This book is an historical account of the people who started the hippie movement in the sixties - the Merry Pranksters. Everything in this book actually happened. LSD was discovered partly by accident in 1938 by Albert Hofmann. It was later tested extensively by the US government and CIA for about 20 years, on both paid volunteers and unknowing citizens. Ken Kesey (author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) was one person who (voluntarily) took part in several experiments using different drugs. The subjects were never told what they were taking - but at some stage they were given LSD. This particular drug was different from the others, and many of the subjects had life-changing experiences as a result of 'seeing through new eyes'. Acid was still legal at that stage so it was only a matter of time before people got their hands on some and were able to start making their own and distributing it. So there you have the background to the book. Basically what happened next is that all the 'acid heads' moved to a particular area (Haight-Ashbury, in San Francisco) and began turning more and more people onto LSD. Some of these people formed a group, called themselves the Merry Pranksters, bought a bus, painted it psychedelic colours and then drove around America making a movie, holding "Acid Tests" and introducing people to LSD. The revolution had begun and the world would never be the same..... this is THE essential book for anyone interested in hippies, the sixties, or alteration of consciousness.

I find it incredibly frustrating that a substance which the government themselves used to test on unwitting citizens is now illegal. Oh, so it was alright to put it onto people who had no idea they were taking it, but if someone *wants* to take it, they get thrown in jail. Hypocrisy!

Furthur reading:

• everything you ever wanted to know about LSD without trying it yourself
  
• Ken Kesey
  
• Merry Prankster History Project
  
• hip glossary