Tripped

Utterly fascinating and illuminating. In tracing the curious origins of LSD as a drug and as a cultural phenomenon - a compulsive maze-like trail that takes in obscure Swiss institutes, the rise of Nazi Germany, the philosophy of brainwashing, CIA conspiracies, the White House and Elvis Presley - Norman Ohler also cleverly throws fresh light on the Cold War that dominated the late twentieth century: a global struggle for psychological supremacy and psychic liberation. On top of all this, his storytelling is not only beguiling but - by the end - profoundly moving as well. It is possible that LSD will have a part to play in all our medical futures: this gripping and deeply felt book will tell you why -- Sinclair McKay, author of Berlin
Entertaining... Tripped is a story of front organizations, dodgy funds, bizarre experiments, assassinations, scientists, magicians, hookers, and spies. * The Times *
Ohler's book is at once a jaunty history of psychedelics, and a fascinating lament that the double-pronged legacy of Nazi drug policy - zero tolerance and weaponization - so severely limited research into their medicinal properties. * New York Times *
A fascinating book about the battle for LSD, which shines a light on the relationship between antagonistic powers, secret services and the medical industry. An astonishing read, with remarkably vivid protagonists. -- Harald Jähner, author of Aftermath
In this superb sequel to Blitzed, Tripped is a riveting and witty book about the obscured history of LSD. From the Swiss scientist and corporation that created the powerful hallucinogenic, the Nazis, G-men and spooks that criminalized the chemical to the current boom in psychedelic research and startups: Tripped shows the awesome power of acid. Meticulously researched and deeply personal, Norman Ohler weaves a masterful tapestry of history in this revealing and fresh account -- David de Jong, author of Nazi Billionaires
A brilliant exposé of how Dr Albert Hofmann's epic discovery of LSD got lost in the ensuing war on drugs and the corollary, its misuse for mind-control, that hurt him personally and has hampered investigation into the potential therapeutic and spiritual benefits of the pharmaceutical -- Professor Carl Ruck, author of The Road to Eleusis
Norman Ohler's fascinating study involves Nazis, the CIA, and LSD in an engaging narrative that provides a mind-altering history of "brain warfare" and exposes the Cold War psychedelic fantasies of many within the US scientific and intelligence communities. A must read for those interested in understanding the apocalyptic mindset of the nascent superpower rivalry -- Edward B. Westermann, author of Drunk on Genocide
With cracking prose, Norman Ohler's Tripped is high-octane history writing, rich in acidic humour. You'll be in ecstasy -- Joseph Pearson, author of My Grandfather’s Knife
"Nazis, Big Pharma, and American special agents, oh my!" Ohler takes the reader on a journey down some of the lesser-known dark alleys of psychedelic history. From promising medical treatment to weapons of war and criminal nuisance and back again, Tripped recounts some of the hidden origins behind the rise and fall (and subsequent rebirth) of research into LSD and similar substances. An engrossing read, full of mystery and intrigue. -- P.W. Barber, author of Psychedelic Revolutionaries
Fleet-footed and propulsive... Brilliantly sifting a massive history for its ideological through lines, this is a must-read. * Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) *
Tripped is a rollicking read, lively and engaging. Ohler seems to have read everything there is to read about the history of psychedelics, blended with his own research. * The Progressive *