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Timothy Leary: Outside Looking In: Appreciations, Castigations, and Reminiscences by Ram Dass, Andrew Weil, Allen Ginsberg, Winona Ryder, William ... Huston Smith, Hunter S. Thompson, and Others
A memorial volume to one of this century's most colorful and pioneering figures in the consciousness movement
• A wide array of individuals from all stages of Leary's life provides a comprehensive view of the man and his impact on American culture
One of the most influential and controversial people of the 20th century, Timothy Leary inspired profound feelings--both pro and con--from everyone with whom he came into contact. He was extravagant, grandiose, enthusiastic, erratic, and an unrelenting proponent of expanding consciousness and challenging authority. His experiments with psilocybin and LSD at Harvard University and Millbrook, New York, were instrumental in propelling the nation into the psychedelic era of the 1960s. From the 1980s until his death in 1996 he fully embraced the possibilities of freedom offered by the developments in computer technology and the instant communication made possible by the Internet.
The essence of Leary's life has often been reduced to the celebrated formula of "Turn On, Tune In, and Drop Out." The wider implications of this esoteric call to communion have been lost, just as the multifaceted nature of Leary's personality was obscured by the superficial spin put on his life and ideas. In this book a wide array of individuals from all stages of Leary's life, friends and foes alike, provide a more complete view of the man and his impact on American culture.
It is still too early to know how posterity will judge the man and his ideas, but Timothy Outside Looking In shows that Leary was often so far ahead of his time that few could follow the extensive range of his thought.
• A wide array of individuals from all stages of Leary's life provides a comprehensive view of the man and his impact on American culture
One of the most influential and controversial people of the 20th century, Timothy Leary inspired profound feelings--both pro and con--from everyone with whom he came into contact. He was extravagant, grandiose, enthusiastic, erratic, and an unrelenting proponent of expanding consciousness and challenging authority. His experiments with psilocybin and LSD at Harvard University and Millbrook, New York, were instrumental in propelling the nation into the psychedelic era of the 1960s. From the 1980s until his death in 1996 he fully embraced the possibilities of freedom offered by the developments in computer technology and the instant communication made possible by the Internet.
The essence of Leary's life has often been reduced to the celebrated formula of "Turn On, Tune In, and Drop Out." The wider implications of this esoteric call to communion have been lost, just as the multifaceted nature of Leary's personality was obscured by the superficial spin put on his life and ideas. In this book a wide array of individuals from all stages of Leary's life, friends and foes alike, provide a more complete view of the man and his impact on American culture.
It is still too early to know how posterity will judge the man and his ideas, but Timothy Outside Looking In shows that Leary was often so far ahead of his time that few could follow the extensive range of his thought.
352 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 31, 2019
My goodness! Who knew Winona Ryder's family was friends with Tim Leary???
March 10, 2021
Robert Forte is an unabashed proponent of everything Timothy Leary. This book, started while Leary was still alive, was meant as a Festschrift honoring Leary's legacy. The people he interviews, however, aren't nearly as enamored and Forte should be given credit for reporting the wide range of reactions to Leary's life. With that said, Forte is no neutral reporter. His interviews start with leading questions and his reaction to negative comments about Leary's approach to expanding the use of psychedelic drugs are defensive or explanatory as he tries to rationalize Leary's more outrageous behavior.
The premise of the book is that psychedelic drugs should be widely used by the population at large and most of the people interviewed believed that, at least early in their experience. Some revised their thinking as they recognized that pure recreational use of the drug, especially without the proper preparation and setting, had negative side effects. Many came to believe that LSD and psilocybin opened a window to a more expansive mind, but only if use was followed by spiritual exploration, meditation and study.
The biggest complaint from friends and acquaintances was with Leary's approach. His recklessness and self aggrandizement, in their view, undermined the movement and created a cultural and political backlash that resulted in classification of LSD and classic hallucinogens as Schedule 1 drugs, the strictest category, thus eliminating scientific research into hallucinogens and their potential in treating mental and physical ailments.
Had Forte been more circumspect in his outlook on Leary, I would have rated the book more highly. I found myself skipping over his rationalizations, but persevered because he brought out a perspective on Leary that I hadn't considered. My only exposure to Leary when he was alive was through the media, which rarely presented a nuanced view of the man. Forte counters that narrative, although he didn't succeed in making me admire the man.
The premise of the book is that psychedelic drugs should be widely used by the population at large and most of the people interviewed believed that, at least early in their experience. Some revised their thinking as they recognized that pure recreational use of the drug, especially without the proper preparation and setting, had negative side effects. Many came to believe that LSD and psilocybin opened a window to a more expansive mind, but only if use was followed by spiritual exploration, meditation and study.
The biggest complaint from friends and acquaintances was with Leary's approach. His recklessness and self aggrandizement, in their view, undermined the movement and created a cultural and political backlash that resulted in classification of LSD and classic hallucinogens as Schedule 1 drugs, the strictest category, thus eliminating scientific research into hallucinogens and their potential in treating mental and physical ailments.
Had Forte been more circumspect in his outlook on Leary, I would have rated the book more highly. I found myself skipping over his rationalizations, but persevered because he brought out a perspective on Leary that I hadn't considered. My only exposure to Leary when he was alive was through the media, which rarely presented a nuanced view of the man. Forte counters that narrative, although he didn't succeed in making me admire the man.
July 8, 2022
English / Esperanto
This book was impossible to read in the listed order. It became pleasant to read whichever section piqued my curiosity. By this method I enjoyed most of the entries in the collection. They carried a playful energy and were written by icons of academia and mass entertainment and folk unknown to me. Mister Leary was mostly unknown to me before and now it's one of the people I wish to share a cup of tea with.
Ĉi tiu libro estis malfacile legata. Kelkaj de la skribaro estas simple babiladaĵoj kaj ne bone skribitaj. Tia skribaĵo estas pli bone aŭskultata ol legata. Tamen legante senvice plaĉis min kaj finis la libron. Honeste, mia ĉefa rezono por legi ĝin, estis drogoj. Ili ne klare evidentas kiel la libroj de William Burroughs. La vidpunktoj diferas ol la nedroguloj kaj ĉi tiu fojfoje evidentas.
This book was impossible to read in the listed order. It became pleasant to read whichever section piqued my curiosity. By this method I enjoyed most of the entries in the collection. They carried a playful energy and were written by icons of academia and mass entertainment and folk unknown to me. Mister Leary was mostly unknown to me before and now it's one of the people I wish to share a cup of tea with.
Ĉi tiu libro estis malfacile legata. Kelkaj de la skribaro estas simple babiladaĵoj kaj ne bone skribitaj. Tia skribaĵo estas pli bone aŭskultata ol legata. Tamen legante senvice plaĉis min kaj finis la libron. Honeste, mia ĉefa rezono por legi ĝin, estis drogoj. Ili ne klare evidentas kiel la libroj de William Burroughs. La vidpunktoj diferas ol la nedroguloj kaj ĉi tiu fojfoje evidentas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2023
very interesting perspective on the father of psychedelics. a little disappointed by the absence of maria sabina’s presence in the book tho
January 3, 2024
I couldn't wait to finish it, I felt like I was reading the same thing over and over just written ever so slightly different each time. A hard read because it just got to be boring after a while.
November 5, 2012
"Turn on, tune in, drop out" ("Врубись, настройся, выпади").
«What does woman want» («Чего хочет женщина») — это потрясающий, прекрасно написанный роман.
Да, эта жизнь, которую мы живем, это путешествие, и наша задача — убедиться, что выбранное нами направление верно.
«What does woman want» («Чего хочет женщина») — это потрясающий, прекрасно написанный роман.
Да, эта жизнь, которую мы живем, это путешествие, и наша задача — убедиться, что выбранное нами направление верно.
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October 11, 2014This looks awesome!!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews