Strange Fruit: Alchemy, Religion and Magical Foods: A Speculative History (Hardcover)

by Clark Heinrich (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This is an investigation into the elusive philosopher's stone of medieval alchemy. The book examines references, both textual and pictoral, deconstructing Vedic and Puranic myths and artworks and explaining their arcane meaning. It identifies the similarities between these cults and contemporaneous Jewish sects, tracing the appearance of the the stone from the Garden of Eden through Moses and the Prophets up to Jesus and the gnostics, the secret being kept alive and passed on through a shepherdic conspiracy. Thence to the cult of chivalry and the mystical quest for the Holy Grail, and finally, proceeding directly and indirectly, to the alchemists, with Jesus as their stone.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (September 14, 1995)
• ISBN-10: 0747515484
• ISBN-13: 978-0747515487
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,176,873 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Innovative evidence for Christian entheogen tradition, March 31, 2002

By	Michael Hoffman (Egodeath.com) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I read about eating bittersweet scrolls followed by seeing visions, in Ezekiel and Revelation, it was clear that Christianity included an essential entheogen tradition. However, it was unclear which entheogens might be allegorized in those scriptures. Heinrich presents a fine and sufficient candidate.

He also presents a brilliant hypothesis that the story of the Exodus is based around ergot poisoning of the yeast supply. Chris Bennett in Sex, Drugs, Violence and the Bible makes a case for cannabis especially in the Old Testament, and Dan Merkur in Mystery of Manna, and in Psychedelic Sacrament, makes a case for ergot in the Old Testament.

This is a model of a fine book. The prose is clear, artistic, and masterful. The photos are stunning and perfectly support his case, showing the shape-shifting Amanita in its various lifecycle stages, explaining how each stage is allegorized in Hindu, Christian, and alchemical traditions. Definitely worth the price. A must-have for entheogen scholars.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For those who want to be in the know, December 28, 2001

By	"mellyme" (Garland, TX USA) - See all my reviews

Bottom line: the fly Agaric mushroom is the basis for much of the world's religions and symbolism due to its hallucinatory effects. After reading this I found myself seeing the mushroom represented in works of art and in story illustrations I otherwise would not think twice about. Example: that red and white mushroom shown in fairy tales at the bottom of trees with a little gnome sitting on it. (Go check your old story books.)

Read this to be "in the know".

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The master key to many doors..., August 13, 2002

By	Mephistopheles (New Brunswick, Canada) - See all my reviews

This book came to me at a time when I had been trying desperately to crack the alchemical code. Having read Artephius, I eventually concluded that the secret fire of the alchemists' was no fire at all, but rather an acid. But like most things in regards to alchemy, stripping away one veil only revealed another. It wasn't until I read Heinrich's work that I learned the acid was actually "stomach acid". This book will give you the key to most of the great religious mysteries of the ages. It's hard to believe so many mystery traditions (Gnosticism, Alchemy, Hermeticism, The Grail mythology... and yes, even Christianity if you strip away the silly superstitious nonsense) can all stem from a common stream, but Heinrich's case is air tight. I can't thank him enough for writing this book. It is priceless to any true seeker.