Acid Dreams: The Complete Social History of LSD: The CIA, the Sixties, and Beyond

No, but really...this book is very informative, almost too much information (if there could ever be such a thing) to take in. Aside from all of the lurid LSD parties and shenanigans, from a historical point, this book has it all. If you lived through this time period, and have difficulties recalling what was going on at the time, then this book will help put things into perspective, and maybe give you an "Aha" moment, or two, or three, or more... This book touches on the CIA, U.S. government, politics, rock 'n roll, drug trafficking, Hippies, Beats, and many of the protests of the turbulent 60's and 70's. I recommend that everyone read this book, especially those too young to remember!

Fascinating book. At times a bit slow, but all in all this history/documentary clips along very well and holds the reader's interest as it unfolds the LSD story in considerable detail. This is about as wide-ranging a book as one could possibly imagine on the subject.After reading it, many people would feel the most important conclusion to be drawn from this story is that the CIA inadvertently triggered much of the anti-war movement of the 1960s, along with the emergence of the hippie counterculture and its culmination in the 1967 San Francisco Summer of Love, as unlikely as all that might seem.This book tells how and a lot more.Interesting stuff about Timothy Leary and his place in the Acid story, with a passing bow to Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters. Fascinating glimpses behind the scenes of the shocking protests and police repression that took place outside the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago; the advent of the Students for a Democratic Society, and even some of the inner workings of the Black Panthers.In somewhat of a surprise, the author suggests that LSD may have had a significant dampening effect on the more radical political movements of the mid to late 60s.As an indication of how wild (almost eccentric) this book is in places, picture CIA agents secretly spiking fellow agents' drinks with LSD. Be a fly on the wall observing the inner workings of the business operations of the Southern California Acid mafia that took over distribution of LSD after Owsley Stanley split the scene.This reviewer hesitates to label any book as a Must Read; but for anyone doing extensive research into the phenomenon of the 1960s, this book is in fact a must-read. And for those who participated in the wild ride of the acid-drenched days of the 1960s, this book will prove to be a fun (and instructive) read as well. For those who never tripped, it will nevertheless give a much clearer understanding of this drug and its place in what was surely the most radical period of change in American cultural history.

As a child of the '60s and a former "hippie", this book was an interesting narrative about the history of LSD, but I found that, as the book progressed, the history started becoming somewhat tedious. The author's obvious approval of LSD usage and the "insights" he believes users acquire begin to sound repetitive, as are the narratives about individuals which begin to blur into indistinguishable, predictable stories. If you are interested in such things, you will enjoy the book. To me, the best part of the book was the beginning, where we learn about government agencies (e.g., the CIA) that studied and used the drug on unsuspecting people in the never-ending search for a truth serum. It was truly unnerving to learn what people in power can do if they believe they are not being watched or feel unaccountable to anyone. All in all, it was a so-so read which I will not pick up again for a second time.

A world of dubious, crazed, hopeful rebels and the stories they lived and lost.Oh, and the government agencies which may have manipulated them heavily.I enjoyed this book, even the parts which disgusted me like the CIA addicting people to heroin to use withdraw as an interrogation tools during the 50s or the Army's testing of BZ on troops among many other examples.I'd have given it 5 stars if not for the criticisms of Art Kleps and Jan Irving. While both these men are dubious in their own way, Art as the founder of the first formal Psychedelic Religion and one of the main factions at Millbrook and Jan as a thinker who assumes conspiracy from rather threadbare evidence.Kleps' criticisms involve misrepresentations based on poor research and unreliable sources which you can read at the end of his book, "Millbrook" freely available here: okneoac.org/millbrook/He cites several examples of incompetent research, fact conflating, and made up timelines through much of the book's narrative. I'll leave you to determine the value of criticisms by a lifelong alcoholic solipsistic nihilist defending himself in his own book. My own biases at least agree with many of his overall views, excepting his racism.Irving comes out and says Acid Dreams is one in a long series of half-truth half-deception books published on the subject of the CIA's research on mind control tested on American citizens and against any definitions of ethics or even the CIA's own charter.Since much of the full extent of MK Ultra is probably forever hidden by Richard Helms' ordering the records destroyed in 1973 (also against CIA's official policy), it's likely the publically verifiable information only represents a fraction of their activities. Since determining how much we know about the project is only possible with full knowledge of what the CIA actually did, it seems sensible to agree with Irving's broad conclusion that we probably don't know the worst of their activities.Interestingly, and against Irving's overall claim, Acid Dreams itself makes this broader point. Attempted accuracy or complicated double-triple-or-quadruple bind? Who knows.In the end, Art Kleps' advice to suspend belief in anything until you've checked their sources is a wise one.Even if propaganda, Acid Dreams is an important document of the history of Psychedelics and their shadier dealings. Do your own research, come to your own conclusions.

page turner

loved it; very entertaining 7 informative..

My adolescence described to an LSD.

Very informative, good quick delivery.thank you.

Fast shipment, book as described

This is a microhistory of America’s interaction with LSD. LSD, commonly called “acid” from its full name Lysergic acid diethylamide, is a chemical substance that was originally derived from ergot fungus, and which causes distortion of perception, an altered state of consciousness, and – in some cases – hallucinations. When I say it’s American history, that’s an oversimplification because many of the events described happen overseas (e.g. LSD’s own story begins in Switzerland with chemicst, Albert Hofmann, after all,) but most of the central players are American and the book’s two primary lines of investigation are both centered on America. One of these lines involves the covert research program designed to discover if acid could be used as a truth serum, a mind-control agent, an incapacitant, or otherwise to the benefit of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and other covert agencies. The other line is about the role that LSD played in the countercultural revolution of the 60’s and early 70’s.The book’s flow begins more heavily focused on the covert programs, then gets into what was happening with the youth in the 60’s, and toward the end discusses where the proceeding lines seem to run together with individuals like Ronald Stark who was a drug smuggler involved with an organization called the “Brotherhood for Eternal Love” but who many suspected of having ties with (if not direct employment by) the CIA – and not entirely without reason (though not with sufficient evidence that firm conclusions are drawn in the book.) I should mention that this just the general flow. The book has a chronological flow with topical segments within, so it’s not like it deals with these issues entirely independently.If the covert research program had been carried out by competent scientists using accepted methodologies, then the discussion of these programs would probably be at best moderately interesting. (To be fair, some competent science may have occurred, but it’s so unnoteworthy compared to the wild and pranksterish that it draws no attention.) What the reader learns, however, is fascinating because it involves clean-cut and seemingly respectable G-men spiking unwitting subjects with acid like a teenage prankster-idiot might do – but without the “excuse” of being immature, stoned, and having not yet learned to behave responsibly. Perhaps the most bizarre program was Operation Midnight Climax, in which CIA agents hired prostitutes in San Francisco to spike the drinks of their johns so they could find out if the customers got loose-lipped. A CIA agent would watch on, dutifully making pipe-cleaner twists of the various sexual positions performed by the sex-worker and her customer.The civilian history follows a path from Hofmann’s discovery at Sandoz Laboratories (now owned by Novartis) through the early years of Al Hubbard (the so-called “Johnny Appleseed of LSD”) through the trials of Timothy Leary to others who figured in the heyday of LSD such as Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters, and, finally, to the crackdown on psychedelics and the illicit smuggling rings that resulted. There is fascinating coverage of how Federal law enforcement tried to stifle production and smuggling of LSD, particularly with respect to training agents to infiltrate hippie organizations.This book originally came out in the 80’s (though I read the 2007 edition) and while it has a post-script that discuss a bit of a resurgence that occurred beyond the 70’s, it doesn’t touch upon a more recent thaw in attitudes toward psychedelics as they’ve begun to be legalized (or sought out where they are legal) or the surge in popularity of “micro-dosing.” As of this book’s end all psychedelics remained Schedule I – a label which states that they have no legitimate medicinal value (which cooler heads have realized is blatantly wrong given substantial evidence that psychedelics can be of benefit in conquering addiction, in managing depression, and otherwise.)I found this book intriguing. It’s a must-read if you are interested in any of the following topics: the 60’s counter-culture revolution, mind-control programs, or how public policy gets hijacked by history.

The early parts which detail the CIA's interest in and development of LSD as a possible weapon were revealing and some of the data given illustrates the grisly practice of the infamous psychiatric profession which hopefully will be a museum curiosity piece in the not too far distant future. The story then moves on to how LSD percolated into main stream life and turned into some kind of amazing manna from heaven (instead of a powerful poison which is what it basically is) and how an entire generation was conned into taking it. A thorough research job for the most part although I found the latter part of the book which went into the Haight Ashbury scene not quite so compelling reading as the initial part.

Wow- what our straight-laced apprearing governments were up to! Having lived through the '60s, I now have a much better understanding of the new age movement and the importance of growing consciousness as well as material wealth.

mindblowing!and all of it is documented.

Great book chronicling the history of LSD. Seemed very well researched. I enjoyed it very much, made me feel like I was there.

Really enjoying this book so far. Only on chapter 4 right now.

Great Book! I highly recommend it, especially since its so cheap. I'm glad I found it.