The Secrets of Mescaline: Tripping on Peyote and Other Psychoactive Cacti

First off, I have to disclose that I am not a mescaline user, and I don't plan on trying it. I read this little book purely out of a desire to learn. That being said, “The Secrets of Mescaline” was very good. From an educational standpoint, it definitely fit the bill. I don't think it could be any more complete or helpful, since it was written in a systematic, easy to follow manner. In no way is it a tripper's ode to mescaline – no, not at all. This book is a serious explanation of just about every aspect of the drug, from acquisition, to potency, to nausea, to detailed descriptions of the ride itself. Those thorough descriptions of various “trips”, along with personal interpretations, give the reader an idea of what one might expect, even though the author cautions that every person's reaction can be different, not that he recommends trying any hallucinogenic of any kind. This small treatise on the subject does not seem to be a glorification of the drug, nor an encouragement to partake, but simply a detailed review of one person's experience, along with some science, some helpful cautions, and what appears to be a more or less realistic approach to the topic. If mescaline is something that is of serious interest to you, then this book is probably a very good place to start your research.

Well researched, well written, and well-edited.Lots of good information if you're a tripper or just curious.

I picked this up because, as a writer, I’m always interested in first-hand accounts that are outside my own experience. This book explores three people’s first-hand accounts of their psychedelic trips on Mescaline and Peyote. Although the trips themselves sound disorienting and confusing, the accounts are clear. It’s also interesting to see both the disparities and the similarities between the experiences. Also useful to understand the physical responses as well as the impacts on consciousness.In addition to the first-hand accounts, the book also begins and ends with factual information on things like sources, dosage and preparation. There is also a discussion at the end on the nature of the experience. While this book leans hard on the interpretation of psychedelic experiences as an expansion of consciousness and a spiritual voyage rather than as a confusion of consciousness and sensation processing resulting from exposing the brain to toxins, that scientifically unsupported perspective was not presented in an offensive or overbearing way.There are a few minor typos that suggest the manuscript could have used an additional proof-reading pass, but nothing that interfered with the value of the book.