Research Catalog

Title

Shroom : a cultural history of the magic mushroom / Andy Letcher.

Author

Letcher, Andy, 1968-

Publication

London : Faber and Faber, c2006.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Julio Mario Santo Domingo Collection. wid

Description

xiv, 360 p. : ill.; 24 cm.

Summary

"The 'magic mushroom' was only rediscovered fifty years ago, but has accumulated all sorts of folk tales and urban legends along the way. In this timely and definitive study, Andy Letcher strips away the myths to get at the true story of how hallucinogenic mushrooms, once shunned in the West as the most pernicious of poisons, came to be the illicit drug of choice." "Chronicling the history of the magic mushroom from its use by the Aztecs of Central America and the tribes of Siberia through to the present day, Letcher takes a critical and humorous look at the drug's more recent manifestations. Since the 1970s we have identified hundreds of hallucinogenic species, isolated their active ingredients, learnt how to cultivate them on an industrial scale, and spread them around the world. More than any civilisation that has come before us, we can claim to be magic mushroom enthusiasts."--BOOK JACKET.

Subjects

• History
• Amanita muscaria > History
• Amanita muscaria > Social aspects
• Mushrooms, Hallucinogenic > Social aspects
• Mushrooms, Hallucinogenic > History

Genre/Form

History

Note

• A duplicate copy of this title was part of the Julio Mario Santo Domingo Collection, but was not retained.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 325-348) and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Agaricus -- The mushroom people -- Science and magic -- The archaeology of ecstasy -- Much disordered -- Feasts and revelations -- Wasson -- Amanita -- The fly-agaric -- Soma -- Chemistry and conspiracy -- Psilocybe -- Academic exercise -- High priests -- Ripples and waves -- Underground, overground -- The elf-clowns of hyperspace -- Muck and brass -- Epilogue : love on a puffball.

ISBN

• 0571227708
• 9780571227709

OCLC

• 69733170
• SCSB-10769505

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library