Friends, friends, friends.
Welcome back to Teatime Reading where there are books in progress.
I won’t pretend that I’m a huge fan of Michael Pollan’s writing, but I did like his previous book on psychedelics and his audiobook about Caffeine.
Therefore, after those experiences, I was very curious about his new book titled This Is Your Mind on Plants. Unfortunately, even though the three sections on Opium, Caffeine, and Mescaline should have captivated me, I got off to a rocky start.
I quickly realized that these were fairly stand-alone essays and I’d heard a version of the caffeine one in the aforementioned Audible audiobook. Not only that, the opium one was a mostly intact magazine feature from decades prior. I guess I like a cohesive narrative and I felt like the author was trying to cash in with older material.
Now, I realize that it isn’t fair for me to judge a book by that specific criteria, but I can’t help it. I’ll admit that the Caffeine section had interesting information that wasn’t in the audiobook, and I was super intrigued by the history and legacy of Mescaline that Pollan discussed.
However, the Opium chapter was a true slog that almost forced me to put down the book. I was uncomfortable and nervous for most of the section and it was not fun at all.
This Is Your Mind on Plants was a let-down because I wanted a follow up to How to ChangeYour Mind. Instead of that, it felt like we got one fantastic essay paired with an update to a recent audiobook and a decades-old article that made me feel weirded out.
I wouldn’t read it again and it’s nothing personal. I’d skip to the section on Mescaline and just keep it moving.
That’s all for today. Until next time, keep your bookmarks close.
Peace, Love, Pages.
Note: As Always, Affiliate Links are here for your convenience at no cost to you. All reading was at my own expense.