The Hasheesh Eater

First published in 1857, when its author was a mere 21 years old, The Hasheesh Eater is a marvelous chronicle of a young man’s quest for chemical enlightenment. “Hanging in a sky of spotless azure, within the walls of my own heart, appeared my soul as a coin flaming with glories, which radiated from the impress of God’s face stamped upon it. This told me an unutterable truth of my being.” Thus does young Fitz Hugh Ludlow summarize the results of one of his more pleasant experiments. But not all is visionary grandeur; he also experiences depths of cosmic despair that would shake the foundations of any intrepid tripper’s desire to go further (see chapter 15, “Then Seeva Opened on the Accursed One His Eye of Anger”). Throughout, Ludlow retains an admirable sense of objectivity; the prose required to describe his visions may be purple, but his reflections upon their significance are thoughtful and sympathetic without ever becoming overly moralizing. A very valuable resource for anyone contemplating an expedition to the land of lotus eaters.