ApsûVoyage of a Thousand Books
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Who is this book for?
- Readers interested in consciousness, the brain, and mental health research
- People working in medicine, psychology, and mental health
- People who want to understand the history and controversy of psychedelic research
- Readers who like nonfiction that combines science, history, and firsthand experience
Who is the author?
- Michael Pollan, well-known American food and science writer, author of bestsellers such as The Omnivore's Dilemma
- Named one of TIME magazine's 100 most influential people in the world, he excels at combining scientific literature, humanistic reflection, and firsthand experience
- The book was published in 2018 and was named one of the New York Times' ten best books of the year
More by this authorThe Omnivore's Dilemma；In Defense of Food；Cooked
Book notes
A Book Re-Examining a Taboo
Pollan was originally a writer known for writing about food, but this book turns to a subject long regarded as taboo: psychedelics. For decades these substances were treated as dangerous drugs and research nearly came to a halt; but in recent years some top universities have resumed rigorous clinical research and found that they may hold important value in treating depression, anxiety, and addiction. Combining history, neuroscience, and his own personal experience, Pollan leads readers to rediscover this forgotten science.
The Word "Psychedelic"
The Story Begins in the Laboratory
Losing Control and Prohibition
The Revival of Research
The Default Mode Network
The Dissolution of the Self
Facing the Fear of Death
Addiction and Depression
Mystical Experience
Not Just Molecules
Risks and Boundaries
Forgotten Promoters
Set and Setting
Spiritual and Social Questions
The Author's Own Experience
Bottles that drifted to this book
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Shang
Shang's reading list
Voyager's Guide
The world
The Sea of Books has 24 real islands, one for each subject. Every building on an island is a book.
What you can do now
- Tap an island on the chart to go ashore
- Tap a building to read the notes on that book
- Meet Shang, the Navigator
Coming soon
- Chapter 2: register as a voyager, sail your ship, collect building badges, send bottles
- Chapter 4: private chats with other voyagers
Symbols
Ship's Registry
Before you set sail, let's get your ship registered.