Customer Reviews

Pihkal: A Chemical Love Story

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is divided into two halves. The first half is the story of Shulgin's life, from childhood to modern times. It is a moving and beautiful tale of one man's attempt to make sense of the world and his place in it. Intertwined in this personal experience is a budding love affair with a woman who could only be rated as amazing.

The second half consists of Shulgin's recipes and notes on the synthesis of every compound in the Phenethylamine category that he has ever made.

Overall, this book will change the way you feel about psychedelics, and the reasons that people use them. The story is at times inspiring, at times heartbreaking, and always genuine. Highly recommended as an introduction to the spirituality behind psychedelics and some of the issues involved with them.

This book is fascinating. It is not an "I like trippin' and listenin' to the Dead" book. It is a very thorough, interesting account of the work of two very intelligent and thoughtful people in the area of psychedelic drugs and their influence on/application to human life. Here's a quote that gives some idea of the orientation of the book: of marijuana (not a phenethylamine, and thus, not really addressed fully in the book), Shulgin writes, "I have chosen not to use marijuana, as I feel the light-headed intoxication and benign alteration of consciousness does not adequately compensate for an uncomfortable feeling that I am wasting time." Of psychedelics, he writes, "the potential of the psychedelic drugs to provide access to the interior universe, is, I believe, their most valuable property." This isn't a book about seeing jerry-bears and setting up clandestine labs. It's an introduction to a new way of exploring one's relationship to the rest of the universe. It is wonderful and an invaluable resource to all who are willing to try to deal with this piece of the puzzle.

I purchased PIHKAL from Amazon and read it in it's entirety.

The most poignant aspect of this book reveals that as we are organic machines, our consciousness is just another chemically induced perception and therefore only one valid reality predisposed by evolution for survival.

Shulgin's Genius is honed with such objectivity, innocence, dedication and clarity that he is able to both successfuly and interestingly document the human-mind altering effects produced by the synthesised compounds entirely dedicated to the second-half of this book.

Furthermore, I have read all of the Amazon reviews regarding PIHKAL and feel that some just do not get the extreme depth of this work. Reading this incredibly open account of Human reality means that there will always be dull bits and parts that make one cringe because that's how real life is for one and all.

The potential reader needs to approach this work with an open mindset and absorb the content without pretence, preconception or professional envy affecting clarity because this book is about the other side of the coin.

Finally, to dedicate ones life to recording Human perception so openly in hardcopy is a tremendous quantum leap ahead of the absurd revisionist realities that people in our "Soap World" prefer to pretend that they live via TV and use to deal with personal issues through the application of anger, violence and greed which are wrongly accepted as legitimate relief mechanisms.

In summary, PIHKAL is an extremely important piece in the Jigsaw of the "age of reason" and awareness. Don't be threatened, it definitely deserves at least "5 Stars". Read it, do it and get to the next level...... the evolution of mind.

I had assumed this book to be new-age fluff after having
seen it referenced so often in other new-age fluff books.
So I was quite surprised to find that it is really a
fascinating scientific biography, a genre I am
personally addicted to. The 'love story' wanders into the
fluff zone occasionally, and the chemistry recipe book
wanders into extreme alchemical arcana, but overall its
a comprehensive compendium that is unique as far as I know,
and a valuable record of the behind-the-scenes history
of the California new-age 80's. I am only puzzled at
Dr. Shulgin's lack of comment or experience in the traditional
spiritual practices, since even though he frequented Zen centers
while doing his assays, he seems not to be the least curious
as to the perspectives of these traditions.

I was also interested to read more about the mysterious therapist
referred to as 'Jacob' in the book 'The Secret Chief' by author
Myron Stolaroff. Check out this book after 'Pikhal' and you
will get a fresh and equally important perspective on the
practices of this seminal group of psychic healers/explorers.

somebody oughta make a movie! :)

While the story itself is rather interesting, the last section of PIHKAL ('book II') is the true star. It's not a story...it's a list of aprox. 200 psychoactive and potentially psychoactive drugs, each lovingly described as to structure, synthesis, dosage, and effects. Each item is based on the core skeleton of phenyl-ethyl amine, which Shulgin laboriously explored at virtually every point, substitutive alkyl groups, thio groups, halides, etc. (Methoxy ring substituents are especially popular in his work.) The result is an astonishing array of hallucinogens, amphetamines, and some seemingly inert materials. While he is perhaps best known for his work on MDMA, the drug that would later gain infamy as the illegal drug 'ecstasy', it will surprise most readers to discover that MDMA is only one of an entire family of psychoactive drugs, each with their own sometimes subtle, sometimes astonishing differences. A truly extraordinary, landmark work for the pharmacologist, or simply those curious about psychoactive drugs from a more technical, exploratory stance. (That said, if you wouldn't know a carbon atom from a Honda Civic, you'll still like the biographical part, which is anything but dry and technical.)

What's amazing about the Shulgins is their ability to isolate the nuances that make drugs like MDMA and MDE different from one another. The separate entries at different dosage levels are not only insightful, but essential to the potential experimentor. Reading this will make anyone cautious about buying what is considered "ecstasy" by the current youth culture.

The Chemistry is beyond me, but it's still fascinating. Buying this book is worth being put on any government list. Yes, it's that good.

Very rarely would one find a scientific journal worthy of study. This is one. It is jam packed with experiments, observations, thoughts and procedures related to the chemistry of mind altering substances. As I am not a chemist, I glossed over the more technical aspects of the work, but as an Engineer, I was "blown Away" by the methodology and unique perspective. In his own way, he is a trail blazer and a real inventor. A person who like Telsa, Bell, and Howard Huges persued a dream of discovery and exploration. He used his scientific training to forge ahead where other fear to tread, and he makes light of it in such an off hand way. THis book is an INSPIRATION to any BUDDING young CHEMIST. I found myself wishing to take night classes in Chemistry after reading this book. It is that powerful!

It's not often that you find a combination of scientific objectivity and readability, but this joint effort by Shulgin and his wife Anne was entertaining, enlightening, and passed on a wealth of information, both personal and professional in nature.

Here you find a fascinating account of their brave excursions into the inner unknown, an account of the plusses and minuses of their experiences, a glimpse of the theraputic possibilities that lay in MDMA, and a wealth of technical information, layed out in a manner that even a layman can appreciate and enjoy.
For further reading by the same author I also recommend TIHKAL, a book that tells the story of the Tryptamine family of compounds in the same entertaining manner.<BR

a powerful, thorough look inside the intricacies of a relationship between two people, their relationship to psychoactive powers within their universe, and nitty gritty details about the nature of politics and philosophy.

Romance and science coalesce symphonically here.

An encyclopedic undertaking that achieves success on a number of fronts, this work shatters delusions and opens your mind. There is really something for everyone here: an inspiring love story and a challenging counter-culture tome written by geniuses.

Not to mention the fact that you get a lot of pages for a nice price.

A must for any extensive library.

After reading this book I felt inspired to take a chemistry class. Now that I have taken one I have decided to pursue a career in pharmaceuticals. After reading this book I was awakened to another world.