Yow.
If you like Terrance McKenna, Mircea Eliade , or John Anthony West, you will love this.
Even if you hate those authors, you will at least like this book. hate those authors, you will at least like this book.

"The Cosmic Serpent by Jeremy Narby takes a serious look at how neurogenetic consciousness informs awareness, knowledge, symbolism and culture. His comparison of the ancient cosmic serpent myths to the genetic situation in every living cell reveals the immortal biomolecular wizard behind the curtain of everyday life. His anthropological study, ayahuasca experience and scientific speculations weave a tale of shamans who bring their consciousness down to molecular levels with sophisticated neurotransmitter potions in order to perceive information contained in the coherent visible light emitted by DNA." (http://deoxy.org/meme/CosmicSerpent)

Coherent, smart, brilliant.
Highly recommended.

BUY, BORROW, or BURN?
BUY ( )

Filled with a lot of alternative information. A must read for anyone within the crowd of psychedelics and having an open-mind. ( )

Apparently countless civilizations have recognized the serpent or other double-helix like shapes as of primal importance, and consumption of hallucogenic drugs induces similar visions. Narby has taken this information and declared that humans are, and always have been, somehow aware of the DNA that underlies our existence. He also believes that DNA has intentions, can communicate with us, and it not of this world (he does not believe in natural selection, etc). As a geneticist with an interest in neurobiology and consciousness myself, I am aware that he has butchered much of the science he presents (for example, claiming that the circularity of natural selection makes it untestable). However he writes well, and I enjoyed reading about the anthropology (which appears well documented to my admittedly inexpert eye) that led him to derive this new mythology. I certainly don’t agree with his conclusions, but I appreciate his intellectual creativity and sense of discovery. ( )

+5 for the tale of using ayahuasca in a traditional environment.

-5 for making mistakes in biology that wouldn't be excusable in a high school student.

+3 For fantastic cover art and the spirit of entheogen exploration. ( )

Well researched, excellent synthesis of the shamanic and the scientific. Frustrating that he refuses to offer his personal perspective on the books central question "What is the origin of the DNA molecule?" Although he suggests that it did not spontainiously arise as the result of natural processes on earth. ( )