New York Times Book Review 10 Best Books of 2018 A New York Times Notable Book The #1 New York
Times bestseller. A brilliant and brave investigation into the medical and scientific
revolution taking place around psychedelic drugs--and the spellbinding story of his own
life-changing psychedelic experiences When Michael Pollan set out to research how LSD and
psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) are being used to provide relief to
people suffering from difficult-to-treat conditions such as depression addiction and anxiety
he did not intend to write what is undoubtedly his most personal book. But upon discovering how
these remarkable substances are improving the lives not only of the mentally ill but also of
healthy people coming to grips with the challenges of everyday life he decided to explore the
landscape of the mind in the first person as well as the third. Thus began a singular adventure
into various altered states of consciousness along with a dive deep into both the latest brain
science and the thriving underground community of psychedelic therapists. Pollan sifts the
historical record to separate the truth about these mysterious drugs from the myths that have
surrounded them since the 1960s when a handful of psychedelic evangelists inadvertently
catalyzed a powerful backlash against what was then a promising field of research. A unique and
elegant blend of science memoir travel writing history and medicine How to Change Your
Mind is a triumph of participatory journalism. By turns dazzling and edifying it is the
gripping account of a journey to an exciting and unexpected new frontier in our understanding
of the mind the self and our place in the world. The true subject of Pollan's mental
travelogue is not just psychedelic drugs but also the eternal puzzle of human consciousness and
how in a world that offers us both suffering and joy we can do our best to be fully present
and find meaning in our lives.
