Sacred Mushroom Seeker: H

Tributes to R. Gordon Wasson Thomas J. Riedlinger, editor, Terrence McKenna, Peter T. Furst, others Wasson (1898-1986) was an amateur mycologist whose scholarly writings on hallucinogenic mushrooms pioneered the field of ethnomycology and sparked the psychedelic movement. A legendary figure in the field of ethnobotany, R. Gordon Wasson's trail-blazing work on hallucinogenic mushrooms with the Mexican curandera Maria Sabina in the 1950s brought increased scholarly attention to the importance of psychoactive plants in the spiritual life of indigenous peoples, and had a profound influence well beyond the academic world. His accessible writings helped popularize these discoveries, forming the ground for the social revolution of the following decade. With the growing interest in the role of psychoactive plants in society today, the work of R. Gordon Wasson and the example set by the man himself, so well illustrated here, takes on increasing importance. Edited by Thomas J. Riedlinger, who has written extensively on psychedelic plants and psychology, The Sacred Mushroom Seeker includes essays by the most distinguished names in the fields of ethnobotany, comparative religion, and anthropology. 'This work is a remarkable achievement. It successfully captures all aspects of a complex personality. Gordon Wasson was a wonderful mixture: part businessman, part adventurer, part scholar. He achieved more in each of these fields than most do in any one discipline. Sketching a life-size portrait of this intriguing man is no mean feat, but this work achieves that goal.' Dr. Mark J. Plotkin, author of Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice The informative essays herein are accompanied by a great variety of photographs and drawings, many in color. 283 pages, 7x11