proud to have not only read their research but purchased new copies of their book more than 20x to send out to those who were led to believe the media lies of the 60s. Their documentation is perfect and succinct.
The 60s movement could have worked. I know this because I have implemented it often on small scale settings; frightening the knickers off of those in charge. Now the methods remain as my legacy in 4 novels to build a more perfect union. Good lu...more
The 60s movement could have worked. I know this because I have implemented it often on small scale settings; frightening the knickers off of those in charge. Now the methods remain as my legacy in 4 novels to build a more perfect union. Good lu...more
Although this is called a " social history of LSD" it might be more correctly considered a socio-political history;it contains quite a bit of information on CIA/Military testing of LSD,as well as the various financial and legal ramifications that the distribution of the drug inevitably created. This book, along with "Storming Heaven" by Jay Stevens, are the best general histories of LSD. One might consider reading at least one of these before one reads accounts which focus on certain people or g...more
Considering how much I love acid, it wouldn't take much to get me to read a book about the history of LSD. The title alone Acid Dreams: The CIA, LSD and Sixties Rebellion is enough to make even drug haters want to pick it up and read.
My first thoughts in seeing the cover was, "What the hell does LSD have to do with the CIA?." Boy was I amazed to discover just how much the U.S. government had to do with the rise of psychedelic culture in the 1960s. As it turns out, the psychedelic revolution was...more
My first thoughts in seeing the cover was, "What the hell does LSD have to do with the CIA?." Boy was I amazed to discover just how much the U.S. government had to do with the rise of psychedelic culture in the 1960s. As it turns out, the psychedelic revolution was...more
The subtitle of this book says "The complete social history of LSD: the CIA, the sixties, and beyond." In a nutshell, this is an entirely accurate summary. Lee and Shlain trace the strange journey of LSD from an experimental military chemical, to a psychiatric wonderdrug, to a driving forces of the 60s counter-culture, and possibly its demise. This book is more journalistic than academic, but it is deeply sourced and informed. The authors are pro-psychedelic but fully recognize the limits of che...more
I read this book back in high school when I was skeptical of the whole D.A.R.E., Nancy Reagan, just say no nonsense, and had an inkling that I might want to explore getting out of my mind in the forthcoming years. Even early on in life I figured having some sense of something before diving in seemed like a better than average plan, and I was rewarded handsomely. Lee's book is a comprehensive historical review of the science, politics in which acid/hallucinogens arose and the subsequent countercu...more
I got this as a gift from someone whose taste I trust implicitly, so read it despite not having had much interest in LSD since high school (when, frankly, I had a fairly serious and highly personal interest in the compound).
It's a beautifully written account of the role LSD played in the social and psychological upheavals of the '60s. The early chapters on the CIA's early experiments with acid as a mind-control tool are especially interesting.
The authors' historical research chops are impressi...more
It's a beautifully written account of the role LSD played in the social and psychological upheavals of the '60s. The early chapters on the CIA's early experiments with acid as a mind-control tool are especially interesting.
The authors' historical research chops are impressi...more
I'm one of those weirdos who does not find the prospect of doing LSD or other drugs in a recreational fashion interesting at all. It was with a lot of surprise that I found that I enjoyed this book! It is impeccably researched, well-written, and, in parts, terrifying (particularly in the early chapters, which cover the CIA's quest to find a "truth serum" and its efforts to that end, including MK-ULTRA). Anyone who is interested in the 1960s (warts and all), the less-savory aspects of government...more
Acid Dreams is the complete social history of LSD and the counterculture it helped to define in the sixties. Martin Lee and Bruce Shlain's exhaustively researched and astonishing account-part of it gleaned from secret government files-tells how the CIA became obsessed with LSD as an espionage weapon during the early l950s and launched a massive covert research program, in which countless unwitting citizens were used as guinea pigs. Though the CIA was intent on keeping the drug to itself, it ulti...more
Jul 24, 2011
Erik Graff
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Erik by:
no one
Shelves:
history
I recall first reading about this book in an advertisement in the then-weekly, now-defunct Guardian weekly out of New York City. I was greatly intrigued and resolved to keep an eye open for it. Years later I actually found the book and snapped it up, reading it almost immediately. I was not disappointed. Indeed, I was impressed by both the quality of the writing and by the material covered.
This is, generally speaking, a social history of the influence of psychotropics such as LSD on Western cult...more
This is, generally speaking, a social history of the influence of psychotropics such as LSD on Western cult...more
Breif: This was a mind clenching book for it was mostly about conspiracys done by the CIA in the United States of America to find a truth Serium. Eventually, the truth serium, was found to be L.S.D. and it spreed to all forms of American culture. It also talked about the Nazi Scientist who worked on American Soldiers to find this serium. It was interesting to read, and really makes you question what is going on in the world today. This is why I really enjoyed this book.
Samantha Kernc
September 23...more
Samantha Kernc
September 23...more
Jul 30, 2011
Brendan
added it
this book is a fantastic introduction to the history of lsd, from its invention by albert hoffman through the early '70s. with a focus more on its social use, from c.i.a. testing through the acid tests, and very little attention paid to the effects/benefits of the drug, this reads much more like a great story than a scientific study. there are much more detailed accounts of lsd/hallucinogens out there, but that doesn't stop this one from being great.
This is probably the best historical read I have found so far on LSD. That said, it is still extremely lacking-most likely due to lack of accurate info, but still an issue nonetheless. Some parts are fascinating, others quite boring, some parts novel, others have been written on a bazillion times over. It's comprehensive, but aside from the fascinating Ronald Hadley Stark, by no means groundbreaking.
the first half, detailing LSD's development in the 1940's and its subsequent (often disturbing, occasionally hilarious) misuse by the CIA as an "anticommunist" agent is fascinating. the second half is a total joke, a bunch of "it's better for you than alcohol" blah-blah-blah that's one half amway and the other half grateful dead parking lot. i'll pass.
This is an amazing history of the 1960s drug culture, specifically the LSD culture. I learned a ton. I never realized how inextricably intertwined acid was with the peace movement and the counterculture, and it was fascinating to see how the drug went from relatively credible scientific beginnings to something that was branded a scourge by the government. Frankly, a lot of the drugs that are now illegal might never have been banned if the government hadn't decided to use them as a means for jail...more
Great book. Not overly romanticized, very entertaining, very well sourced. Good political contextualization. It was written in the mid-80's, so it leads me to want to read more about CIA involvemnt. It's a natural progression, as more files have been de-classified since the book was published.
A good book, but it's a lot of information even for its size-- it's hard to take it all in and at times reads more like an encyclopedia. That said, I enjoyed it, and I recommend it.
This was an excellent, well-written overview of the history of LSD from its origins to the present day.
I tried to get my parents to read it, but I don't think they have yet.
I tried to get my parents to read it, but I don't think they have yet.
Incredible social history of a powerful social/chemical agent of change. Essential reading for historians of politics, espionage and culture.
This book gave a great overview of the history of LSD. How it was first discovered, who experimented with it, and how it eventually became illegal.
Packed fully of lucidly articulated detail. Spot-on description of both the facts and the meaning of acid culture.
This book provides wonderful perspective on the psychedelic movement and the 60's in general.
Very awesome cultural history of the 1960's and LSD. Sometimes truth is better than fiction.
A well written and insightful perspective on an interesting aspect of American history.
Turn on, tune in and drop out...What a great book!
The history of LSD is full of fascinating characters and episodes, and this book covers it very well. It gives an accessible, comprehensive and well-researched overview of the culture surrounding acid from its discovery and early studies in the 1950s to the psychedelic revolution of the 1960s. It's an enlightening read, and a very fun one – Tim Leary's life, for instance, is much more interesting than I'd have thought. It's just a shame that the book is nearly thirty years old, and thus does not...more
It will Blow your Mind.
Superb.
awesome book very detailed a hell of a red and managed to keep me enthralled against the wishes of my adhd the only grip i have is it bounced around a little
This was surprisingly lame.
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