First of three books in the Pharmako series. What a wonderfully bizarre book. I don't even know where to start. Technically it's non-fiction. At its core it's a book on plants/herbs; specifically, ones that have interesting effects on human physiology. Unlike most non-fiction books, this one is written in a prose style and filled with fascinating quotes from scientists, poets and philosophers. It's also filled with classical botanical drawings and medieval wood-cuts.

It's a really great read -- one part history lesson, one part poetry, one part witchcraft. Besides the usual suspects: alcohol (yeast), cannabis, tobacco and opium; there are scores of other plants most people know nothing about: Salvia Divinorum, Kava, Wormwood and more. Books like this could easily be bloodless, dry and tedious, but Pendell's presentation is thought-provoking, well researched and beautiful (the artwork) -- even humorous. Pendell has a really wry wit. He covers how various plants were used in folk medicine, ritual, and how they work into our mythology and continue to effect our social systems. Also included are: growing tips, preparation, recipes, dosage, and dangers.

Here's one area I don't often comment on: the layout. The way this book is designed makes it a pleasure to read AND allows easy-to-find access to topics should you choose to use it as a manual or recipe book. It also includes an extensive glossary, index, and resources. ( )

In the Pharmako trilogy, Pendell's poesis guides through the guantlet of psychoactive substances. Their history and application is interwoven with art both visual and verbal. This book is not a simple encyclopedia. It is a living document of ancient pharmocological knowledge.

Pharmoko/Poeia takes us through a multitude of muses both helpful and destructive. Solar. lunar. Benevolent, Malevont. Alcohol, Cannabis, Salvia, Heroin, and more. The Sheperdess is the least ensalving. The others like to cling. ( )

A strange but beautiful book. It reminds me of midnight reading and uncovering secrets one should be initiated into. I took a underground shortcut. Plants and how they affect the psychology, that's how you can frame the book, but you can also say it's about writers, varying intoxications and correspondances.... ( )