Customer Reviews

The Long Trip: The Prehistory of Psychedelia (Arkana S)

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Devereux's Trip is an essential work for those interested in human origins and development, the evolution and exploration of human consciousness, and the application and influence of natural psychotropic substances in these realms.

The Trip may be a somewhat cumbersome read for those unacquainted with anthropological discourse, because the text is often meticulously detailed, providing an account of what seems to be every conceivable snippet of evidence for the exploratory use of psychotropics throughout the long span of human prehistory. However, such detailed examination is used to establish and re-enforce the author's engaging, mind-widening insights. What others have only conjectured in this understudied field, Devereux substantiates and strengthens.

Psychotropics have had a marked influence on our spiritual traditions, philosophies and arts, and these mind-altering substances continue to play an important role in our collective experience. Here in Devereux's Long Trip is the who, what, when, where, why, and how much -- a mesmerizing tour through our ancestors' peculiar past, a photo album replete with fascinating glimpses into the universal drive and thirst for discovery, knowledge and truth.

This text, above many others, provides a compelling introductory survey of the true depth of psychotropic experimentation and exploration. Highly recommended to those already interested in psychotropic use, but especially suggested for those skeptical of the influence, value, importance and benefits such substances, curiously available in our own Grand Backyard, have the potential capacity to provide.

Paul Devereux - The Long Trip: A Prehistory of Psychedelia
1997

Contrary to some of the other reviews (Amazon), this book is well researched, well founded, backed with many sources, and was a pleasure to read. I only wish that Devereux had more recognition for his wonderful studies.

First Devereux starts us on this trip of the long history of psychedelia by giving us a glimpse of what started Devereux on his study in the first place--his college LSD experimentation.

He then gives us a well documented history of the use of entheogenic substances in indigenous cultures world wide. He further supports this already well documented evidence by giving the reader new ways of looking at prehistoric hieroglyphs and then the so-called ley lines, or ghost roads.

He closes the book with a well balanced and thoughtful proposition for how our society should go about a return of entheogens to normal society, and shows how this, in a way, is already happening.

If you're interested in the study of entheogens and shamanism, this book is a must read. 5 Star

Okay, Okay so this isn't up to the Kirkus Reviews' idea of good anthropology...But, for those of us who love a fun, speculative look at the human behavior it's great!! There does seem to be some inborn need to experiment with our thought processes and this book makes a strong case for an historical presidence.

Some may enjoy this very loose trip to the past but it was dull for me. Lots of conjecture about the distant past. I prefer something more concrete.