Out of It: A Cultural History of Intoxication

ISBN 1400049768

384 pages

Out of it is an intriguing book covering the history of intoxication. The subject of course lends itself to intrigue especially to readers in this forum. The focal drug is alcohol, unquestionably. But I think it’s fair to say that the major common drugs are also covered as well as a few more obscure ones that are perhaps only used by a certain group of peoples. There are no current RCs mentioned, unless you consider LSD or MDMA RCs.

There is a lot of information about most of the drugs it covers, including history, medical/scientific data, politics, and their main uses. I found his writing enjoyable. He has a good sense of humor and irony. He also has a vast vocabulary and it seems he’s knowledgeable about many things.

He argues that the desire for intoxication is very natural and that intoxication should be enjoyed. He’s not all about legalizing everything although he does see the absurdity of the current laws and attitudes towards illegal substances.

A great and remarkable read. 8/10