Mike Jays history of mescaline use is a bit of a mind-altering experience itself.The Economist
Refreshing. . . . No gnostic detective, Jay isnt searching for ungraspable truth. Hes a biographer tout court.Philip Alcabes, Los Angeles Review of Books
What Mike Jays history of mescaline illustrates is that although we may not grasp how, the context of a trip determines its destination. Kate Womersley, Times Literary Supplement
Thoroughly researched book is strong on drugs social significance.Katherine Waters, Arts Desk
Jay, as with his many other works, expertly places the important details in these larger trends, and the result is a wonderfully engaging narrative; informative and entertaining.Robert Dickins, Psychedelic Press
Jay takes his readers on a journey through history, beginning with the medicinal and ceremonial use of mescaline-containing plants by the indigenous peoples of Mexico thousands of years ago, and the adoption of peyote by some Native American peoples.Zoe Hackett, Chemistry World
Mike Jay has written a highly detailed but very readable and fascinating history of the use of mescaline throughout the ages.Peter Carpenter, British Society for the History of Medicine
Mescaline has a lively style, and it is written intelligently. . . . The author skillfully shuttles back and forth in time, describing what is known about the indigenous culture around the plants before the better documented era that begins in the late nineteenth century.Nicolas Rasmussen, Metascience
In classic Mike Jay fashion, this book elegantly presents the history of the first psychedelic . . . [ Mescaline] takes readers beyond debates about supplies and user profiles to examine how mescaline inspired discussions about philosophy, art, chemistry, healing, Christianity, Indigenous sovereignty, and even the counterculture.Erika Dyck, History of Pharmacy and Pharmaceuticals
This is a terrific account of mescaline, the first psychedelic. Mike Jay has nailed it.Michael Pollan, author of How to Change Your Mind
Mike Jay is the Neil Armstrong of todays psychonauts. In Mescaline an incredible amount of scholarly and personal research is beautifully presented and ordered in a sensible chronology that really works to channel potentially disruptive and mad matter into a fascinating cultural history. I just loved the last chapter which brought everything back to its proper place in a careful Native American ritual. It made the most emotionally satisfying ending to an extraordinary trip.Nicholas Rankin, author of Telegram from Guernica
Mike Jay is one of the most wise, well-informed, clever and funny voices on drugs in the world. Everyone should read everything he writesit is consistently brilliant.Johann Hari, author of Chasing the Scream and Lost Connections
