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18th out of 54 books
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24 voters
Pihkal: A Chemical Love Story
PIHKAL is a 1991 book by Dr. Alexander Shulgin and Ann Shulgin about psychedelic phenethylamines. The full title of the book is Phenethylamines I Have Known And Loved: A Chemical Love Story.
The book is arranged in two parts. The first part is a fictionalized autobiography of the couple. The second part contains detailed synthesis instructions for over 200 psychedelic compo...more
The book is arranged in two parts. The first part is a fictionalized autobiography of the couple. The second part contains detailed synthesis instructions for over 200 psychedelic compo...more
Paperback, 978 pages
Published
October 1st 1990
by Transform Press
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I discovered this book and its sister publication (TIHKAL) during an interesting period of my undergraduate career. The book has three parts. The first part documents Dr. Schulgin's development of Zectran at Dow Chemical and his ever evolving interest in psychoactive drugs and finally his love affair with his wife Ann. The second part is the "Love Story" depicted from Ann's point of view. The third part of the book is an index of interesting chemicals and a rather detailed library of their synth...more
Alex Shulgin is a creative chemist who uses drugs in the philosophical vein of Huxley. It is refreshing to go back to those basic lessons, such as drugs are evil! -and realize the absurdity of assumptions behind that line of thinking. The writer is pedantic on this point. He writes objectively about surreal chemical experiences- in quanities and precise language. Yes, there is a responsible way to take drugs. However, the spritiual experiences expoused in this book are forein territory to me.
His...more
His...more
A fascinating dual biography of a man dedicated to synthesizing chemicals to unlock the hidden potential of the human mind, and the woman who came to love and support him in all his endeavors. The second half of this book is filled with the chemical recipes for hundreds of phenethylamines, along with descriptions of their entactogenic, empathogenic, hallucinogenic, and other effects on those who choose to partake in them.
If you like hallucinogens, you'll probably like this book. If you want to invent a new smart drug, this book is also for you.It's a (admittedly very wordy) memoir of a chemist exploring consciousness-expanding substances at the edge of legality, and in the process finding love.
An engaging account of a chemist and his partner, written in three parts. First, by the chemist, second, by his partner, third, an account from both on their journey through scientific testing of lab created psychedelic substances. The second half of the substantial book is a chemical reference, with qualitative observations included.
While no one should ever push the use of psychedelics on another due to the extreme personal nature of the reactions, those who contemplate the experience would hav...more
While no one should ever push the use of psychedelics on another due to the extreme personal nature of the reactions, those who contemplate the experience would hav...more
This book is utterly amazing. The first half is a very endearing sort of dual biography from Alexander and Ann Shulgin, and the second half is a description of quite a number of substances created and/or tested by the Shulgins and friends.
I went into the book desiring mostly the second half, but fell in love with the first half as well. Shulgin is truly a genius and his way of viewing the world is touching and very powerful. The same goes for Ann. Many times while reading their story I found mys...more
I went into the book desiring mostly the second half, but fell in love with the first half as well. Shulgin is truly a genius and his way of viewing the world is touching and very powerful. The same goes for Ann. Many times while reading their story I found mys...more
read it. they don't want you to know. it ought to be banned. like the books in fahrenheit 451. and be aware that you might end up on some agency's watch list. maybe already just for reading this review.
The most comprehensive book on the subject available. Too bad I'm not a chemist.
months of enjoyment, maybe even years.
Dec 09, 2007
James Stevenson
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
chemical headz
Shelves:
drukqs
lotta drugs in this mad world.
I finished the first half of the book. The second half of the book is in a different structure, and I have not yet tackled that half -- it is organized in a way that promotes use as a quick-lookup reference on a number of phenethylamines discovered or explored by Dr. Shulgin, and so that is the approach I intend to take with it.
There is a lot of value in the narrative in this book. We are in a state of global crisis, with the so-called War On Drugs quickly becoming absolutely untenable, with mor...more
There is a lot of value in the narrative in this book. We are in a state of global crisis, with the so-called War On Drugs quickly becoming absolutely untenable, with mor...more
for years now, I've been planning to check this book out... I finally took a quick glance through it after seeing it in a book store just the other day and man oh man am I ever excited to get it now. I've been holding off on buying it because I thought the prices I keep seeing online were a bit steep but having held this mammoth in my own hands, I realized that it was probably well worth the prices I've seen it for online but the entirety of the $40 that the book store was charging for it. I fou...more
In true Valentine’s Day spirit, today’s review of PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story is about love. And chemicals. PiHKAL is the acronym for Phenethylamines I Have Known And Loved. Alexander “Sasha” Shulgin gives the definition at the beginning of the book:
phenethylamine: 1. A naturally occurring compound found in both the animal and plant kingdoms. It is an endogenous component of the human brain. 2. Any of a series of compounds containing the phenethlamine skeleton, and modified by chemical constit...more
phenethylamine: 1. A naturally occurring compound found in both the animal and plant kingdoms. It is an endogenous component of the human brain. 2. Any of a series of compounds containing the phenethlamine skeleton, and modified by chemical constit...more
A real achievement! Brilliant! Being a neuroscientist I naturally put the Shulgins on a pedestal. But still, few have achieved this level of understanding in an entire lifetime. It astounds me how the Shulgins simply continue to bear Fruit uninhibited by this great achievement like a vine whose sole duty is to fill the trellis with ripe grapes. +++++ on the Shulgin scale! =)
Yup. It's about drugs. If you were one of those kids that came back with horror stories about 2ci and shit after a summer, this is the dude that made that stuff. Interesting, except his wife has a whole half of the book, and she talks about their relationship, while he talks about his work. It's kind of disjointed in that manner.
It was a mind-blowing journey of psychedelia, spirituality, love, and introspection. The autobiographical nature of the book allowed the authors to lay out their inner workings, leading the readers on an epic adventure in the human psyche, especially when under the influence of Shura's "materials". Simply marvellous.
Fascinating to read how many psychedelic drugs were developed under funding from official and business sources. The science gets a bit difficult at times, but that's probably my lack of chemistry classes talking. Very detailed descriptions of experiences.
A fascinating read and some interesting political viewpoints to consider....but possibly dangerous read for those not prepared with the risks attendant on experimenting with drugs. The making is for expert lab chemists only.....!!
A must-read for anyone who has ever been curious about mind altering substances. I would strongly suggest that parts of this amazing work become mandatory reading in high-school and college classes throughout the country.
A fantastic book on multiple levels. The first, fictionalized love story half of the book was fantastic, providing a relatable story and a human side to the characters representing Shulgin and his wife. Shulgin and, seemingly, most of his research team are nowhere near the stereotypical profile given to most people geuninely interested in psychedelic drugs, and the first half of this book does a great job of introducting his unique perspective to the world. The second half of the book is an inva...more
1 like · like · see review
Should be: Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved. Phenethylamines are a chemical family that contain many psychotropic chemicals, including methamphetamines, ecstacy, adam, 2-cb, 8-cb, etcetera. This seems to be a different edition than the one I read. Mine was in only two sections, the first a detailed description of the trips produced by various phenethylamines, the second a chemist's recipe book. I found it fascinating because it was not a hippy book about how to get high with kitchen chemis...more
A very interesting book, specifically Alexander's parts. The "love story" was only interesting as to how it related Alexander and otherwise was quite boring.
4/24: I have only now just gotten through the introduction, but it had a lot of really important information in it to lay the groundwork for the autobiographical novel portion of the book, which I'm now about to read.
On the first page of the introduction, one of the authors, Dr. Alexander Shulgin, states his personal philosophy: "Be informed, then choose." I think this a great philosophy, and so anyone who wants to form their own opinion about things the government says are evil might want to ta...more
On the first page of the introduction, one of the authors, Dr. Alexander Shulgin, states his personal philosophy: "Be informed, then choose." I think this a great philosophy, and so anyone who wants to form their own opinion about things the government says are evil might want to ta...more
Extremely interesting. However, you have to have an extraordinary attention span in order to finish this book..
One of most useful books in the world. But unfortunately second part is forbidden in Russia.
Aug 08, 2011
Mark Slee
added it
Incredibly readable and interesting. It is ultimately what the title says it is -- a love story.
Absolutely beautiful. A must have for any organic chemist, pharmacologist or psychonaut.
The novel half is pretty crap, but the qualitative comments are great.
For those in the know, this is a fucking Bible.
I didn't read the second half of the book, which consists entirely of o-chem recipes and collated trip reports.
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Alexander "Sasha" Theodore Shulgin[1] (born June 17, 1925) is an American pharmacologist, chemist and drug developer.
Shulgin is credited with the popularization of MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, especially for psychopharmaceutical use and the treatment of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. In subsequent years, Shulgin discovered, synthesized, and bi...more
More about Alexander Shulgin...
Shulgin is credited with the popularization of MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, especially for psychopharmaceutical use and the treatment of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. In subsequent years, Shulgin discovered, synthesized, and bi...more
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“How long will this last, this delicious feeling of being alive, of having penetrated the veil which hides beauty and the wonders of celestial vistas? It doesn't matter, as there can be nothing but gratitude for even a glimpse of what exists for those who can become open to it.”
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49 people liked it
“Use them with care, and use them with respect as to the transformations they can achieve, and you have an extraordinary research tool. Go banging about with a psychedelic drug for a Saturday night turn-on, and you can get into a really bad place, psychologically. Know what you're using, decide just why you're using it, and you can have a rich experience. They're not addictive, and they're certainly not escapist, either, but they're exceptionally valuable tools for understanding the human mind, and how it works.”
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34 people liked it
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Oct 24, 2012 09:47pm