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Trip: Psychedelics, Alienation, and Change

Description:

Part memoir, part history, part journalistic exposé, Trip is a look at psychedelic drugs, literature, and alienation from one of the twenty-first century's most innovative novelists--The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test for a new generation. A Vintage Original.

While isolating himself to work on his novel Taipei, Tao Lin discovered the prolific work of Terence McKenna--the leading advocate of psychotropic drugs since Timothy Leary. Tao became obsessed with McKenna, whose worldview (and particular theory of drug use) seemed to present an alternate way of being. In Trip, Tao's first ever book-length work of nonfiction, he explores parallels between McKenna's life and his own in a far-reaching search for answers to looming questions: Why do we make art? What is language for? And are there essential, universal truths out there, beyond our limited range of perception?

Trip takes readers on a trip through psychedelic culture, from D.A.R.E. to Aldous Huxley, from NYU's Bobst Library to a plant-drawing class in Santa Rosa, California. Drawing on first-person exploratory journalism as well as in-depth research, Tao details the experience of taking psilocybin, DMT, and cannabis, studies their chemical composure and legality, and ends his story with a pilgrimage out West, where he communes with McKenna's ex-wife and fellow "ethnobotanist," Kathleen Harrison.


Editorial Reviews

Review

Trip is, if not a guide to self-help, a book about a person trying to be happier, in part by changing the kinds of drugs he uses. . .another theory of psychedelics emerges, which suggests that the most mystical revelations concern earthly themes: birth, death, and the body; family, friends, and love.” —Emily Witt, The New Yorker

Trip is a sane book about becoming sane, and Lin’s most valuable work to date.” —The Irish Times

"[Lin does] an incredible job describing what a psychedelic experience feels like." —The Village Voice

“An immediately significant entry in the literature of derangement and recovery.” —Vulture, “The Best Books of the Year (So Far)”

“[Lin’s] best yet. . . . His rendering of tripping is perfect—better even. . .than Aldous Huxley’s elegant and evocative passages in The Doors of Perception, because Lin’s account conveys reverence and immersion without grandiosity. And that allows humor to leak through. . . . A joy to read.” —Bookforum

“Addictive…. Strikingly vivid…. Lin coherently challenges the sense behind labeling psychedelics as controlled substances…. A kaleidoscopic fever dream of ideas, idolatry, and lots of drugs: uniquely produced and curiously intoxicating.” —Kirkus Reviews

“An introspective work…. [Lin] chronicles his experiences with various psychedelic drugs in his first nonfiction book, weaving autobiography, history, and spiritual journey together to pose existential questions.” —Publishers Weekly

Trip is not only a book about drugs--it's about the condition of humans at this point in history, troublingly divorced from our natural capacity for awe by our chemically depleted bodies and minds. This book has changed how I understand myself on a cellular level. It's a superbly researched, moving, and formally inventive quest for re-enchantment, and Tao Lin's most compelling and profound book yet.” —Sheila Heti, author of How Should a Person Be?

"Trip transcends the ranks of drug memoirs to give us a characteristically nontraditional, completely unique, hilarious, tender, and at times frightening departure from everyday life such as only Tao Lin can write. With fascinating specificity, it asks essential questions about the nature of time, reality, consciousness, and the self, while holding a looking glass up to contemporary life, to ask, Is this really all there is?—and to answer, No, the possibility for knowledge is endless, and we should never cease searching." —Sarah Gerard, author of Sunshine State

“Similar to the psychedelic drugs Tao Lin writes about here, this book introduces new ways to consider language, perception, and recovery. It’s a joy to watch Lin interrogate his obsessions so earnestly and thoroughly in an attempt to understand more about the world as he knows it. Trip is a book for anyone interested in learning about what the human mind is capable of seeing and believing.” —Chelsea Hodson, author of Tonight I’m Someone Else

“Tao Lin took all the drugs so that we wouldn’t have to, and the result is astonishing, mind-expanding, beautiful, and profound. The whole of humanity seems contained in this one book.” —Kristen Iskandrian, author of Motherest

“Tao Lin’s writing reliably restores my sense of the inexhaustible strangeness of even one minute of human thought and feeling.” —Michael W. Clune, author of White Out

About the Author

Tao Lin is the author of the novels Taipei and Richard Yates and Eeeee Eee Eeee, the novella Shoplifting from American Apparel, the story collection Bed, and the poetry collections cognitive-behavioral therapy and you are a little bit happier than i am. He was born in Virginia, has taught in Sarah Lawrence College's MFA program, and is the founder and editor of Muumuu House.

Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed a lot

M.R. · May 8, 2018

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } Enjoyed a lot. Felt good about the psychedelic stuff. If you've listened to a lot of Mckenna some parts feel familiar but it's fun to read Tao extrapolating from that and compare with ideas/events from his own life, like he also does with Weston A. Price and Riane Eisler. I like how he doesn't completely subscribe to any one view of the modern world. He seems to simultaneously be able to view a lot of parts of it as bleak and other parts as exciting and even hopeful. I think he took Terence a little too seriously about the 'I don't believe anything' thing. He said that a lot but it still feels, to me at least, like he strongly leaned towards Novelty Theory being true, and was also firmly rooted to the need for an Archaic Revival. He often seemed to me like a 'True Believer,' but one who was savvy enough to know how skeptical people were of both experts and evangelicals and so said things like that he only had 'models' (but I think it's only the top level stuff--things that seemed obvious to him, like that psychedelics would have to become important for a positive future outcome for humanity --that I think he firmly held to. A lot his ideas he did probably, it seems, view as expendable) But since I kind of believe that stuff it didn't really bother me.The book also encouraged me, through reading about Tao's experience with and gratefulness towards it, to begin again to use cannabis with a new attitude of viewing it as it's own intentional helper. I like this new view and how it's making me feel. I wanted to see some more things about the relationship between psychedelics and spirituality. Terence said different things. Like he sometimes said they were obviously intertwined, maybe earlier in his career i'm guessing, and then other times said stuff like he wasn't sure they had much to do with each other. I wanted (at some point before reading the book, imagining what the book was going to be about) to hear about Tao's view on the matter, but maybe it wasn't considered to be interesting or relevant or maybe it was not considered at all. The back of the book said stuff about 'what happens after death?' but that wasn't really talked about except for repeating without not a lot of examination Terence's 'death is a release into the the imagination.' Realizing now that I'd been assuming that a lot of people reading the book would be familiar with Terence's ideas but I overestimated the overlap of people who are interested in him and Tao because of his (Mckenna's) prevalence on Tao's online, (mainly Twitter it seems) presence, and that maybe to a lot of people these are going to be 100% new ideas which will, due to their newness, have a large effect on them, which seems exciting (just to have a lot of people discussing, or maybe just thinking about, interesting ideas, even ones that are maybe smirked at by certain different kinds of people).One of my favorite parts of the book was in the epilogue when Tao feels depressed and poignantly assures himself, despite the depressive thing of it seeming permanent, that there would come times that he would feel better. I view 'Trip,' or at least a lot, of it as kind of a culmination of the last months or maybe years of Tao's online presence, having followed probably all of it. I view the new, before-unseen parts, like his detailed trip reports and a lot of the Kathleen Harrison stuff as a sort of 'bonus.' I intuit that there are more things I vaguely feel like I can convey about my experience of reading 'Trip,' but am self-conscious about how long this review is for an Amazon comments section, and am so going to stop typing after the next sentence. I greatly appreciate everything Tao Lin writes makes me feel more interested in art and less alone in the world, and I feel massively grateful for him having communicated his Mckenna-influenced worldview and sharing his often-convincing view of and beliefs about both modern and general living.

5.0 out of 5 stars refreshing and imaginative

N. · February 25, 2023

"Trip" by Tao Lin is a novel that explores the theme of drug use and its impact on the human mind and relationships. The story follows the protagonist, Paul, as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery through the use of various drugs. As Paul delves deeper into the world of drugs, he begins to question his own existence and the meaning of life.The book is written in a unique style, with short, terse sentences that mirror Paul's fragmented and altered state of mind. The narrative is driven by Paul's inner monologue, which is often philosophical and introspective, and provides insight into his thoughts and emotions.What makes "Trip" stand out is its ability to capture the psychedelic experience through language. Lin's writing style is vivid and descriptive, and he uses metaphors and imagery to create a surreal and dream-like atmosphere. The book also explores the darker aspects of drug use, such as addiction, withdrawal, and the consequences of risky behavior.While "Trip" may not be for everyone, it is a thought-provoking and challenging read that offers a unique perspective on drug use and its impact on the human psyche. Lin's writing is raw and unapologetic, and he does not shy away from exploring the complexities of the human mind.Overall, "Trip" is a well-written and insightful novel that is sure to leave a lasting impression on readers. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the subject of drug use and its impact on the human experience.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, depending on what you're looking for

J. · February 16, 2021

This was my first book by Tao Lin, and will probably be the last. I found him through the social media influencer Frank Yang, who I also have issues with despite being a fruitful practitioner of the same behaviors - namely - meditation and yoga to a high degree. But back to the book...Trip is good if you're looking for a blissfully ignorant, positive reason to romanticize drugs and drug usage. Even in the dark times such as the author's bad trips or 'recovery' period, there is little mention of the ill effects of all these trendy recreational drugs, specifically the more-than-common experience of drug-induced psychosis.Overall, this book gave hallucinogenic drugs an unfair shake. There needs to be less of a glorification and more of a 'pros and cons list'. Also, be prepared for awkward grammar usage and a whole lot of tangents. I learned more about the human cultural evolution of orthodontics more than I did about the phenomenology of DMT in the chapter on DMT.It seems the author is less of an intellectual and more of a guy who seems to be crying for help to some degree. He should have taken in his father's footsteps and begin writing books about lasers and other physics topics. Maybe he has, and I would love to read that book given this author's style of making things interesting.Overall, the reason I give 4 stars and not 3 is because for someone such as myself who has given up on drugs as a means for transcendence, escapism, or blunt hedonism, I can appreciate an attempt to describe the culture of psychedelia from the author's perspective.I also enjoyed the chapter on why drugs are illegal, but I ended up learning more about anthropological female figurines than I did about why drugs ought to be made legal. If I were quizzed on this subject, I would be drawing pictures of Venus of Hohl Fels on the back of the sheet and pray I get a good grade.

3.0 out of 5 stars Ok

B.B. · July 31, 2018

Overall, the book was ok. The author does a great job writing about Mckenna; those were the parts of the book that I liked: in particular, chapters 1 & 2. I stopped reading after the section on DMT... that part of the book seemed so painfully irrelevant, so scattered, and the next chapter seemed to be going right along in the same direction... I just had to put it down. Sorry, Tao.

My brother likes this book

A. · December 24, 2020

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } My brother likes to pretend to be Tao Lin. Often, he'll drop a single tab of acid and quote Tao at a family dinner party. However he refuses to ever give Tao due credit for the quote. After the dinner party, his face will scrunch as if he has to sneeze. He'll snicker to himself and mutter something along the lines of "I got away with it again." He thinks he's Tao Lin but he's not. Is this wrong? I'm not sure it's morally wrong but it's definitely not mentally healthy. One day I'll confront him, I just don't have the heart to do it yet.

Mens sana in corpore sano

N.R. · December 2, 2022

Es ist vorbildlich, wie sich der Autor weg von abstumpfenden pharmazeutischen Produkten und hin zu natürlicheren bewusstseinsverändernden Substanzen gewendet hat. Lediglich der DMA Trip war ein Fail, aber es ist bemerkenswert, daß so ehrlich und schonungslos darüber in diesem Buch berichtet wird. Es gibt auch bad trips aber das Buch ist ein guter (◐ω◑ )

A great blend of non-fiction, auto-fiction, and a look at psychedelic through a personal lens

I. · December 2, 2022

I read this book in a just a couple of days. I found reading about Tao's experiences growing up and how they led to eventual encounters with various psychadelics a really interesting way to demonstrate the value of the psychedelics, and also the important place they hold in society, by showing the effects they had on this one individual, in making him come out of his shell and start to better understand who he himself as, as well as better understand psychedelics and their effects. The looks back at early human history were so interesting as well, and the way this book is structured makes it really easy to digest and and enjoy, while really learning a lot. Whether you are a fan of Tao Lin, auto-fiction in general, or just want to read a book that explores psychedelics in a uniquely personal way, I can't recommend this book enough. I've leant it to so many people, and have actually bought it 3 times because some of these said people never gave it back!

Um tempo bem gasto

L.P. · July 16, 2018

Durante a semana em que li Trip, me senti leve. É um livro que diverte e informa sobre um tema que, ou é tratado de forma científica e desconectada de seu tema, ou de forma extremamente cômica e não tão informacional. Trip é o livro sobre drogas mais original que eu já li. Tendo um preconceito, ou não, com este tema, acredito que todos deveriam ler-lo.

A counterpoint to Taipei

M.M. · December 1, 2022

I see this novel as being something of a couterpart-sequel to Taipei. It's an autobiographical book about Lin's recovery from prescription/artificial drugs, providing an introduction to ideas introduced by the thought of Terence McKenna. It's an overwhelmingly positive book, despite having a similar 'rhythm' to Taipei on a sentence-by-sentence level. Readers with no prior interest in hallucinogenics/psychedelics needn't be put off here: Trip is more than just a drug experience catalogue, but an enquiry into what makes us human, how we can live in the modern age, and how we can learn to be healthy again.

Trip: Psychedelics, Alienation, and Change

Product ID: U1101974516
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4.4

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Trip: Psychedelics, Alienation, and Change

Product ID: U1101974516
Condition: New

4.4

Trip: Psychedelics, Alienation, and Change-0
Type: Paperback

AED13649

Price includes VAT & Import Duties
Availability: In Stock

Quantity:

|

Order today to get by 7-14 business days

Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.

Returns & Warranty policies

Imported From: United States

At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.

BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.

Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.

If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.

Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.

All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.

While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.

Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.

BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.

All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.

All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.

Description:

Part memoir, part history, part journalistic exposé, Trip is a look at psychedelic drugs, literature, and alienation from one of the twenty-first century's most innovative novelists--The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test for a new generation. A Vintage Original.

While isolating himself to work on his novel Taipei, Tao Lin discovered the prolific work of Terence McKenna--the leading advocate of psychotropic drugs since Timothy Leary. Tao became obsessed with McKenna, whose worldview (and particular theory of drug use) seemed to present an alternate way of being. In Trip, Tao's first ever book-length work of nonfiction, he explores parallels between McKenna's life and his own in a far-reaching search for answers to looming questions: Why do we make art? What is language for? And are there essential, universal truths out there, beyond our limited range of perception?

Trip takes readers on a trip through psychedelic culture, from D.A.R.E. to Aldous Huxley, from NYU's Bobst Library to a plant-drawing class in Santa Rosa, California. Drawing on first-person exploratory journalism as well as in-depth research, Tao details the experience of taking psilocybin, DMT, and cannabis, studies their chemical composure and legality, and ends his story with a pilgrimage out West, where he communes with McKenna's ex-wife and fellow "ethnobotanist," Kathleen Harrison.


Editorial Reviews

Review

Trip is, if not a guide to self-help, a book about a person trying to be happier, in part by changing the kinds of drugs he uses. . .another theory of psychedelics emerges, which suggests that the most mystical revelations concern earthly themes: birth, death, and the body; family, friends, and love.” —Emily Witt, The New Yorker

Trip is a sane book about becoming sane, and Lin’s most valuable work to date.” —The Irish Times

"[Lin does] an incredible job describing what a psychedelic experience feels like." —The Village Voice

“An immediately significant entry in the literature of derangement and recovery.” —Vulture, “The Best Books of the Year (So Far)”

“[Lin’s] best yet. . . . His rendering of tripping is perfect—better even. . .than Aldous Huxley’s elegant and evocative passages in The Doors of Perception, because Lin’s account conveys reverence and immersion without grandiosity. And that allows humor to leak through. . . . A joy to read.” —Bookforum

“Addictive…. Strikingly vivid…. Lin coherently challenges the sense behind labeling psychedelics as controlled substances…. A kaleidoscopic fever dream of ideas, idolatry, and lots of drugs: uniquely produced and curiously intoxicating.” —Kirkus Reviews

“An introspective work…. [Lin] chronicles his experiences with various psychedelic drugs in his first nonfiction book, weaving autobiography, history, and spiritual journey together to pose existential questions.” —Publishers Weekly

Trip is not only a book about drugs--it's about the condition of humans at this point in history, troublingly divorced from our natural capacity for awe by our chemically depleted bodies and minds. This book has changed how I understand myself on a cellular level. It's a superbly researched, moving, and formally inventive quest for re-enchantment, and Tao Lin's most compelling and profound book yet.” —Sheila Heti, author of How Should a Person Be?

"Trip transcends the ranks of drug memoirs to give us a characteristically nontraditional, completely unique, hilarious, tender, and at times frightening departure from everyday life such as only Tao Lin can write. With fascinating specificity, it asks essential questions about the nature of time, reality, consciousness, and the self, while holding a looking glass up to contemporary life, to ask, Is this really all there is?—and to answer, No, the possibility for knowledge is endless, and we should never cease searching." —Sarah Gerard, author of Sunshine State

“Similar to the psychedelic drugs Tao Lin writes about here, this book introduces new ways to consider language, perception, and recovery. It’s a joy to watch Lin interrogate his obsessions so earnestly and thoroughly in an attempt to understand more about the world as he knows it. Trip is a book for anyone interested in learning about what the human mind is capable of seeing and believing.” —Chelsea Hodson, author of Tonight I’m Someone Else

“Tao Lin took all the drugs so that we wouldn’t have to, and the result is astonishing, mind-expanding, beautiful, and profound. The whole of humanity seems contained in this one book.” —Kristen Iskandrian, author of Motherest

“Tao Lin’s writing reliably restores my sense of the inexhaustible strangeness of even one minute of human thought and feeling.” —Michael W. Clune, author of White Out

About the Author

Tao Lin is the author of the novels Taipei and Richard Yates and Eeeee Eee Eeee, the novella Shoplifting from American Apparel, the story collection Bed, and the poetry collections cognitive-behavioral therapy and you are a little bit happier than i am. He was born in Virginia, has taught in Sarah Lawrence College's MFA program, and is the founder and editor of Muumuu House.

Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed a lot

M.R. · May 8, 2018

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } Enjoyed a lot. Felt good about the psychedelic stuff. If you've listened to a lot of Mckenna some parts feel familiar but it's fun to read Tao extrapolating from that and compare with ideas/events from his own life, like he also does with Weston A. Price and Riane Eisler. I like how he doesn't completely subscribe to any one view of the modern world. He seems to simultaneously be able to view a lot of parts of it as bleak and other parts as exciting and even hopeful. I think he took Terence a little too seriously about the 'I don't believe anything' thing. He said that a lot but it still feels, to me at least, like he strongly leaned towards Novelty Theory being true, and was also firmly rooted to the need for an Archaic Revival. He often seemed to me like a 'True Believer,' but one who was savvy enough to know how skeptical people were of both experts and evangelicals and so said things like that he only had 'models' (but I think it's only the top level stuff--things that seemed obvious to him, like that psychedelics would have to become important for a positive future outcome for humanity --that I think he firmly held to. A lot his ideas he did probably, it seems, view as expendable) But since I kind of believe that stuff it didn't really bother me.The book also encouraged me, through reading about Tao's experience with and gratefulness towards it, to begin again to use cannabis with a new attitude of viewing it as it's own intentional helper. I like this new view and how it's making me feel. I wanted to see some more things about the relationship between psychedelics and spirituality. Terence said different things. Like he sometimes said they were obviously intertwined, maybe earlier in his career i'm guessing, and then other times said stuff like he wasn't sure they had much to do with each other. I wanted (at some point before reading the book, imagining what the book was going to be about) to hear about Tao's view on the matter, but maybe it wasn't considered to be interesting or relevant or maybe it was not considered at all. The back of the book said stuff about 'what happens after death?' but that wasn't really talked about except for repeating without not a lot of examination Terence's 'death is a release into the the imagination.' Realizing now that I'd been assuming that a lot of people reading the book would be familiar with Terence's ideas but I overestimated the overlap of people who are interested in him and Tao because of his (Mckenna's) prevalence on Tao's online, (mainly Twitter it seems) presence, and that maybe to a lot of people these are going to be 100% new ideas which will, due to their newness, have a large effect on them, which seems exciting (just to have a lot of people discussing, or maybe just thinking about, interesting ideas, even ones that are maybe smirked at by certain different kinds of people).One of my favorite parts of the book was in the epilogue when Tao feels depressed and poignantly assures himself, despite the depressive thing of it seeming permanent, that there would come times that he would feel better. I view 'Trip,' or at least a lot, of it as kind of a culmination of the last months or maybe years of Tao's online presence, having followed probably all of it. I view the new, before-unseen parts, like his detailed trip reports and a lot of the Kathleen Harrison stuff as a sort of 'bonus.' I intuit that there are more things I vaguely feel like I can convey about my experience of reading 'Trip,' but am self-conscious about how long this review is for an Amazon comments section, and am so going to stop typing after the next sentence. I greatly appreciate everything Tao Lin writes makes me feel more interested in art and less alone in the world, and I feel massively grateful for him having communicated his Mckenna-influenced worldview and sharing his often-convincing view of and beliefs about both modern and general living.

5.0 out of 5 stars refreshing and imaginative

N. · February 25, 2023

"Trip" by Tao Lin is a novel that explores the theme of drug use and its impact on the human mind and relationships. The story follows the protagonist, Paul, as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery through the use of various drugs. As Paul delves deeper into the world of drugs, he begins to question his own existence and the meaning of life.The book is written in a unique style, with short, terse sentences that mirror Paul's fragmented and altered state of mind. The narrative is driven by Paul's inner monologue, which is often philosophical and introspective, and provides insight into his thoughts and emotions.What makes "Trip" stand out is its ability to capture the psychedelic experience through language. Lin's writing style is vivid and descriptive, and he uses metaphors and imagery to create a surreal and dream-like atmosphere. The book also explores the darker aspects of drug use, such as addiction, withdrawal, and the consequences of risky behavior.While "Trip" may not be for everyone, it is a thought-provoking and challenging read that offers a unique perspective on drug use and its impact on the human psyche. Lin's writing is raw and unapologetic, and he does not shy away from exploring the complexities of the human mind.Overall, "Trip" is a well-written and insightful novel that is sure to leave a lasting impression on readers. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the subject of drug use and its impact on the human experience.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, depending on what you're looking for

J. · February 16, 2021

This was my first book by Tao Lin, and will probably be the last. I found him through the social media influencer Frank Yang, who I also have issues with despite being a fruitful practitioner of the same behaviors - namely - meditation and yoga to a high degree. But back to the book...Trip is good if you're looking for a blissfully ignorant, positive reason to romanticize drugs and drug usage. Even in the dark times such as the author's bad trips or 'recovery' period, there is little mention of the ill effects of all these trendy recreational drugs, specifically the more-than-common experience of drug-induced psychosis.Overall, this book gave hallucinogenic drugs an unfair shake. There needs to be less of a glorification and more of a 'pros and cons list'. Also, be prepared for awkward grammar usage and a whole lot of tangents. I learned more about the human cultural evolution of orthodontics more than I did about the phenomenology of DMT in the chapter on DMT.It seems the author is less of an intellectual and more of a guy who seems to be crying for help to some degree. He should have taken in his father's footsteps and begin writing books about lasers and other physics topics. Maybe he has, and I would love to read that book given this author's style of making things interesting.Overall, the reason I give 4 stars and not 3 is because for someone such as myself who has given up on drugs as a means for transcendence, escapism, or blunt hedonism, I can appreciate an attempt to describe the culture of psychedelia from the author's perspective.I also enjoyed the chapter on why drugs are illegal, but I ended up learning more about anthropological female figurines than I did about why drugs ought to be made legal. If I were quizzed on this subject, I would be drawing pictures of Venus of Hohl Fels on the back of the sheet and pray I get a good grade.

3.0 out of 5 stars Ok

B.B. · July 31, 2018

Overall, the book was ok. The author does a great job writing about Mckenna; those were the parts of the book that I liked: in particular, chapters 1 & 2. I stopped reading after the section on DMT... that part of the book seemed so painfully irrelevant, so scattered, and the next chapter seemed to be going right along in the same direction... I just had to put it down. Sorry, Tao.

My brother likes this book

A. · December 24, 2020

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } My brother likes to pretend to be Tao Lin. Often, he'll drop a single tab of acid and quote Tao at a family dinner party. However he refuses to ever give Tao due credit for the quote. After the dinner party, his face will scrunch as if he has to sneeze. He'll snicker to himself and mutter something along the lines of "I got away with it again." He thinks he's Tao Lin but he's not. Is this wrong? I'm not sure it's morally wrong but it's definitely not mentally healthy. One day I'll confront him, I just don't have the heart to do it yet.

Mens sana in corpore sano

N.R. · December 2, 2022

Es ist vorbildlich, wie sich der Autor weg von abstumpfenden pharmazeutischen Produkten und hin zu natürlicheren bewusstseinsverändernden Substanzen gewendet hat. Lediglich der DMA Trip war ein Fail, aber es ist bemerkenswert, daß so ehrlich und schonungslos darüber in diesem Buch berichtet wird. Es gibt auch bad trips aber das Buch ist ein guter (◐ω◑ )

A great blend of non-fiction, auto-fiction, and a look at psychedelic through a personal lens

I. · December 2, 2022

I read this book in a just a couple of days. I found reading about Tao's experiences growing up and how they led to eventual encounters with various psychadelics a really interesting way to demonstrate the value of the psychedelics, and also the important place they hold in society, by showing the effects they had on this one individual, in making him come out of his shell and start to better understand who he himself as, as well as better understand psychedelics and their effects. The looks back at early human history were so interesting as well, and the way this book is structured makes it really easy to digest and and enjoy, while really learning a lot. Whether you are a fan of Tao Lin, auto-fiction in general, or just want to read a book that explores psychedelics in a uniquely personal way, I can't recommend this book enough. I've leant it to so many people, and have actually bought it 3 times because some of these said people never gave it back!

Um tempo bem gasto

L.P. · July 16, 2018

Durante a semana em que li Trip, me senti leve. É um livro que diverte e informa sobre um tema que, ou é tratado de forma científica e desconectada de seu tema, ou de forma extremamente cômica e não tão informacional. Trip é o livro sobre drogas mais original que eu já li. Tendo um preconceito, ou não, com este tema, acredito que todos deveriam ler-lo.

A counterpoint to Taipei

M.M. · December 1, 2022

I see this novel as being something of a couterpart-sequel to Taipei. It's an autobiographical book about Lin's recovery from prescription/artificial drugs, providing an introduction to ideas introduced by the thought of Terence McKenna. It's an overwhelmingly positive book, despite having a similar 'rhythm' to Taipei on a sentence-by-sentence level. Readers with no prior interest in hallucinogenics/psychedelics needn't be put off here: Trip is more than just a drug experience catalogue, but an enquiry into what makes us human, how we can live in the modern age, and how we can learn to be healthy again.

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