Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Storming Heaven: Lsd and the American Dream by Jay Stevens ISBN: 0-8021-3587-0 Publisher: Grove Press Pub. Date: October, 1998 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.83 (24 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: "Turn On" To This Fascinating Book!
Comment: I was born in 1960, so I was a little to young to appreciate the "Summer Of Love", Haight-Ashbury and the entire late 60's counter-culture movement. My fascination with that era began with Jimi Hendrix and other musicians associate with it. Most of the social aspects I was aware of were written by the "slanted" view of the media, teachers, politicians and parents; not the most objective of viewpoints
When I heard about this book I picked it up ... ASAP and was not disappointed. I will not go into lengthy discussions of this book like other reviewers (or even spell all the words correctly). While reading, Jay Stevens was placing me "there", "right there" where is was all happening from Aldous Huxley, to Timothy Leary and Ken Kesey.
The story unfolds "expertly" and the characters involved are so well described, it feels like I've met them personally.
While much of the information is public knowledge, there are many fascinating, generally unknown tidbits: from the CIA's LSD involvement to insights on Leary & Kesey.
Anyone who holds any interest in this subject will not be disappointed with this book. From someone who grew up on The Brady Bunch, The Monkees & Happy Days....this book is a definite eye opener into a cultural wave I wish I had been riding.... so "Turn On, Tune In & Get This Book".
Rating: 5
Summary: Quality journalistic-type writing
Comment: _Storming Heaven_ is a non-ficticious account of the history of the spread of LSD in America and England during the 50's and 60's. It gives detailed accounts of all of the major players in the early days of the synthesization and distribution of this drug. It is not as thoughtful or philosophical as I hoped, and has little to say about the implications and nuances of the actual effects of the drug. However, I came to accept this book for what it is, which is a matter-of-fact description of how this drug progressed from the university offices and laboratories to the streets of San Francisco. This book has much to say about both the east-coast and west-coast acid scenes of the 50's and 60's. In the east, you have Timothy Leary, Richard Alpert, and Alan Watts, and their whole gang of weirdos hanging out in an acid-soaked mansion in Millbrook NY. It is very interesting to read about the(mis)adventures of these three men, all of whom (especially Alan Watts) are gifted and accomplished writers. For those who are fans of their work, _Storming Heaven_ is a must-read if for no other reason than to get some idea of the formative influences of these writers.
The west coast scene, in contrast, was less intellectual and more of a free-for-all. Jay Stevens describes the exploits of Ken Kesey, and the riders of his magic bus. Of course any discussion of Ken Kesey will inevitably lead to a discussion of the Grateful Dead, and the handiwork of their "chemist" mr. Owlsley. Stevens also covers the involvement of the Hell's Angels in this west coast movement. All of this makes for very entertaining, albeit light, reading.
Rating: 5
Summary: An Exceptional Weave of an Interesting History
Comment: In the spirit of the subject matter, the best word to describe this book is...cool. The author appears to have a genuine desire to objectively explore the history, for better or worse, of LSD and its role in American culture. Stevens does not approach this work being for nor against LSD. He just looks. As a result, this book comes out with flying colors...pun intended.
This book is a diamond in the rough for those who wish to take that same exploratory approach in reading about LSD and the history of this potent and controversial drug. It's not geared for people who are vehemently pro/anti LSD. Preconceived notions should be checked at the door before embarking on this adventure.
Stevens looks at LSD from its very beginnings, where characters such as Hoffman, Osmond, and Huxley help pave the way for much of what comes later in the book. As the narrative moves on, familiar names such as Ginsberg, Leary, Burroughs, Kerouac, Alpert, Metzner, Kesey, Cassady, Weil, Watts, and Wolfe, among others, enter and exit the stage like bit actors in this great showcase. If you've ever been enamored with the doings of any of those names, this book weaves a pattern from threads of various legacies in one fascinating tapestry.
As a caveat to the above paragraph, none of those characters is covered in much detail, with the exception of Timothy Leary. This is more a result of Leary's intense involvement with the scene than Stevens' focusing on one extraordinary character. Some of those people (Burroughs, for instance) make very brief but interesting appearances.
In addition to those mentioned, many unknown but intriguing characters fill the pages of this book. More than likely, every one of them will lead you to read on, until another name segues into the narrative. Stevens does a great job researching this story and presenting it to the reader in one piece.
Every time I review a book I do my best to find something which was lacking, no matter how much I enjoyed it. In this particular case, I have a hard time pinpointing anything to find fault with. The only complaint I might have is that it was too short. One imagines that pages and pages of material never made it to press and it's a shame this book had to end where it did. I would have kept reading if it were twice as long.
I do have to cede a point that one other reviewer makes. He comments that the prevalence of 5 star ratings, "reflects the weirdness and coolness of the events portrayed rather than the history itself." I do have to lend some credence to that point and admit that this may be true. However, as this subject matter is relatively new to me, the book still rates 5 stars in terms of an introduction to the subject. As a history on the subject, it's the role of the author to tell the story, and Stevens does that well.
In all, a great read. A fascinating perspective brought to you by someone trying to elucidate the ups and downs of LSD and the movement it helped create. Again, this is not going to be a favorite of the pro-LSD hippie or the anti-drug conservative. But for those of you who want a fairly balanced, comprehensive view of the history of LSD and how it influenced culture in America, I strongly recommend this book.
Very well done.
 |
Title: Acid Dreams: The Complete Social History of LSD: The CIA, the Sixties, and Beyond by Martin A. Lee, Bruce Shlain ISBN: 0802130623 Publisher: Grove Press Pub. Date: March, 1986 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
 |
Title: The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell by Aldous Huxley ISBN: 0060900075 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 16 February, 1963 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
 |
Title: Tripping: An Anthology of True-Life Psychedelic Adventures by Charles Hayes ISBN: 0140195742 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: 31 October, 2000 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
 |
Title: Psychedelics Encyclopedia by Peter Stafford, Jeremy Bigwood, Sebastian J. Orfali ISBN: 0914171518 Publisher: Ronin Publishing Pub. Date: August, 1992 List Price(USD): $36.95 |
 |
Title: The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe ISBN: 0553380648 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 05 October, 1999 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
