Shroom: A Cultural History of the Magic Mushroom

'[An] intelligent and well-researched book, which is full of surprises.' Guardian 'Extraordinary . . . a fascinating and satisfying read.' Observer 'Elegant and authoritative.' Independent on Sunday 'A thrilling trip that is both erudite and greatly entertaining. Mind-bending stuff.' Scotland on Sunday Informative, lively, and impeccably researched, Shroom is a unique and engaging study of this most extraordinary of psychedelic drugs. The 'magic mushroom' was only rediscovered seventy years ago, but has accumulated all sorts of folktales and urban legends along the way. In this timely and definitive study, Andy Letcher strips away the myths to get at the true story of how hallucinogenic mushrooms, once shunned in the West as the most pernicious of poisons, came to be the illicit drug of choice.