Customer Reviews:
 Intriguing and Resonating June 2, 2008
As an experiant of a spontaneous mystical trip, one-off, 35 years ago, this book explains what happened in a sound melding of science and spirit.
I recommend this to anyone needing a jump start on transformational activities.
A Journey Shared with lots more to find out.... April 7, 2008
This book contains information regarding the ONLY DMT study conducted in the US. The book tells about what dmt is and where it comes from. The book also tells the journey the author had to take to get to the study. That was just as enlightening and entertaining. In the last chapter "The Futures of Psychedelic Research" the author list numerous future studies that could be performed. The book left me wondering if people who suffered from schizophrenia were people whose brain's produced more DMT than others? You will get a great insight from this book, even though much more research is obviously necessary to come to any concrete conclusion regarding DMT. Highly recommended.
Very informative, easy to read March 28, 2008
This book was good for just about anyone to read. Sometimes books of a scientific nature are dense, or hard for the average person to read. But this book was eloquent, easy to follow, and very insightful.
I was interested in it, ever since I only just heard of DMT in 2007. It's a curious and fascinating hallucinogen and I enjoyed reading this book about it.
I really don't like when science is mixed with mysticism or spirituality, but in the context of this book, it was necessary. That was the only hurdle I had to jump, personally. I recommend it to anyone interested in the topic, and who has an open mind.
A thrilling "trip" through modern clinical entheogenic research March 18, 2008
This book was not at all what I expected. I'm now thankful for that.
I began this book hoping (probably like most entheogen-enthusiasts) for an authoritative, glowing affirmation of the power of entheogens to expand our consciousness and improve our society, and a rallying call to drag this socially criminalized taboo back under the clinical microscope for scrutiny.
24 hours later, I put the book down- truly amazed at the ride I had just taken.
First and foremost, the subject matter is extraordinary- clinical investigations using high doses of intravenous DMT. (WOW!) Owing to this fact alone, much of this book reads like out-of-this-world fiction, which is highly entertaining and immersive, and because of the incredible improbability of the research's existence in the context of the omnipresent "Drug War" and an increasingly oppressive government, following Dr. Strassman's progression from the historical and personal seeds of interest, through the labyrinth of paralyzing bureaucracy, and ultimately out the tip of a syringe into a volunteer's arm leading to mind-blowing highs and the resultant repercussions... this format of a journey added immensely to the book's readability and ability to pull the reader in.
Finally, this book is above all things honest. While it's clear that Dr. Strassman began as a bit of an idealist (as does the reader, no doubt), he objectively assesses events as they unfold and ultimately leads the reader to his critical and forward-thinking understandings about entheogens and the potential for renewal of clinical studies, especially those with tangibly positive ramifications.
I enjoyed this book thoroughly, and it caused me to critically evaluate my own preconceptions about clinical psychedelic research. The only disappointment I had was that Dr. Strassman fell far short of providing convincing evidence that DMT is indeed the "Spirit Molecule." While his theories are reasonable and testable, there was little in the form of evidence supporting his connections between DMT and the pineal, and ultimately DMT and the "mystical experience" which seems to overcome individuals during periods of intense bodily stress (such as at death) or during intense introspection, such as cultivated by religious/meditative practice.
Considering the title of the book and my assumption that the brunt of it was dedicated to purely scientific elucidation of Dr. Strassman's theories (indeed I had a hard time stomaching the "new-agey" feel of the words "spirit molecule" interchanged indiscriminately with "DMT" throughout the book, especially since it was made clear in the first few chapters that the pineal/DMT/"spirit" molecule theory was interesting but unproven)- you can see by my five-star rating that the book as a whole was enough to allow me to forgive Dr. Strassman for his overt convictions.
In short: a great read. Highly recommended.
 An Interesting Look at Clinical Psychedelic Research March 11, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Dr. Strassman's book is an interesting account of clinical research done with DMT - however it is mostly concerned with the logistical nightmare that is working with a Schedule I drug. A detailed account is given of the process that he went through in attempting to begin research with DMT, in giving it to volunteers, and their rendition of what the experience was like. If you are interested in hearing more personal accounts of DMT use, about more detailed science behind the presence of DMT in our own brains, or about the implications of psychedelic use in contemporary society, then you probably ought to look elsewhere.
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