Rating: 
Summary: Excellent. A prerequisite to the world of psychedelic drugs
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent. A prerequisite to the world of psychedelic drugs
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Dull
Review: This book is really dull. The autobiographical part is not all that interesting nor is it compellingly written. Part II of the book is totally dry and not worth reading. I like organic chemistry, but reading over 100 synthetic proceedures is repetitive and uninteresting. Discussion of neuropharmacology is very limited. The most extensive discussions in the second part of the book are irrelevant tangents about the author's system for coding each of the substances in the book. At best, this book is a useful reference for the synthesis of certain compounds.Honestly, I cannot see how other people have called this book insightful. The author does not say much about the mechanism of action of psychedelic drugs or their metabolism. The relationships between structure and activity are not explained or even hypothesized about. This book is a dull glossing over of how variations in organic chemistry "recipes" produce different flavours. This book offers no path to liberation for the serious student of psychedelic drugs other than as a reference for their synthesis and as an encyclopedia of which psychedelic substances of a certain structural class have been created. This book is a total waste to real chemists...
Rating:
Summary: exellent!
Review: this is one of a kind.
It stands proud in my library and with good reason.
buy this book its an order.
Rating:
Summary: A mind blowing, fascinating document about psychadelics.
Review: This is one of the most amazing books I have ever read. This is the Shulgins' first autobiographical account of the search for new derivatives of mescaine, includuing the re-discovery of ecstasy (MDMA).. It lies on the cusp between top-level synthetic chemistry and guru-level self development, and is a must for anyone interested in selfdevelopment or recreational drug usage. Cannot be too highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: inspiring
Review: True genius at work here. Left me with some hope for this troubled world. A book everyone should own, no matter what your position is on the war on drugs.
Rating:
Summary: An important book
Review: What could be more important than the exploration of consciousness
Rating:
Summary: The descriptions are correct
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: A monumental work on drug structure.
Review: 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.)
Rating:
Summary: Oh my goodness I cried.
Review: Yes, this is THAT book. And I am shamed to admit the reason I read it was to see if all the rumors were true. They are. But that's not the interesting part of this book. The interesting part is that it has a really wonderful story about the athors and their lives. Alexander Shulgrin seems like kind of a jerk but his philosophy on life and why he does what he does more than makes up for his behavioral quirks. Also, it has some good guidelines for people who are looking for something spiritual rather than just a good high.It is an incredibly informative book, I recomend it highly. (no pun intended)
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