Rating: 
Summary: Interesting
Review: This is an interesting book -- it is really two books in one -- "The Doors of Perception", in which Huxely recalls his first experience using mescalin, and "Heaven and Hell", which is considerably more speculative. Of the two, the latter is by far the better book. The former deals mainly with the mescalin experience itself, which I can assure you, is impossible to convey in print. One caveat here for potential psychonauts, however: Read Wilson's account of his own mescalin experiment in his "Beyond the Outsider" as well as Sartre's experiment with the drug. How one reacts to the chemical depends wildly upon one's own personality. Most people will not react the way that Huxely did, as he tended to intellectualise the whole world -- to think instead of doing. One cannot expect a simply blissful experience regardless of one's state of mind and personality -- these are factors in the trip. Huxely took a small dose and never suffered from ego dissolution common with higher doses. If he had, he may have had a greater insight into the ideas that he used in his "Perennial Philosophy". The Hindoos of India used to use soma (a undetermined psychoactive similar to mescalin in its effects) to achieve a sort of cosmic consciousness in which one regards oneself as being at one with the Brahman, the all-pervading universal spirit. What he did not mention is that mystics from many religious traditions mention that they can often get into states very similar to mescalin-induced ecstasies via meditation, something that is infinitely preferable to ingesting a foreign substance, as it is not of much use unless reproducible at will. His ideas in the latter volume are more along these lines, although he does mention some things that could be dangerous. He suggests that most people could benefit from a "mescalin holiday". I totally disagree. For the more indulgent, it could prove a disaster. Huxely was a man of exquisite self-control; others who do not possess such control may be in for problems if introduced to such a powerful drug (the "Beat" Poets come to mind). Also, to many it would be merely unsettling and disturbing, while for others a means of escape from the real world. His speculations about the brain being "Mind At Large", to use Broad's term, is intriguing, but offers no evidence in support of it. The notions that most religious experiences being closely related to the mescalin experience may prove insightful, but as for now, most use this book as an excuse for irresponsible recreational drug use. Comical, pathetic, even absurd at points, it nevertheless makes a point that many others fail to grasp, which he should have used to more effect in the "Perennial Philosophy" -- that at the heart of religion and human life, is an experience of reality which the conscious mind conceptualises until the world and life is less of an experience than a symbol. Zen students may find this perspective quite enlightening. For a more detailed look at psychoactive experimentation, see R. H. Ward's "A Drug Taker's Notes" and the notes from William James' experiment with Nitrous Oxide. Also, for information on reproducing the mescalin experience at will, look into research on Kundalini yoga and tantrism.
Rating: 
Summary: -
Review: This is my favorite book... its pure genius. For those of us that can get past the falsified impression that drugs are horrible, you will find some of the most mind blowing statements and revalations. To keep it simple, life is a beautiful thing and no one can describe it better than Aldous Huxley.
Rating: 
Summary: Huxley was incapable of writing a bad sentence.
Review: This wonderfully written work, by one of the last century's most original, brilliant, articulate, eloquent and UNDERated writers and thinkers, did not inspire me to try mescaline, but I was intrigued by his experience and I enjoyed the drug vicariously through him.Admittedly, it has been many years since I read this book, but recall that I was quite fond of it. I think I read it twice. While most people would enjoy it, I feel that the drug warriors would benefit most of all from this work as it clearly illustrates that many of the right's propaganda concerning recreational use of "hard" drugs is unfounded mythology. I would read it again, which is much more than I can say for most books. Huxley was brilliant and I loved most of his work (he got a little too heavy into Indian mysticism later in life i.e. "Island"). Even his weaker books, such as "Point Counter Point", are masterfully written and brilliantly executed. Huxley is the reason that I cannot read the works of contemporary hacks like Stephen King, or Michael Crichton. I gave it 4 stars because I could not give it 3.6 stars!
Rating:
Summary: Huxley Hears a Who
Review: Written almost forty years ago, The Doors of Perception retains the freshness of its insights, carrying itself well through two major episodes of drug hysteria in this country. It is a brief work containing Huxley's reflections on an evening in which he took a dose of synthetic mescaline. He immediately draws comparisons between the experience of drug-taking and religious awareness. He goes on to propose sacramental use of hallucinogens in the Christian church to reinstitute the mystical element. He is dead-on in his characterization of the drugged mindset as less filtered and more meaningful, although his pseudomedical explanation of lowered brain sugar is laughable today. His writing is as lovely and precise as always, and he brings another voice of reason to the too-long, too-heated debate on drugs.
|
