Mike Jay, Mescaline: A Global History of the First Psychedelic
Social History of Medicine December 18, 2019 DOI: 10.1093/shm/hkz130 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA review of Mike Jay's book 'Mescaline: A Global History of the First Psychedelic' describes the work as tracing mescaline's journey from pre-Columbian use in the Americas through its isolation by Western scientists, its role in shaping modern psychiatry and psychoanalysis, and its influence on art and mythology. The review notes Jay's narrative weaves together diverse historical and scientific threads, showing how mescaline challenged conventional understandings of consciousness and perception. The book is presented as a comprehensive account that connects indigenous traditions, laboratory research, and artistic experimentation, offering a broad cultural history of the substance.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Book review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mescaline |
| Keywords | Mythology Art history Psychoanalysis Wife |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key finding | Jay's book provides a global history of mescaline, linking its indigenous use, scientific study, and impact on art and psychology. |
Abstract
Book review of Mike Jay, Mescaline: A Global History of the First Psychedelic, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2019. Pp. 304. £18.99. ISBN 978 0 3002 3107 6.