By Don Lattin
Harper Collins
Ooh! Two of my favorite topics, history and drug use, all in one book! How could you go wrong? The book was definitely written in a fun way (I mean, it is about magic mushrooms and LSD, how could it not be fun?), while weaving the great story of the events that truly impacted the world of the sixties and still, today. At some points, I wondered why Lattin decided to follow the paths of these four particular gentlemen. I understood telling the story of Tim Leary and Ram Dass (Richard Alpert), their story alone is a good one and truly the focus of the book. I can also understand Weil’s place. Although absent for part of the story, he was a key player in the downfall of Leary and Alpert at Harvard and in an ironic twist, someone who became a big proponent of psychedelics after his Harvard days. I guess my real question is how does Huston Smith really fit in? Yes, he was part of the early Harvard psychedelic drug research project conducted by Leary and Alpert, but so were many others. Smith’s importance in teaching and changing people’s world view of religion is significant. In fact, out of the four men, Smith’s journey is one that I identify with the most. I guess I just don’t consider myself to be really new age, more just a common sense type of gal, not necessarily someone who is all into the “far out, man” type of thinking, so maybe that is why I see Smith as the one that doesn’t belong in this book…but that is me. And, Smith is a very interesting story, so I definitely will put his autobiography on my reading list. But I digress. I did enjoy the book. I love soaking up all the information I can that I will one day use to become Jeopardy Champion!!!! The Harvard Psychedelic Club did not disappoint me there!
