This was a great book.
Mr. Stevens tracks LSD from its inception through San Francisco's "the Summer of Love" in late 60s. He artfully describes the discovery of the drug and its effect on the psychologists who first used it on their patients and on themselves. He introduces Alduous Huxley, Tim Leary, and Ken Kesey-the pied pipers of LSD-and explains their fascination for psychedelics. He discusses the drug's decline, its unpopularity with government officials, its abuse by "untrained" American kids, and the progressive marginalization of the drug's "prophets." And all the while, Stevens skillfully gives voice to the drug's proponents' vision of a "metal frontier" to be crossed using LSD, pushing human beings along the evolutionary path.
It is clear from Mr. Stevens' book that LSD played a major role in the fundamental changes wrought in the 1960s. LSD tore down personal constructs and unveiled egos. LSD gave everyday Americans a chance to experience mystical visions. LSD gave many new insight into the nature of being. It was a psychological drug, and explains why most of the social change that occurred in the 1960s was psychological in nature.
But while Mr. Stevens in his Epilogue seems to laud the continuation of psychological exploration by a handful of "inner" explorers who use a series of newly developed designer psychedelics, I think he misrepresents the importance of these drugs.
First, the assumption that LSD will lead man (and woman) along the evolutionary path assumes that this path is straight and pointed in a forward direction. That is, that evolution is a natural process from simple to complex, from amoebas to man and beyond. Instead, science now concludes that evolution is more of a willy-nilly process. Species constantly bloom a number of seemingly useless mutations, and changes in environment conditions dictate which mutation reigns supreme. After all, it seems that the next species to inherit the planet is likely to be the cockroach, for the cockroach has the rigor and hardiness to withstand the destruction of the planet by humans. And cockroaches are hardly superior in intelligence or complexity.
Second, is the assumption that LSD can "lead" us anywhere. While LSD gives visions, reveals fundamental truths about personality, it doesn't change anything. It's up to the individual in the end to enact change, to mutate. We only have to look at the example of Tim Leary to realize this. While Mr. Leary was turned on to the drug and believed its in therapeutic value, in the text he remained a womanizing, upperly-mobile egoist; he just traded in his tweed for buckskin, and academia for psychedelia.
Basically LSD is a shortcut. It's a quick-fix buzz. In that way, it's the ideal substance for America. "Vision in a can." "Become a mystic in 12 easy hours." I would've liked to Mr. Stevens explore this facet of LSD a little more. But he seems to be totally enchanted with the cosmic possibilities...
In any case, the writing is superb. It's the perfect book to read to begin exploring the important texts of the 20th century bohemian movement. Read this alongside "Brave New World," "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "On the Road," "Electric Cool-Aid Acid Test," and "Howl," among other texts.