When Michael Pollan talks about a “natural high,” he isn’t being abstract. After exploring psychedelic drugs in his bestseller How to Change Your Mind, the author turns to the plant world, digging deeper into how organic chemicals found in nature can shape our consciousness. Pollan offers up surprising case studies on three substances that have radically different reputations: opium, caffeine, and mescaline. As usual, Pollan takes his research personally, growing poppies, abstaining from coffee, and taking part in a Native American peyote ceremony. He mixes science and history to examine—and often explode—popular perceptions about each plant. Throughout, Pollan’s unguarded responses to everything he encounters makes his mind-altering journey very engaging. It’s a long, strange trip that will give you a newfound respect for Mother Nature.
