Worth a listen if you have a special interest

I enjoyed the book, very thorough and comprehensive look at psychotropic and mood altering drugs (illegal and prescribed). Annoyingly, the narrator mispronounces a lot of the scientific terminology which can be distracting, but the content of the book is rigorous and solid. I enjoyed the occasional anecdotes that related to certain drugs, as well as the historical context of their development and popular reception. You have to be paying attention to pick up the science but it is explained well.

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3 people found this helpful

Overall, hard work.

The book itself, for me doesn't really work. It comes access almost as a disparate collection of essays on vaguely connected threads woven together by meandering and almost randomly selected interludes only barely along the lines of the current topic.
Really almost any 'chapter ' could be substituted for another without upsetting the cadence or direction of the book. The author starts the chapter with the heavy going, uphill drudgery of science which usually I really enjoy in other books but doesn't really even try to make it interesting. It seems he's bored of it himself and just wants you to endure it because it has to be dealt with on the way to the 'fun' part. To be fair some of these bits are quite entertaining but equally some are a little more weird and some cling to the topic by the most gossamer of threads.
Some of my problems with this book may be me. The style may not be my cup of tea. It may be the style doesn't quite 'cross the pond' . Or maybe, I just don't get it.
The above I can forgive, take on the chin or whatever.
However, I cannot forgive the narrator.
I have never listened to an audio book ( I listen to a lot) and been so put off by the narration before!
It's like he's playing a character which is basically channelling Richard Burton with a sprinkling of Sean Connery and Brian Blessed playing a WW2 British submarine commander at the Old Vic for the RSC for an invited audience of voice coaches and old luvvies.
His almost wilful misonunciation of words is terrible. Including various pronunciations of, ironically "various". Weird mispronounced common words such as 'parents' and 'water'. And woe betide any poor word with a 'T' in the middle, only to be substituted for soft 'D's! Like "ninedeen ninedees", " saduraded fads" and "fidded righd in, in the ninedeen eighdees". Honestly it's very Tony Blackburn meets Smashy and Nicey ( for any Brits). Also as we're on British comedy, I'm sure that the whole vocal performance of this book was the basis for Matt Berry's hilarious 'Toast of London '. Awful.

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Absolutely Brilliant Book...

I have never enjoyed a book so much. Even topic and chapter was filled with so much information and being a person who loves the subject as well of being a science minded person I just found I was totally absorbed. I love how the book covered all the drugs including tea coffee and chocolate. I didn't expect them to be in here. With personal links to a fare few of the subject in this book I could really relate to the material and understand each of the situations. I thought the book flowed brilliantly and the narration was perfect. I wish I could find another book on this topic to listen to.

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Can Be A Bit Technical But Otherwise Faultless

This book really is a fascinating listen from start to finish. Although it covers the alkaloids (morphine etc - anything which is derived from an organic source) as its mainstay, towards the end it did start on drugs and compounds which are purely synthetic. This is where it became quite technical, which is by no means a criticism, it is just not what I was expecting certainly do not let this put you off. If you like books which are harder to stop than start, then this is your book.

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Looking for this book for decades

After my listen,I ordered the hard copy. Its true that biochemistry does not easily translate to the spoken word. But this is minimal. The book is a most understandable explanation of the origins of modern psychotropic drugs . As a practicing physician, I can only wish that this be made recommended reading for medical professionals. But it is not dry and technical. It encompasses the lives and times of the persons behind the discoveries. Whatever deficiencies which must accompany such an ambitious undertaking, the value of the research and technical insight is nothing short of brilliant. If the origin and discovery of drugs is your interest, then this book is a six out of five.

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Excellent Chemistry Book

The review below claiming the language is too complex must have failed their chemistry degree. A wonderful and sophisticated look at psycho active substances. Highly recommended!!!

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Too technical, doesn't work as an audiobook

This book is unfortunately too technical to follow in audiobook format. Many, many sentences contain long chemical names. I have a degree in chemistry and I enjoy neurology etc audiobooks but I found this just to heavy to follow as an audiobook, with too much about chemical formuations and not enough "story" or general information, anecdotes etc to hold my interest.

The narrator sounds like a cross between Tom Baker and Brian Blessed and does a pretty good job considering the material he is reading.

Sorry, I can't recommend this, even as an avid scientist.

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3 people found this helpful