Mystic Chemist: The Life of Albert Hofmann and His Discovery of LSD Hardcover – June 1, 2013

This is a beautiful book. The content is fascinating. It has a wealth of marvelous pictures on a variety of people and subjects, and it is exceedingly well done on every level. It is large and heavy and considering its quality, very fairly priced.

world changing man

Lots of interesting stuff in here, alongside a plethora of detail I wasn't interested in. I learned a lot about the history of the drug and the men and women who explored its potential.

Mystic Chemist stands as a unique historical document in the history of substances that alter human consciousness. Amongst those substances, LSD is considered by many to be one of the most important to be discovered in the history of humanity. Indeed, in 2007 readers of the Daily Telegraph voted Albert Hofmann the "greatest living genius."Hofmann's "genius" resided in trusting his intuition and re-synthesizing LSD-25 five years after it had been shelved by Sandoz Pharmaceuticals, where Hofmann worked. Initial experiments by the Sandoz pharmacological department researchers and physicians showed less than expected results and the substance was removed from the research list. Hofmann later commented that he returned to the shelved substance based on "...more than a feeling - the chemical structure appealed to me - that prompted me to take that extraordinary step." On April 16, 1943 after Hofmann carefully re-synthesized the chemical he returned home from his lab due to the experience of "unusual effects." He later postulated "perhaps some of the LSD solution got on my fingertips during recrystallization and a trace of the substance was absorbed into my skin." The rest, as they say, is history.LSD has turned out to be one of the most potent and important substances know to man. In Hofmann's words, "LSD is the medicine par excellence for the Occidental mind." LSD has revolutionized modern psychology, and is considered by many to be the catalyst that launched the social changes of the 1960's, as well as opening the door to creative activities that have transformed our world. The late Steve Jobs commented that "Taking LSD was a profound experience, one of the most important things in my life."Mystic Chemist not only tells the amazing story of Hofmann's life, but documents the activities of many of the people and the critical historical and cultural events that resulted from the world-wide spread of Hofmann's "problem child." Hagenbach and Werthmuller have produced a well written, well illustrated, and insightfully researched book that fills a void not only in the history of mind-altering substances, but in the history of our modern world, which has been forever changed by LSD.

Mystic Chemist: The Life of Albert Hofman and His Discovery of LSDBy Dieter Hagenbach and Lucius WerthmüllerISBN 978-090779144-7 (Synergetic Press-2013)I suppose most of us remember our "first time" events that were life changing. Growing up in the 60's, going to college, and being lured into a world controlled by corporate agendas was a dangerous spiritual path until a friend said, "Try this". It was my first LSD trip and looking back it probably saved me from a lifetime of regrets because it opened my mind to the insanity of the world which was being force fed to me from every organization, government and religion and especially the media. It was an engaging read from cover to cover to peer into the life and times of Albert Hofman and what he experienced being the first person to go on this amazing trip. I think it's incalculable to even try to imagine the effect LSD and hallucinogens in general have had on the human collective consciousness. A must read for anyone interested in conscious evolution and alternate realities.Rahasya Poe, Lotus Guide Magazine

This book has been long overdue. Finally we have a reference book that ties together all the loose ends of an important subject, the discovery and use of LSD and other late 20th Century mind-opening substances. It is one of the many absurdities and crimes of the present times that such taboo still hangs over the subject as we are told what we can and cannot do with our minds, whilst the military industrial complex, which claims to know best, still churns out other chemicals with impunity to inflict misery and suffering on the innocent.The illustrations alone are worth the purchase, from Alex Grey to The Furry Freak Brothers. The book manages to tie together a veritable Who's Who of people and places, from Huxley to Timothy Leary, Cary Grant to the film sets for the film Alien, with of course the figure of Albert Hofmann, whose long life is the subject of the book, looming over all even if, at times, he seems somewhat bemused at the twists and turns of his 'problem child'.The bibliography is another gem and a further reason to have this book on your shelf. This is a must buy for anybody interested in one of the most important discoveries of the modern era.

A really excellent book. Covers all the topics related to LSD in satisfying depth. Highly recommended.

Had already read the original German book on its release and was buying this for a friend. I was so impressed by the edition, (It's expanded, on better paper, more pics etc) that I bought myself another copy. This is the definitive work on Dr Hofmann and his Wonder Child!!!

A wonderful in depth book not only about the great man and his discovery of LSD.Great value will keep me occupied for ages.

Anyone wanting to know about Albert and the story of LSD then this is the book. Lots of photo's from the beginning up to date.