Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/8/89: Stuffed with irresistible ancedotes and illustrated with a panorama of drawings, photographs and color reproductions of famous paintings, this vivacious consideration of 19th-century Europe's most popular -- and

addictive -- drink presents a look at its place in the lives of some of the era's most gifted poets and artists. The bitter green liqueur has been banned in most of Europe and the United States since 1913.

New York Times, December 16, 1988: In 'Absinthe: History in a Bottle,' Barnaby Conrad 3d has set out to give equal weight to absinthe as a social phenomenon and absinthe as an imaginative theme. The result is an engaging exercise in cultural history . . . "Absinthe" is a handsome book, too, with nearly 200 illustrations, more than 60 of them in color. This is as it should be, since the figures who play their part in the story include Manet, Degas, Gauguin, Toulouse-lautrec, van Gogh and Picasso.

A reader: 'I have been a fan of this book ever since it first came out in 1988. I have since given it as a gift several times and all my friends love it,too. Not just a history of the 'green fairy,' but a sociological history of 19th century France. Every page in this glossily produced, gorgeous book has either an old photograph, advertisement for absinthe or reproduction of art from the artists who were fans of absinthe. Really an art book, it is for anyone interested in art and history.'

Paperback - 172 pages, $19.95

The book treats drugs with the respect they deserve as it vividly describes, in lurid detail, the depths of despair that users and addicts can reach in their quest for the ultimate high.

It's an image that filmmakers have been trying to capture since the beginning of cinema with varying results, and these efforts take up the bulk of the books opening chapters.

We begin with Stevenson's own 'Highway to Hell' an historical overview of the entire genre. Taking in the early propaganda pieces such as 'Reefer Madness' "Dope created Ecstasy avalanching into frightful perversions" and 'Cocaine' "The Thrill that Kills" this section features some wonderful poster reproductions that perfectly sum up the hysteria that this subject matter has always invoked. It was really in the sixties that the drug movie came into its own. Flower Power and psychedelic music was everywhere so Hollywood naturally tried to pull in the masses with movies such as 'Head' and 'The Trip'. These movies featured far out dialogue and groovy effects as the protagonists tried to convey with blissed out grins, how wonderful the results of their substance abuse was.

The freewheeling anything goes nature of the sixties influenced the seventies where directors such as Paul Morrisey and Russ Meyer were producing over the top classics such as 'Trash' and 'Beyond the Valley of the Dolls'. The only way that eighties drug cinema could go was hyper realism and Stevenson's entertaining guide through the years detailing the outcry and consternation that each release caused makes for entertaining reading.

Paperback - 256 pages, $19.95

Age of Entheogens and the Angels' Dictionary

by Jonathan Ott

The legendary scholar's reflections on, and documentation of, history's connection, chronologically, psychologically and linguistically, to sacred plants.

159 pages, paperback, 6x9, $18.00

A reader: 'Excellent, informative history of the rave scene in England... everything is in here: how influential Ibiza was to the scene, MDMA and its history, smiley faces, baggy pants, all the main players and djs... it brought back a lot of happy memories of my raver days in NYC in the early 90s. A must read for those interested in this scene especially the beginning which shows that it all started in America: Larry Levan and the Paradise Garage, Frankie Knuckles's Warehouse parties, Dr. Shulgin and his MDMA studies... Britian took it to the next level in the 80s beginning with the Summer of Love and raves and was then past back to the US in the early 90s: Frankie Bones and the Storm raves, NASA, and the rest. This book tells you all about it!'

Paperback - 320 pages, $11.99

Amazing Dope Tales
by Stephen Gaskin

Stephen Gaskin looks back on the San Francisco scene during the 1960s -- the Summer of Love, the Grateful Dead, and the Merry Pranksters -- and shares his mind-blowing adventures.

Paperback - 144 pages, $12.95

This sensational anthology features a rich tapestry of voices exploring the powerful role that mind-altering drugs have played throughout history. It brings together a multiplicity of voices to explore the presence--both secret and public--of drugs in the overlapping dialogues of science and religion, pleasure and madness, individualism and social control. Featuring writings by William Burroughs, Hunter S. Thompson, Aldous Huxley, Alice B. Toklas, Charles Baudelaire, Sigmund Freud, etc.

Times change--who would have thought that we'd ever see a nonjudgmental mainstream anthology of writings about mind-altering drugs? Editor Mike Jay delivers scores of well-selected hits of wild wisdom from Homer and his cronies to William Burroughs in Artificial Paradises. His mild-mannered but insightful introductions and links between pieces prime the reader for a series of expansive trips through other people's minds as they grapple with medical, moral, artistic, and spiritual puzzlers posed by drugs. Hopped-up coke fiend Sigmund Freud rants about his favorite little helper, while painter Henri Michaux complains that mescaline is a poor muse. The pieces are usually amusing and sometimes penetrating. Jay wisely avoids most of the propaganda we've already been oversubjected to in recent decades, instead focusing on the experience and assessment of drugs and their cultural value. Sections include Researches Chemical and Philosophical: Drugs and Science and The Algebra of Need: Drugs and Addiction, with selections from such disparate writers as Jean Cocteau and Thomas Szasz. Most of the pieces are very short--one or two pages--but highly concentrated, giving an immediate sense of the author's intent and attitudes, often inspiring a trip to the library for another dose. When it's time to turn on, tune in, and drop out, prepare yourself with the guidance of Artificial Paradises.

A reader: 'I expected a handy reference tome and found something else - a breathtaking and compelling end-to-end read. Excerpts are short and threaded together in sections which raise the central questions about the relation of drugs to art, religion, science and society while illustrating them with an incredible range of perspectives from history and different cultures. I find most 'drug literature' rather boring but this anthology opens the subject out into new dimensions.'

Paperback - 400 pages, $14.95

There follows a review of the literature on the plants containing ayahuasca-type enzyme inhibitors, and on plants which contain DMT and related entheogenic tryptamines. The resulting tables of more than 60 plants in each category document Ott's contention that there are at least four thousand possible combinations of plants which can yield entheogenic potions like ayahuasca. These are the Ayahuasca Analogues of the book's title, and Ott's psychonautic experiments include several with such 'analogues,' as well as with pharmahuasca -- the pure ayahuasca alkaloids in 'ayahuasca capsules.' A thorough index, twenty-one footnotes, nine tables and a detailed bibliography of 418 sources make this a valuable reference book, as well as Ott's personal logbook of psychonautic travels in the universe of the soul' with ayahuasca.

paperback - 128 pages, $15.00

Beneath the Diamond Sky : Haight-Ashbury 1965-1970

by Barney Hoskyns

This electrifying portrait by the acclaimed author of "Waiting for the Sun" recounts the story of the psychedelic culture that galvanized the Bay Area during that mythic time when "The Haight" emerged as the mecca of the counterculture. 150 illustrations, many in full color Print ads.

I fell in love with this book at first sight. I held it in my hands and yea, it was beautiful. I paged through it's rainbow-hued, lavishly illustrated pages and was filled with Satisfaction. I read the text and it was Righteous, dude. I admired the posters and buttons, rare photos and it was all very far out. This is a very reassuring book, a chronicle of the time when the universe swirled psychodynamically around Haight-Ashbury. It betokens all things Hippie and San Francisco without being sugar-coated.

Previous books addressing this topic have not found the right mix of form and content. "Summer of Love" by Joel Selvin, for instance was a pop history document which lacked the design and illustrative qualities of this book. Also, Selvin tended to rewrite things to the chagrin of the psychedelic cognoscenti enough to bring doubt upon the enterprise. "Diamond Sky" tends to neglect revisionism in favor of what is actually known.

Hoskyns does an admirable job of running all of the characters across the page for our scrutiny. The quotes, the deeds, the legends are all covered. I can't quibble with any of it, it's there and its familiar and as I stated before, it is beautifully presented. Hello to Jerry, Janis, Skip, Grace, Chet et. al.

Barney Hoskyns is a very adept pop music writer whose work appears quite often in 'serious pop music' magazines like Mojo. What I like about him here is that he doesn't seem to intrude upon the luminous subject matter at all. He lets the Haight speak for itself, which it continues to do quite well.'

Hardcover, 224 pages, $30.00

From Kirkus Reviews: 'Not many users of the world's two most popular drugs know the details of their chemical or biological effects; here's a good introduction. Braun, a science writer and television producer, begins with alcohol, which was known to ancient Sumerians 5,500 years ago.

Ethanol (the drinkable form of alcohol) is a waste product of the metabolism of sugar by yeast; it is poison to the yeast that produces it and (in sufficient quantities) to the human beings who drink it. So the body has developed complex ways of defending itself. Braun describes the progress of a shot of whiskey through the body, from the taste buds to the digestive tract, with amusing commentary on the journey. The alcohol's ultimate destination is the brain; scientists believe that it releases endorphins there, as do ether, valium, and morphine.'

'Further chapters discuss alcohol's effects on sexual desire and performance, positive health benefits of moderate drinking, hangover cures, and current theories on the causes of alcoholism. Then caffeine gets a similar treatment, from its introduction into the Western world to its current popularity in forms ranging from espresso to soft drinks. Braun explains the decaffeination process (most of the caffeine removed from coffee is sold to soft-drink manufacturers) and explores such questions as whether caffeine aids mental processes (and which ones), to what extent caffeine is addictive, and how caffeine and alcohol interact (as in Irish coffee). Here, as in the chapters on alcohol, bits of interesting lore--women's protests against 18th-century coffeehouses, Theodore Roosevelt's impromptu endorsement of Maxwell House, the formation of the first Caffeine Anonymous group--add the human dimension to the scientific discussion. In the end, the author admits that caffeine was an indispensable aid to his writing of this book, but he has since moderated his use of both caffeine and alcohol. An entertaining and informative discussion of both the scientific and cultural impact of caffeine and alcohol.'

A reader: 'Buzz' by Stephen Braun is one of the best science books I've read in a while. Mr. Braun destroyes popular myths about society's most popular drugs, and he replaces those myths with facts and evidence. Often those facts are just as interesting as the myths!

Paperback - 224 pages, $12.95

Complete Guide to Prescription and Nonprescription Drugs
by H. Winter Griffith, MD & Stephen Moore, MD

This newly revised edition of the bestselling reference book from two respected physicians gives leaders the information they need and can depend on. Includes new FDA-approved drugs, plus:

Easy-to-use chart format for quick access to data How to avoid dangerous interactions Information on side effects Over 5,000 brand names Over 700 generic names

"Outstanding reference source."-American Library Association

Paperback - 1104 pages, $16.95

A reader: 'This is a book that you simply must read. And yes, I will tell you why. In some cases, psychiatric drugs are necessary. And they will be a part of your treatment. I lost it when I gave complete control to my psychiatrists. I'll give you a short example. I said to one psychiatrist, "Could the Valium AND the Prozac cause ill effects?" Answer, "I don't know why it should." Later, I would find out that this answer would not be good enough! If you buy this book while you are taking psychiatric drugs, you will be taking responsibility for your own health care! Should you be taking this medication before bedtime? During meals? Before meals? With aspirin? This book tells all so that you will not become addicted to Valium like I did. Please read it for your best care. Thank you.'

A reader: 'Straight talk about psychiatric drugs. Up to date and technical, but written in plain English. Treats psychiatric patients like knowledgable human beings who need to know the facts.'

Paperback - 272 pages, $16.95

Every time you combine any kind of drug with another-prescription medicines, over-the-counter products, vitamins, minerals, herbs, alcohol, even food-you expose yourself to the risk of a potentially dangerous interaction.

Dangerous Drug Interactions can help you navigate the hazardous waters of medicine/vitamin/food combinations with confidence. This life-saving reference includes:
-Over 200 easy-to-understand charts with information on medications for pain relief, allergies, asthma, arthritis, heart problems, depression, diabetes, contraception, ulcers, and much more -Detailed descriptions of the symptoms of dangerous interactions -Specific concerns for women, children, and older adults -Vital information on Lanoxin, Vasotec, Adalat, Prozac, Mevacor, Zocor, Lipitor, Ortho-Novum, Tagamet, Coumadin, Dilantin, Prilosec, Synthroid, Procardia, and scores of other commonly prescribed medicines

Ingram: In straightforward text, and with dozens of easy-to-read, easy-to-understand charts and tables, the authors cut through drug company fine print to give consumers vital information on the prescription drugs and over-the-counter remedies that react in deadly ways--with each other, foods, vitamins, minerals, herbs, and with alcohol.

A reader: 'A concise, well-organized review of prescription and over-the-counter drugs and how they may interact. You are lucky if your health care provider knows half of what is in this book. If you are taking medication for a chronic condition, this is a must-buy.'

Paperback - 510 pages, $6.99

Element Guide: Addictions
by Deirdre Boyd

This guide studies addictions, including alcohol, drugs, food, exercise, sex, religion and gambling. It includes a section on children and emphasizes the links between all addictions and therefore the treatments. It also looks at successful treatment for adolescents and those reluctant to change.

Paperback - 160 pages, $9.95

Essential Guide to Psychiatric Drugs
by Jack M.Gorman, MD

Informative, accessible, and easy to use, The Essential Guide to Psychiatric Drugs has become a classic indispensable resource for the layperson and professional alike. With detailed descriptions of all the psychiatric medications available today, including their uses, side-effects, cost, dosage, and more, consumers can take an active role in their mental health and know what to expect from specific drugs.

A reader: 'Dr. Gorman provides the general public and, the medical community, information on psychiatric drugs NOT found in the gazillion other books of this type on the market. I strongly suggest this book to patients currently taking medication or considering it. You will be glad you read it.'

Paperback - 416 pages, 4.2x6.8, $6.99

Essential Substances
A Cultural History Of Intoxicants In Society
by Richard Rudgley
From opium in stone-age caves to crack on our streets, intoxicants have alway played a significant role in society. In this widely acclaimed look at drugs throughout history, Richard Rudgley, Professor of Anthropology at Oxford, shows how our attitudes toward these substances have been shaped, and how our own use of intoxicants, such as alcohol and coffee, is part of the age-old quest for altered states. Enjoy this fascinating look at the history of intoxicant use around the world.
195 pages, 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", $12.00, Less 20%

by Michael J. Harner
In this unusual collection, ten original studies explore the use of hallucinogens in shamanism: the ancient and widespread practice of invoking a trance state to perceive and manipulate supernatural forces. The research ranges from the aboriginal tribes of the Upper Amazon to cultures undergoing Westernization, such as the Apaches of the Southwestern United States; from the myth enshrouded cults of medieval witchcraft to a modern laboratory experiment.  Dr. Furst demonstrates with a wealth of cross-cultural and historical data and some of his own first hand experiences the often decisive role hallucinogens have played and continue to play in the world today.
200 pages, 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", $19.95

"A true visionary of the potential of the human mind and spirit"--William S. Burroughs. High Priest chronicles 16 psychedelic trips taken in the days before LSD was made illegal. The trip guides or "high priests" include Aldous Huxley, Gordon Wasson, William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Ram Dass, Ralph Metzner, Willy (a junkie from NYC), Huston Smith, Frank Barron and others. The scene was Millbrook, a mansion in upstate New York that was the Mecca of the psychedelia during the 1960's, and of the many luminaries of the period who made a pilgrimage there to trip with Leary and his group, The League for Spiritual Discovery. Each chapter includes an i-Ching reading, a chronicle of what happened during the trip, marginalia of comments and quotations, and illustrations.  
347 pages 6" x 9" $19.95

Ibogaine Story
Report on the Staten Island Project
by Paul De Rienzo, Dana Beal, Project Members Staff

A reader: 'Ibogaine, the illegal, boycotted and most effective treatment for addiction known to man. The ibogaine story reveals the behind the scene story of ibogaine and the bogus war on drugs. Ibogaine is a broad spectrum anti-addictive natural substance that has been used for thousands of years by native people. The attempt by the US government and pharmacutical companies to keep it off the market (and information about it from the public) is cruel and criminal. Being safer than asprin and not subject to any abuse potential it does not qualify as a schedule 1 controlled substance with the likes of heroin and cocaine, yet it is so scheduled. Why? Could the government actually want drugs on our streets? Could it be a threat to many billion dollar medications? Read the book for the answers.'

Paperback - 352 pages, $20.00

Many people believe that everyone who uses heroin is addicted. In fact, this is true of only about 20 percent of heroin users. By clearing up common misconceptions like these, this book provides information that can save the lives of people using the drug.

The author recounts heroin's history, details its chemistry, tells what users need to know to avoid addiction, and demystifies the life of a user: from buying to administering to detoxing and staying clean.

THE LITTLE BOOK OF HEROIN is a straight forward look at heroin and who junkies are really. It covers history and the evolution from opium to morphine to heroin; how heroin is procured on the "street" and how it is chemically purified; ways heroin is used and diseases junkies get; methods of detox and the real danger of "sudden death" and much more.

THE LITTLE BOOK OF HEROIN replaces myths with solid information useful to the user for reducing harm; and to concerned family, friends and professionals who want to better understand.

Francis Moraes, Jr., Ph.D., is trained as a research physicist and chemist. He was a physics professor at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon where he became interested in Portland's vibrant heroin subculture--Portland is the number two heroin city according to DEA statistics. He spent several years studying this subculture in Portland, Seattle, San Francisco Bay Area, and New York City. Dr. Moraes has conducted substantial academic and pharmacological research.

Table of Contents: 1. What is Heroin?; 2. History of Heroin; 3. Heroin Chic; 4. Heroin Trade; 5. The science of Heroin; 6. Heroin Subculture; 7. Scoring; 8. Purifying Street Heroin; 9. How Heroin is Used; 10. Disease; 11. Addiction; 12. Detox; 13. Sudden Death; 14. The Hardest Drug; About the Author.

Paperback - 96 pages, $12.95

Used worldwide as both an anesthetic and a recreational psychedelic drug, ketamine has recently attracted the attention of

medical researchers, law enforcement officers, and people interested in exploring alternative spirituality and consciousness. The book describes the drug's history, its use in the underground party scene, and its sought-after effects as well as its dangers and how to reduce them.

This tome from the Ronin stable is a good solid "field guide" to the Ketamine experience. I must say that I was a little let down by the lack of theory in this book. There are a few too many repetitions in the text and the legal section is only relevant in the US, but overall this book does provide an essential manual for anyone who wants to know more about this fascinating drug.

From a brief history of K to detailed information on dosage, set and setting The Little Book of Ketamine is the "highway code" of the K-hole. A balanced view of the problems and promises of this charming molecule prevail; it neither hails K as the key to Life, The Universe and Everything nor does it admonish the K-tripper to give up their explorations.

This is an excellent map of the gateway to the K territory, with hints that "Kit Kelly" knows much more. Perhaps we can expect a follow-up volume? For my part if this is the holiday brochure then it would be great to hear a travellers tale or two. Overall, a worthwhile addition to the Library of every serious psychonaut.

Paperback - 96 pages, $12.95

An up-to-date, comprehensive consumer guide to the most commonly prescribed drugs for mind and mood disorders.

For the one in two Americans who will develop a mind or mood disorder, and for their families and loved ones, here is an indispensable, accessible reference focused specifically on the drugs most often prescribed for their condition. Official FDA-approved information plus guidelines from nationally esteemed psychiatrists and pharmacists provide answers you can trust about these medications. Here, too, is the latest information available about popular herbal remedies such as St. John's wort, kava,and melatonin. Special information about drug use by women, children, and seniors makes this reference an essential addition to your home medical library.

'An excellent handbook to psychiatric drugs and a much-needed resource for the public at large. It offers the kind of straightforward information that empowers patients and their families to be partners--and watchdogs--in their own health care.' --H. Keith H. Brodie, M.D. President Emeritus and James B. Duke Professor of Psychiatry, Duke University Past President, American Psychiatric Association

'Easily readable, helpfully organized, and spanning everything from the latest mood staibilizer to herbal remedies, this book is vital reading for anyone who plans to talk to a doctor about anxiety, depression, or any other emotional problem.' --Robert Michels, M.D.Walsh McDermott University Professor of Medicine University Professor of Psychiatry Weill Medical College, Cornell University

'A practical, authoritative, and comprehensive reference guide to the medications used to treat mental disorders. It includes the information that people need and answers the questions most frequently asked.' --Carol C. Nadelson,. M.D. Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Director, Partners Office for Women's Careers, Brigham and Women's Hospital

Paperback - 384 pages, $19.95

A reader: 'Anyone who is a Kesey fan MUST read this book. It is basically the photo album which correlates with Wolfe's Electric Kool-Ade Acid Test. It gives more insight into the minds of the pranksters and others. I highly recommend this book to any who is interested in the counterculture. The book as well as the trip are truly legendary.'

Paperback - 205 pages, $22.95

Booklist: 'Hodgson's magnificently illustrated history of the granddaddy of illicit drugs is masterfully done, very informative.

Entertaining, too, which figures, since it is mostly about getting high--the hows, whys, and whose-fault-it-is-it-anyways. Alternately glorified and condemned for its psychoactive applications, the opium poppy is now the focus of eradication research, lately looking into genetic warfare against it. What inspires such animus from the minions of overwhelming decency? Opium is 'one of the most addictive and debilitating substances on earth,' Hodgson writes, and its introduction in the West ushered in a taste for psychic adventure that still irritates prurient prudes. 'The focus here,' she continues, 'is on the wealth of imagesand literature celebrating or condemning this fabled drug, and on the writers, artists and photographers who have tried to capture the essence of opium's allure.' That focus pays off with a delightful little book that may not fit in a D.A.R.E. collection but will be welcome in most others.

A reader: 'While not very wordy, the beauty of this book lies in its wonderful photographs, sketches, paintings, engravings, and other artwork featuring opium related scenes and paraphernalia. This book is also a great jumping point for more opium related reading of all types. The "Writer's Muse" chapter in particular offers a comprehensive overview of written works throughout history and the world which feature opium as their theme. All the works mentioned are neatly categorized by type in the bibliography at the end. A wonderful resource.'

Hardcover - 160 pages, $22.95