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Reviews by erowid
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Nightmare Drugs
by Donald Louria, M.D.
Publisher:
Pocket Books 
Year:
1966 
Reviewed by erowid
4/23/1999

Despite this book’s sensationalist title it has a reasonable tone and some good information. It’s section on the Myths of Drug Addiction does a good job of trying to answer the worst of the myths about drugs and crime, and the realities of addiction. Some of the information is rather out of date, but it’s an interesting look into past ... [ read more ]

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Drug Identification Bible
by Tim Marnell (ed.)
Publisher:
Drug Identification Bible 
Year:
1997 
Reviewed by Erowid
3/4/1999

We are extremely disappointed in the editor and publisher of this book. Sales of the most recent editions are being limited to police and “professional organizations” only. The book contains primarily charts of identification information for professionally produced pharmaceutical tablets and their imprints. Intentionally restricting access to to this type of information for widely available substances will do far more ... [ read more ]

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The Physician's Guide to Psychoactive Drugs
by Richard Seymour, M.A. & David E. Smith, M.D.
Publisher:
The Haworth Press 
Year:
1987 
Reviewed by Erowid
2/6/1999

While a bit out of date (1987) this book is a pretty good collection of information. It covers a wide variety of substances in encyclopedic style and presents an even-handed and non-judgemental account of the effects and dangers of street drugs. Despite the somewhat grandios claims on the back cover, it only provides a few short pages about each substance. ... [ read more ]

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Ur-ine Trouble
by Kent Holtorf, M.D.
Publisher:
Vandalay Press 
Year:
1998 
Reviewed by Erowid
12/13/1998

This book contains a lot of good information about drug testing. None of the information is exclusive…you can find most of it in many other places, but it does a pretty good job of compiling all the basics together in one text. [ read more ]

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The Marriage of the Sun and Moon
by Andrew Weil
Publisher:
Houghton Mifflin Co 
Year:
1980, 1998 
Reviewed by Erowid
9/17/1998

The Marriage of the Sun and Moon is an absorbing and fun meander through Weil’s thoughts about altered states of consciousness. Using the loose structure of discussing his yin/yang moon/sun theory of human awareness and his 1971 driving trip from the U.S. to South America, Weil discusses intentional vomiting, caffeine, eating mangoes, hot chile peppers, laughing, Uri Geller, solar eclipses, ... [ read more ]

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Phantastica
by Louis Lewin, M.D.
Publisher:
Park Street Press 
Year:
1924, 1931, 1999 
Reviewed by Erowid
6/5/1998

A historical pharmacotheon. This 1920’s look at the major mind altering substances is well-organized and full of interesting information. Like The Seven Sisters of Sleep, this is more of a historical curiosity than a reference book…but none-the-less this cultural perspective is worth a read. [ read more ]

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The Hemp Manifesto
by Rowan Robinson
Publisher:
Park Street Press 
Year:
1997 
Reviewed by Erowid
6/5/1998

This is a cute little pamphlet/book that lists good stuff about hemp. They’ve included everything from the more common “saving the forest”, “sustainability, and “the hempmobile” to the less common “hemp hummus” and “tantra” uses. You’re not going to convince anyone of anything with this book, but it’s definitely a fun look at the hemp issue. [ read more ]

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The Great Book of Hemp
by Rowan Robinson
Publisher:
Park Street Press 
Year:
1996 
Reviewed by Erowid
6/5/1998

The Great Book of Hemp takes a fun, interesting look at the uses of hemp. It includes information on hemp’s history around the world, medicinal uses, spiritual uses, and the controversy surrounding it’s prohibition. It is heavily footnoted, well illustrated and includes more hemp facts and trivia than I’ve seen gathered anywhere else. Its only drawback is that the fun ... [ read more ]

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Zen, Drugs & Mysticism
by R.C. Zaehner
Publisher:
Pantheon Books 
Year:
1972 
Reviewed by Erowid
5/29/1998

An extremely interesting topic from a one-sided viewpoint. Zaehner’s use of derogatory phrases such as “apostles of the psychedelic cult” and “propagandists of psychedelic religion” to describe anyone who is interested in the possibility that entheogens could produce a mystical state…is a good example of his position. His tone is sometimes quite mocking and he seems entrenched in traditional religious ... [ read more ]

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Psilocybin: Magic Mushroom Grower's Guide
by O.T. Oss & O.N. Oeric (Terence McKenna)
Publisher:
And/Or Press 
Year:
1976, 1986 
Reviewed by Erowid
5/28/1998

This classic book, written by Terence McKenna under a penname, has short succinct sections on Locating and Identifying Mushrooms, Collecting Spores, and Home Growing and Harvesting Instructions. Many good photos of the entire process. Revised and rereleased in 1986. [ read more ]