What do you think?
Rate this book
Trippy: The Peril and Promise of Medicinal Psychedelics
A riveting look at the tremendous promise and inherent risks of the use of psychedelics in mental health treatment through the lens of a New York Times reporter whose journalistic exploration of this emerging field began with a personal crisis.
When he signed up for a psychedelic retreat run by a mysterious Argentine woman deep in Brazil’s rainforest in early 2018, Ernesto Londoño, a veteran New York Times journalist, was so depressed he had come close to jumping off his terrace weeks earlier. His nine-day visit to Spirit Vine Ayahuasca Retreat Center included four nighttime ceremonies during which participants imbibed a vomit-inducing plant-based brew that contained DMT, a powerful mind-altering compound.
The ayahuasca trips provided Londoño an instant reprieve from his depression and became the genesis of a personal transformation that anchors this sweeping journalistic exploration of the booming field of medicinal psychedelics. Londoño introduces readers to a dazzling array of psychedelic enthusiasts who are upending our understanding of trauma and healing. They include Indigenous elders who regard psychedelics as portals to the spirit world; religious leaders who use mind-bending substances as sacraments; war veterans suffering from PTSD who credit psychedelics with changing their lives; and clinicians trying to resurrect a promising field of medicine hastily abandoned in the 1970s as the United States declared a War on Drugs.
Londoño’s riveting personal narrative pulls the reader through a deeply researched and brilliantly reported account of a game-changing industry on the rise. Trippy is the definitive book on psychedelics and mental health today, and Londoño’s in-depth and nuanced look at this shifting landscape will be pivotal in guiding policymakers and readers as they make sense of the perils, limitations, and promises of turning to psychedelics in the pursuit of healing.
When he signed up for a psychedelic retreat run by a mysterious Argentine woman deep in Brazil’s rainforest in early 2018, Ernesto Londoño, a veteran New York Times journalist, was so depressed he had come close to jumping off his terrace weeks earlier. His nine-day visit to Spirit Vine Ayahuasca Retreat Center included four nighttime ceremonies during which participants imbibed a vomit-inducing plant-based brew that contained DMT, a powerful mind-altering compound.
The ayahuasca trips provided Londoño an instant reprieve from his depression and became the genesis of a personal transformation that anchors this sweeping journalistic exploration of the booming field of medicinal psychedelics. Londoño introduces readers to a dazzling array of psychedelic enthusiasts who are upending our understanding of trauma and healing. They include Indigenous elders who regard psychedelics as portals to the spirit world; religious leaders who use mind-bending substances as sacraments; war veterans suffering from PTSD who credit psychedelics with changing their lives; and clinicians trying to resurrect a promising field of medicine hastily abandoned in the 1970s as the United States declared a War on Drugs.
Londoño’s riveting personal narrative pulls the reader through a deeply researched and brilliantly reported account of a game-changing industry on the rise. Trippy is the definitive book on psychedelics and mental health today, and Londoño’s in-depth and nuanced look at this shifting landscape will be pivotal in guiding policymakers and readers as they make sense of the perils, limitations, and promises of turning to psychedelics in the pursuit of healing.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published May 7, 2024
130 people are currently reading
7425 people want to read
About the author
Ernesto Londoño
1 book39 followersErnesto Londoño is a national correspondent at The New York Times, where he has worked since 2014. He was born and raised in Colombia and has spent two decades covering some of the most important stories of his generation. He covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; the Arab Spring; served on the editorial board of The New York Times; and was the newspaper's bureau chief in Brazil.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
March 13, 2024
“I never felt entitled to a PTSD diagnosis”
Even though that line comes close to the end of the book, it stood out to me in technicolor. Trippy is a dive not only into the burgeoning industry of psychedelic therapies for depression, anxiety, and PTSD; but a dive into what constitutes trauma to us all as individuals. Ernesto Londoño has his dream job, is living a dream life, and for all intents and purposes has achieved what everyone else would consider great success in life. So why is he so damn sad? Ernesto takes us along on his first ayahuasca trip, and then more as he tries to discover what it is about psychedelics that is helping so many people re-wire their brain. Himself included. Throughout the book he comes face to face with his own childhood traumas and hints toward making peace with those experiences, acknowledging them for what they are. From frog venom, South American plants, and psilocybin to ketamine and MDMA, studies, clinics, and retreats are popping up everywhere claiming to help people cure what ails them. And what is it about these therapies that help? Are we able to tap into our prior lives or bridge the gap between us and the Gods in order to obtain a modicum of understanding about what it all really means? Or is it really just a cult? It depends on who you ask and Londoño explores all avenues from ancient indigenous lore to charlatan almost MLM-esque luxury oasis. Bookended with a truly riveting story about the life American veterans struggle through every single day, it’s quite a trip indeed.
Even though that line comes close to the end of the book, it stood out to me in technicolor. Trippy is a dive not only into the burgeoning industry of psychedelic therapies for depression, anxiety, and PTSD; but a dive into what constitutes trauma to us all as individuals. Ernesto Londoño has his dream job, is living a dream life, and for all intents and purposes has achieved what everyone else would consider great success in life. So why is he so damn sad? Ernesto takes us along on his first ayahuasca trip, and then more as he tries to discover what it is about psychedelics that is helping so many people re-wire their brain. Himself included. Throughout the book he comes face to face with his own childhood traumas and hints toward making peace with those experiences, acknowledging them for what they are. From frog venom, South American plants, and psilocybin to ketamine and MDMA, studies, clinics, and retreats are popping up everywhere claiming to help people cure what ails them. And what is it about these therapies that help? Are we able to tap into our prior lives or bridge the gap between us and the Gods in order to obtain a modicum of understanding about what it all really means? Or is it really just a cult? It depends on who you ask and Londoño explores all avenues from ancient indigenous lore to charlatan almost MLM-esque luxury oasis. Bookended with a truly riveting story about the life American veterans struggle through every single day, it’s quite a trip indeed.
March 13, 2024
Utterly fascinating. I learned so much from this book. It changed the way I view psychedelics. I'm a fan of memoirs in general but the personal openness in Trippy was so appreciated. I recommend this book to anyone researching alternative medications.
March 16, 2024
This is a fascinating and definitely worthwhile look into the world of medicinal psychedelics. Both the pros and cons, of which both exist.
It talks of the scam artists in the business, of which there are many. People that will use those who are depressed and desperate for their own sick gain.
But there are also real miraculous transformations and joy as well, from responsibly and safely using the plants.
There are so many stories from so many people. The author relaying both his journey and journeys of others they've told him.
The fact the author is gay is also mentioned and relevant and as a queer person myself made it more personal.
I have aphantasia which I won't get into here but I will say, I love having aphantasia. I have my reasons and I think it's like any other neurodivergence, it has it's pros and cons, and for me, it's what i've always known. My brain works just fine, it's just different.
Anyway because of that, the thought of hallucinations and thus, psychadelics, truly terrifies me. I also have PTSD for multiple reasons, or have had, and I truly believe having aphantasia is a god-send blessing for me. The thought that maybe they'd cure that... terrifies me. No thank you.
I have no idea if they would or not but I don't want to test it.
That said, my philosophy is simply, with consent and safety, do what you want. It is nature and we are part of nature and it's impossible to deny all the wonderful stories from them to. Don't force me to try them, but I don't think they should be illegal.
I would be a hypocrite if I did. I am a stoner and use cannabis both medically and recreationally. That's a plant. I'm all for using nature as medicine where she allows. There is plenty out there. Just know what you're putting in your body (some plants would just kill you for example) and with psychedelic's we need to research. We can't do that if it's illegal.
There is so much that made me think in here. So much that I highlighted. It talks to depression, and mental health, and spirituality and so much more. So many things, and it's so frank and honest. I love it.
But please do use caution and protect yourself, scammers are out there! And much of it was hard to read. But it's a very balanced and honest view of everything, the good and the bad.
I highly recommend this book! Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.
It talks of the scam artists in the business, of which there are many. People that will use those who are depressed and desperate for their own sick gain.
But there are also real miraculous transformations and joy as well, from responsibly and safely using the plants.
There are so many stories from so many people. The author relaying both his journey and journeys of others they've told him.
The fact the author is gay is also mentioned and relevant and as a queer person myself made it more personal.
I have aphantasia which I won't get into here but I will say, I love having aphantasia. I have my reasons and I think it's like any other neurodivergence, it has it's pros and cons, and for me, it's what i've always known. My brain works just fine, it's just different.
Anyway because of that, the thought of hallucinations and thus, psychadelics, truly terrifies me. I also have PTSD for multiple reasons, or have had, and I truly believe having aphantasia is a god-send blessing for me. The thought that maybe they'd cure that... terrifies me. No thank you.
I have no idea if they would or not but I don't want to test it.
That said, my philosophy is simply, with consent and safety, do what you want. It is nature and we are part of nature and it's impossible to deny all the wonderful stories from them to. Don't force me to try them, but I don't think they should be illegal.
I would be a hypocrite if I did. I am a stoner and use cannabis both medically and recreationally. That's a plant. I'm all for using nature as medicine where she allows. There is plenty out there. Just know what you're putting in your body (some plants would just kill you for example) and with psychedelic's we need to research. We can't do that if it's illegal.
There is so much that made me think in here. So much that I highlighted. It talks to depression, and mental health, and spirituality and so much more. So many things, and it's so frank and honest. I love it.
But please do use caution and protect yourself, scammers are out there! And much of it was hard to read. But it's a very balanced and honest view of everything, the good and the bad.
I highly recommend this book! Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.
March 5, 2024
I absolutely loved this book. The author does an amazing job painting the picture of his and others' trips. I didn't know much about ayahuasca before reading the book but have had personal history of using ketamine therapeutically and I related to his description perfectly. I highly recommend this book as it covers many important issues that impact so many such as depression and ptsd and how psychedelics may indeed be the answer to much suffering.
March 17, 2024
In the end, this book was partly a memoir, not scientific, and was written using the author's own history and experiences to explain and be the scaffolding for his experiences with psychedelics. I was disappointed that it was not as scientific or extensive as I had hoped, in fact it spoke very little of the science and most of the book was focused on ayahuasca, and spent very little on other psychedelics. However, it was interesting and thorough about the whole market today of various retreats and 'churches' and their varying motivations for offering ayahuasca. And the stories were engaging, so it was enjoyable even if it wasn't what I expected.
May 1, 2024
New York Times reporter Ernesto Londoño has written a fascinating look at the use of psychedelics in mental health treatment.Drawing on his own experiences as he suffers a personal crisis and the psychedelics he takes and the reprieve from his depression.A truly informative look at the people who are involved in in this booming field.Highly recommend this eye opening book.#readtrippy #celadonbooks
April 9, 2024
This is my perfect nonfiction: the author is a main character who’s instrumental to the story, but it’s not a memoir. It’s a masterpiece in investigative journalism, with deeply researched vignettes that all lead in the same direction.
In this case, that direction is treating the mind with psychedelics.
I found this book at the right time (or it found me,,, thank you NetGalley for the arc!) because I’ve been exploring new ways of battling the unease and depression that take over my brain from time to time. I’m leaning toward cutting out alcohol and have gone down the rabbit hole of “recovery literature, or quit lit.” “Trippy” doesn’t neatly fit in that box, but I’ve been absolutely fascinated by people who stop drinking (or smoking or eating meat or any number of vices) after taking psychedelics. They, just, don’t care about it anymore!
This is a meandering way of saying, five stars for me — but not sure if it will have the same impact if you’re not already curious about brain chemistry and optimizing what we put in our bodies to cope. The stories in here are astounding and so elegantly told, though — I hope you give it a try.
In this case, that direction is treating the mind with psychedelics.
I found this book at the right time (or it found me,,, thank you NetGalley for the arc!) because I’ve been exploring new ways of battling the unease and depression that take over my brain from time to time. I’m leaning toward cutting out alcohol and have gone down the rabbit hole of “recovery literature, or quit lit.” “Trippy” doesn’t neatly fit in that box, but I’ve been absolutely fascinated by people who stop drinking (or smoking or eating meat or any number of vices) after taking psychedelics. They, just, don’t care about it anymore!
This is a meandering way of saying, five stars for me — but not sure if it will have the same impact if you’re not already curious about brain chemistry and optimizing what we put in our bodies to cope. The stories in here are astounding and so elegantly told, though — I hope you give it a try.
April 17, 2024
This was an incredibly informative read. The readers will become captivated by the vivid detail and testimonies of Londoño. He discusses the good, the bad, and the ugly, all while making sure the reader has a better understanding of the usage of psychedelics in a medicinal sense. Great read!
May 7, 2024
When I grabbed the ARC of this, I figured I’d skim to get the gist on a subject I find interesting, guided by either a jaded skeptic or true believer.
Instead, I got neither. Or both. Both, and so much more. I read it cover to cover, and while it’s ostensibly about the wild world of psychedelics and the medicinal application thereof, it’s really about trauma and healing and faith and abuse and the universal need for belonging. Londoño is by turn both the skeptic and believer, sometimes within the same page. A skepticism full of empathy; a belief full of nuance and doubt.
It struck me how much all these individual experiences of psychedelics reflect the individual experiences of religion. On one hand, you can have powerful transformation and deep healing; on the other, it’s a field rife with abusive and predatory behavior, full of quacks and craven capitalism, exploiting the most vulnerable. A tool that’s neutral in itself, but wielded for great good or great harm.
Londoño keeps himself on the page, an active participant in the story as he peels back the layers of damage in his own life. Everything from childhood trauma and violence (growing up in war-torn Colombia in the 80’s and 90’s; coming out as a gay man), to mental illness and depression (inherited and otherwise), to battlefield PTSD (a war correspondent on the ground in Baghdad during the height of the invasion).
In fact, he’s uniquely positioned to question the ethics of the “silver bullet” fix, such as the grotesque moral equation of DARPA funding research to “cure” PTSD and depression just so it can basically have soldiers immune to it, able to march off and wreak more destruction and trauma on the world. Is this really the goal we want? How can that ever bring true healing and hope?
Those are the best parts of the book, where he wrestles with the conundrums, refusing to fall prey to easy answers. That, and the slow path of healing, watching Londoño forgive and embrace his younger self. His compassion for the war vets, for the queer kids, for the abuse victims, for the weirdos, for the lost and seeking, finally has to also extend to himself. It’s not egocentric, nor does it pull focus from the journalism. Rather, it’s powerful to watch him choose to be vulnerable through the pain and the joy.
Because I don’t think the magic fix is ever going to be any one thing, be it psychedelics or religion or medication or therapy. What works is whatever makes you face your unmet needs, and meet them. Whatever brings you radical compassion and acceptance. That’s the recurring theme here, between the lines—whatever makes you stop running, whatever brings you connection, whatever blows the doors wide open, whatever bears witness to the pain, whatever makes you experience the transcendent kind of love.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Instead, I got neither. Or both. Both, and so much more. I read it cover to cover, and while it’s ostensibly about the wild world of psychedelics and the medicinal application thereof, it’s really about trauma and healing and faith and abuse and the universal need for belonging. Londoño is by turn both the skeptic and believer, sometimes within the same page. A skepticism full of empathy; a belief full of nuance and doubt.
It struck me how much all these individual experiences of psychedelics reflect the individual experiences of religion. On one hand, you can have powerful transformation and deep healing; on the other, it’s a field rife with abusive and predatory behavior, full of quacks and craven capitalism, exploiting the most vulnerable. A tool that’s neutral in itself, but wielded for great good or great harm.
Londoño keeps himself on the page, an active participant in the story as he peels back the layers of damage in his own life. Everything from childhood trauma and violence (growing up in war-torn Colombia in the 80’s and 90’s; coming out as a gay man), to mental illness and depression (inherited and otherwise), to battlefield PTSD (a war correspondent on the ground in Baghdad during the height of the invasion).
In fact, he’s uniquely positioned to question the ethics of the “silver bullet” fix, such as the grotesque moral equation of DARPA funding research to “cure” PTSD and depression just so it can basically have soldiers immune to it, able to march off and wreak more destruction and trauma on the world. Is this really the goal we want? How can that ever bring true healing and hope?
Those are the best parts of the book, where he wrestles with the conundrums, refusing to fall prey to easy answers. That, and the slow path of healing, watching Londoño forgive and embrace his younger self. His compassion for the war vets, for the queer kids, for the abuse victims, for the weirdos, for the lost and seeking, finally has to also extend to himself. It’s not egocentric, nor does it pull focus from the journalism. Rather, it’s powerful to watch him choose to be vulnerable through the pain and the joy.
Because I don’t think the magic fix is ever going to be any one thing, be it psychedelics or religion or medication or therapy. What works is whatever makes you face your unmet needs, and meet them. Whatever brings you radical compassion and acceptance. That’s the recurring theme here, between the lines—whatever makes you stop running, whatever brings you connection, whatever blows the doors wide open, whatever bears witness to the pain, whatever makes you experience the transcendent kind of love.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2024
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am leaving this review of my own accord.
This book certainly has me more open-minded than I was before picking it up. I really admired Londoño for his commitment to the experiential approach and research style. You’re braver than me sir!
My only complaint (and minor at that) was that many of the South American retreats and experiences felt very jumpy and quick. I felt like as soon as we began in one we were just as soon out.
On the other hand, I thought the transition to more formal and clinical approaches and practices was a subtle but well executed touch. It also leaves the reader feeling hopeful for where these practices can evolve toward.
I was a sucker for those final questions of morality and how these psychedelic experiences can potentially reshape and remove these hardships from the human experience, so those were really thought provoking.
I am really glad I picked up this book. I really think it’s a must read for anyone interested in contemporary psychology research/practices and its implications.
This book certainly has me more open-minded than I was before picking it up. I really admired Londoño for his commitment to the experiential approach and research style. You’re braver than me sir!
My only complaint (and minor at that) was that many of the South American retreats and experiences felt very jumpy and quick. I felt like as soon as we began in one we were just as soon out.
On the other hand, I thought the transition to more formal and clinical approaches and practices was a subtle but well executed touch. It also leaves the reader feeling hopeful for where these practices can evolve toward.
I was a sucker for those final questions of morality and how these psychedelic experiences can potentially reshape and remove these hardships from the human experience, so those were really thought provoking.
I am really glad I picked up this book. I really think it’s a must read for anyone interested in contemporary psychology research/practices and its implications.
July 11, 2025
| DNF @ 22% |
Trigger Warnings for Trippy:
Trippy: The Peril and Promise of Medicinal Psychedelics is a memoir by Ernesto Londoño. This memoir toes the line between memoir and medical nonfiction, though is technically categorized as a memoir. Londoño recounts his personal experiences with Ayahuasca alongside history of the medicinal psychedelics field
I was so excited for this one, but absolutely couldn't keep going. Londoño doesn't know what this book should be: memoir, medical nonfiction, news article, the list goes on. Trippy is so nonlinear that its hard to stay engaged with any part of it. One page we're talking about his trip to the Spirit Vine Ayahuasca Retreat Center, the next page is about Indigenous practices with Ayahuasca, and the next is about his childhood. This is honestly a book that should be written into three separate parts that are loosely tied to one another: medical history and potential future of psychedelics, Londoño's childhood, and Londoño's experience with psychedelics.
This was a sad DNF for me. I really wanted to like it, but I realized 22% of the way that this just wasn't the book for me. That being said, Goodreads currently has it at a 4.13 stars, so clearly others really enjoy it.
Follow all of my reviews and content with LinkTree
Trigger Warnings for Trippy:
Trippy: The Peril and Promise of Medicinal Psychedelics is a memoir by Ernesto Londoño. This memoir toes the line between memoir and medical nonfiction, though is technically categorized as a memoir. Londoño recounts his personal experiences with Ayahuasca alongside history of the medicinal psychedelics field
I was so excited for this one, but absolutely couldn't keep going. Londoño doesn't know what this book should be: memoir, medical nonfiction, news article, the list goes on. Trippy is so nonlinear that its hard to stay engaged with any part of it. One page we're talking about his trip to the Spirit Vine Ayahuasca Retreat Center, the next page is about Indigenous practices with Ayahuasca, and the next is about his childhood. This is honestly a book that should be written into three separate parts that are loosely tied to one another: medical history and potential future of psychedelics, Londoño's childhood, and Londoño's experience with psychedelics.
This was a sad DNF for me. I really wanted to like it, but I realized 22% of the way that this just wasn't the book for me. That being said, Goodreads currently has it at a 4.13 stars, so clearly others really enjoy it.
Follow all of my reviews and content with LinkTree
February 18, 2025
A really illuminating read. Told from the viewpoint of a Columbian journalist turning to psychedelics to battle his chronic depression, it mixes solid research with a compelling personal narrative. Seeing him go through his own treatment journey, and reading the accounts of others peppered throughout the book, one becomes convinced that a very real solution to the mental health crisis exists, if only we (and our governments) can start embracing it.
June 22, 2025
Book made me thinky so much now I’m sitting here on my bed just thinking
July 17, 2024
Super interesting! I really liked how he told his and other people’s first hand experience during ayahuasca rituals throughout central and South America (and a little in the US) while also educating and incorporating facts about psychedelic use in mental health and how it is growing in research but also why it hasn’t made huge breakthroughs
April 15, 2024
Thank you, Celadon, for an advanced copy of this book in consideration for the Read.Talk.Grow podcast.
Ernesto Londoño does a remarkable job covering the topic of psychedelics with care and honesty. Hoping this will be the important work on the topic that I suspect it will be.
Ernesto Londoño does a remarkable job covering the topic of psychedelics with care and honesty. Hoping this will be the important work on the topic that I suspect it will be.
April 2, 2024
SOOOO incredibly interesting!! Trippy is Ernesto Londono's memoir of his year of researching the use of psychedelics as medical treatment for mental / emotional disorders. Ernesto is Brazilian, writes for The New York Times, and experiences intermittent bouts of depression, himself. He begins his "journey" by attending short retreats where campers try mind altering, plant and animal based "drugs". Along the way we meets folks who have been struggling with depression and PTSD for years, and are open minded to trying anything that will lift them out of their suicide ideation and misery. He explores how ex-military members have regained their lives from MDMA and ketamine treatments. This is a fast, easy read, and so fascinating! Highly recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Trippy.
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Trippy.
July 28, 2024
REVIEW OF PAPERBACK
3.5 Stars!
“Remember, we’re not a cult, we’re a club.”
Ah those blurred and ever shifting lines between asshole and healer, perhaps the most worrying aspect is how successfully the corporate world has captured and reframed the “wellness” and “personal development” movement (or whatever the feck you want to label it) and turned it into a new and insidious type of problem dressed as a solution. Also like religion it offers you everything you want to hear, demands much from you, whilst delivering very little in terms of tangible or meaningful results.
This sort of world has more recently been given a wider and more legitimate platform by the likes of Michael Pollan and a veritable battalion of gurus, podcasters and chancers out there who have been in on the action for a while now. But of course it’s far from a new phenomenon as seen in the work and well-known antics of the likes of Aldous Huxley, R.D Laing, Terence McKenna and Timothy Leary who were deep into their psychedelics building all sorts of ideas and philosophies around them.
It turns out that the ceremonial aspect built around taking ayahuasca is a lot more modern and less “traditional” than most would have you believe, but hey since when is truth allowed to get in the way of a good story, especially when there’s money to be made. But on the other hand when people have been repeatedly let down by conventional medicine and inadequate or expensive mental health options, they start to run out of options and it becomes a case of any port in a storm, last chance saloon etc.
This was an interesting book and Londono writes well and does a good job of this, but this also brought to mind many other things, which are brought up in these pages, to varying extents, it has become apparent that since the end of WWII that the USA specialises in is not only in wasting trillions of dollars on declaring war on what it believes to be easy opponents, but it also succeeds in failing on such dramatic scales that it’s almost become an art form, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and of course the War on Drugs, each of these conflicts cost the American tax payer trillions of dollars, but also killed hundreds of thousands of American civilians, and rendered many more disabled and or mentally ill and also lead to America becoming the most incarcerated nation in history.
But another thing I realised when reading this, is the worrying trend where primarily, but not exclusively American people who went to Iraq or Afghanistan in any paid capacity to further their careers and to make a name for themselves, then encounter the reality of war and then have the gall to return to then complain about how hurt and harrowing it was for them, profiting again by writing about how scarred and broken they are by their experience, and we’re supposed to feel sorry for them, whilst ignoring the people who suffered the most and whose country and lives were being destroyed by the collective system which they were part of and they get to fly back home to the secure safety of their own country.
3.5 Stars!
“Remember, we’re not a cult, we’re a club.”
Ah those blurred and ever shifting lines between asshole and healer, perhaps the most worrying aspect is how successfully the corporate world has captured and reframed the “wellness” and “personal development” movement (or whatever the feck you want to label it) and turned it into a new and insidious type of problem dressed as a solution. Also like religion it offers you everything you want to hear, demands much from you, whilst delivering very little in terms of tangible or meaningful results.
This sort of world has more recently been given a wider and more legitimate platform by the likes of Michael Pollan and a veritable battalion of gurus, podcasters and chancers out there who have been in on the action for a while now. But of course it’s far from a new phenomenon as seen in the work and well-known antics of the likes of Aldous Huxley, R.D Laing, Terence McKenna and Timothy Leary who were deep into their psychedelics building all sorts of ideas and philosophies around them.
It turns out that the ceremonial aspect built around taking ayahuasca is a lot more modern and less “traditional” than most would have you believe, but hey since when is truth allowed to get in the way of a good story, especially when there’s money to be made. But on the other hand when people have been repeatedly let down by conventional medicine and inadequate or expensive mental health options, they start to run out of options and it becomes a case of any port in a storm, last chance saloon etc.
This was an interesting book and Londono writes well and does a good job of this, but this also brought to mind many other things, which are brought up in these pages, to varying extents, it has become apparent that since the end of WWII that the USA specialises in is not only in wasting trillions of dollars on declaring war on what it believes to be easy opponents, but it also succeeds in failing on such dramatic scales that it’s almost become an art form, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and of course the War on Drugs, each of these conflicts cost the American tax payer trillions of dollars, but also killed hundreds of thousands of American civilians, and rendered many more disabled and or mentally ill and also lead to America becoming the most incarcerated nation in history.
But another thing I realised when reading this, is the worrying trend where primarily, but not exclusively American people who went to Iraq or Afghanistan in any paid capacity to further their careers and to make a name for themselves, then encounter the reality of war and then have the gall to return to then complain about how hurt and harrowing it was for them, profiting again by writing about how scarred and broken they are by their experience, and we’re supposed to feel sorry for them, whilst ignoring the people who suffered the most and whose country and lives were being destroyed by the collective system which they were part of and they get to fly back home to the secure safety of their own country.
September 20, 2025
This book was fascinating. New York Times National correspondent Ernesto Londoño writes about his life, his experiences with psychedelics abroad at spiritual retreats as well at clinics in the US, and dives into the limited research on the subject of psychedelics.
He honestly made a great case for them in the treatment of trauma, depression, and PTSD. MDMA, ayahuasca, psilocybin, ketamine, and many others, seem like they could be breakthrough drugs for depression and PTSD. They seem like very useful drugs that when used in a safe environment, can permanently break down long-standing barriers to accessing buried traumas and memories at the root of maladaptive behaviors and depression.
Just 4 stars instead of 5 because i wish there was more research in the field to put into this book, to make an even more compelling case.
There were many interviews with Doctors, Psychologists, Clinical Researchers, Psychedelic ritual participants, and psychedelic clinical trial participants that was very compelling! Londoño makes a point through the research he dissects and people he interviews that psychedelics are not a silver bullet, or a magic cure all, but seem to have very impressive potential that has been severely understudied due to stigma and Nixons war on drugs and limited funding. Hopefully deceasing stigma around these drugs helps lead to more permissive legislation and therefore more research! tho i have my doubts with the current administration:(
He honestly made a great case for them in the treatment of trauma, depression, and PTSD. MDMA, ayahuasca, psilocybin, ketamine, and many others, seem like they could be breakthrough drugs for depression and PTSD. They seem like very useful drugs that when used in a safe environment, can permanently break down long-standing barriers to accessing buried traumas and memories at the root of maladaptive behaviors and depression.
Just 4 stars instead of 5 because i wish there was more research in the field to put into this book, to make an even more compelling case.
There were many interviews with Doctors, Psychologists, Clinical Researchers, Psychedelic ritual participants, and psychedelic clinical trial participants that was very compelling! Londoño makes a point through the research he dissects and people he interviews that psychedelics are not a silver bullet, or a magic cure all, but seem to have very impressive potential that has been severely understudied due to stigma and Nixons war on drugs and limited funding. Hopefully deceasing stigma around these drugs helps lead to more permissive legislation and therefore more research! tho i have my doubts with the current administration:(
July 4, 2024
4.5 stars. Fantastic.
April 11, 2025
This book was interesting but not exactly what I expected. I was hoping for more of the history and scientific analysis of psychedelics and instead got a memoir of someone who was engaging with psychedelics to cope with their own mental health challenges. That being said, I did find parts of this book enjoyable, and I learned quite a bit about psychedelics that helped inform my views on the subject.
April 1, 2024
I am pleased and flattered when any publisher invites me by email to read and review a book. This one especially captured my interest because, as I trundle through my seventh decade, I have noticed that certain people (especially women) my age (who, in other times, might have joined the Episcopalian Altar Guild or Republican Luncheon Club) are dying their hair blue or pink and dabbling in reality-bending substances. I have even been invited to partake myself, but I'm the sort who prefers reading about reality-bending to actually doing it myself. At least for the time being.
This is an excellent easy-read memoir/journalism, like a series of well-written newspaper articles written by someone who is fascinated by the topic in question. The author mixes thorough research with his own personal journey through the world of true believers, predatory hucksters, disciplined medical researchers, indigenous holy people, and wounded souls who seem to populate the world of medicinal psychedelics in our age.
This is not a comprehensive overview of the state of the medicinal psychedelics, but one person's journey through a slice of the scene, with a special emphasis on the substances and treatments found in South and Central America, especially in the Amazon region. The most frequently appearing reality-bending substance seemed to be ayahuasca (listen to the pronunciation here), an apparently unappetizing sludge made from the leaves of certain Amazonian plants. There is more vomiting in the descriptions of the effect of this plant than occurs (I think) in more conventional attempts at spiritually-enlarging experience.
However, other types of psychedelics occasionally step up to center stage as the narrative zigs and zags with the author's career from his native Colombia, through a meteoric rise through the “cratering” (Kindle location 174) conventional US prestige news media outlets, with stops in the centers of power in New York and Washington and career-enhancing but sanity-assaulting long assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan before landing a plum assignment at the NY Times bureau in Rio de Janeiro where, perversely, the author's deepening misery leads him, in a slightly desperate move, to investigate resorts for spiritual tourists featuring ayahuasca therapy. There’s also a stop in my current home of Austin, Texas, where some individuals who are treating miserably unwell veterans with psychedelics advertise on billboards near the Interstate highway that cuts the city in half.
If you are the type of person who wants to know about the experience of others before considering taking the leap into the Wild West scene of psychedelic self-healing, you could do a lot worse than reading this book – it informs while entertaining while bringing up important questions while refusing to provide easy answers.
Generally, though, the author's experience with self-medicating in this fashion is a positive one. I get the feeling that if you asked the author whether you should go ahead and try it, he might say yes, but remember, baby steps, be careful, your mileage may vary, and all investment entails risk.
I received a free advance electronic copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.
This is an excellent easy-read memoir/journalism, like a series of well-written newspaper articles written by someone who is fascinated by the topic in question. The author mixes thorough research with his own personal journey through the world of true believers, predatory hucksters, disciplined medical researchers, indigenous holy people, and wounded souls who seem to populate the world of medicinal psychedelics in our age.
This is not a comprehensive overview of the state of the medicinal psychedelics, but one person's journey through a slice of the scene, with a special emphasis on the substances and treatments found in South and Central America, especially in the Amazon region. The most frequently appearing reality-bending substance seemed to be ayahuasca (listen to the pronunciation here), an apparently unappetizing sludge made from the leaves of certain Amazonian plants. There is more vomiting in the descriptions of the effect of this plant than occurs (I think) in more conventional attempts at spiritually-enlarging experience.
However, other types of psychedelics occasionally step up to center stage as the narrative zigs and zags with the author's career from his native Colombia, through a meteoric rise through the “cratering” (Kindle location 174) conventional US prestige news media outlets, with stops in the centers of power in New York and Washington and career-enhancing but sanity-assaulting long assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan before landing a plum assignment at the NY Times bureau in Rio de Janeiro where, perversely, the author's deepening misery leads him, in a slightly desperate move, to investigate resorts for spiritual tourists featuring ayahuasca therapy. There’s also a stop in my current home of Austin, Texas, where some individuals who are treating miserably unwell veterans with psychedelics advertise on billboards near the Interstate highway that cuts the city in half.
If you are the type of person who wants to know about the experience of others before considering taking the leap into the Wild West scene of psychedelic self-healing, you could do a lot worse than reading this book – it informs while entertaining while bringing up important questions while refusing to provide easy answers.
Generally, though, the author's experience with self-medicating in this fashion is a positive one. I get the feeling that if you asked the author whether you should go ahead and try it, he might say yes, but remember, baby steps, be careful, your mileage may vary, and all investment entails risk.
I received a free advance electronic copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.
August 21, 2025
A very tightly conceptualized narrative non-fiction about medicinal psychedelics as told through a mix of personal accounts and reporting. Though there’s a disclaimer that the author doesn’t endorse illegal drugs …he made them sound pretty good, I won’t lie. I’ll always trust a journalist with narrative non fiction because I found myself totally engrossed. Listeners beware—the recordings of ayahuasca ceremonies come on suddenly, and I kept getting jump-scared.
June 26, 2024
It's been seven years since I took a psychedelic drug nearly to the day. My interest in them has not abated. I'm very hopeful that I'll see a world in which the profound good this type of drug can do is readily talked about and championed by all the medical doctors and politicians and everyday people. They didn't change my world, or, well, not in a turn-on-a-dime, trumpets of angels blaring kind of way, but they've changed others just like that, and I find it fascinating. A lot will have to change about my life to allow myself to be open to trying the 'medicine' again, but I'm never fully closing the door.
July 3, 2024
This book is likely more a 4 for those who's expectations were more closely met, but I expected this to be more a journalistic take on a wide range of psychedelics, not largely a memoir that centred around ayahuasca. That is me not reading the description and just expecting what I prefer in a book like this.
While parts were interesting, I didn't really enjoy reading it and found some of the details over indulgent and unnecessary. I honestly found the epilogue one of the best parts and liked some of the questions posed.
Audiobook: 11h 49m
While parts were interesting, I didn't really enjoy reading it and found some of the details over indulgent and unnecessary. I honestly found the epilogue one of the best parts and liked some of the questions posed.
Audiobook: 11h 49m
July 26, 2025
"Trippy" by Ernesto Londoño was a book of particular interest to me because around the time of its publication, I had a childhood friend who attended an ayahuasca retreat and came back radically changed. A number of people in his inner circle thought he was experiencing a schizophrenic break but to others (me included), he just returned home with a beautiful new outlook on life. When I saw this book available pre-publication on NetGalley, I requested it immediately.
"Trippy" is a sort of a memoir and sort of a socio-historic consideration of the rise of psychedelic therapy. As a journalist who has been attached to some major American news outlets, Londoño knows how to tell a compelling story, and it is clear that this piece has been meticulously researched. His research spans the globe, including interviews from academics and researchers, controversial figures running South American ayahuasca retreats, and individuals who claim psychedelics saved their lives. He spends some time participating in some of the ceremonies as well, documenting his own experiences and insights along the way.
I really liked the chapters devoted to how psychedelic therapy has been a tool for veterans to move through PTSD. Their stories were very impactful and I hope the relief they experienced continues as time passes.
Unfortunately, this book was published immediately before major funding cuts were made to the very organizations that are conducting this kind of research. It's also clear that the current US administration doesn't find value in mental healthcare (or veterans) and has violently slashed funding for these programs. Much of the information presented in "Trippy" will be irrelevant until we find our way out of the governmental cuckoo's nest we're currently in.
I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.
"Trippy" is a sort of a memoir and sort of a socio-historic consideration of the rise of psychedelic therapy. As a journalist who has been attached to some major American news outlets, Londoño knows how to tell a compelling story, and it is clear that this piece has been meticulously researched. His research spans the globe, including interviews from academics and researchers, controversial figures running South American ayahuasca retreats, and individuals who claim psychedelics saved their lives. He spends some time participating in some of the ceremonies as well, documenting his own experiences and insights along the way.
I really liked the chapters devoted to how psychedelic therapy has been a tool for veterans to move through PTSD. Their stories were very impactful and I hope the relief they experienced continues as time passes.
Unfortunately, this book was published immediately before major funding cuts were made to the very organizations that are conducting this kind of research. It's also clear that the current US administration doesn't find value in mental healthcare (or veterans) and has violently slashed funding for these programs. Much of the information presented in "Trippy" will be irrelevant until we find our way out of the governmental cuckoo's nest we're currently in.
I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.
May 19, 2024
This book blew me away. Ernesto Londoño is such a strong writer, and I loved how he combined his personal life with his research. It felt so natural and effortless. He poured so much of himself into this book, and it felt like an honor to read it. I was also impressed by how he threw himself into researching this book. He has had so many interesting experiences that were fascinating to read about.
His years of experience as a journalist really shine through as he presents the promising potential and opportunities for abuse when it comes to psychedelics. I appreciated the way he thoroughly investigated the many different points of view on this subject.
I would recommend this to readers interested in learning more about psychedelics and those who love non-fiction in general. I think this could also appeal to people who like moving memoirs. I look forward to reading more from Londoño in the future! Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the free advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
His years of experience as a journalist really shine through as he presents the promising potential and opportunities for abuse when it comes to psychedelics. I appreciated the way he thoroughly investigated the many different points of view on this subject.
I would recommend this to readers interested in learning more about psychedelics and those who love non-fiction in general. I think this could also appeal to people who like moving memoirs. I look forward to reading more from Londoño in the future! Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the free advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2024
Trippy is a comprehensive and eye-opening deep dive into the current realm of psychedelic experiences for use in treating trauma/depression. The author shares both his own personal experiences with healing psychedelics and also approaches this medical wild-wild-west as a journalist.
It's a worthwhile book, but I did struggle with it. I think the issue is the structure. Basically, most of it goes like this:
.....here's what happened when I went to this ayahuasca retreat.....
.....new chapter, so I went to this different ayahuasca retreat.....
.....new chapter, I went to another ayahuasca retreat.......
......new chapter, I interviewed someone who went to an ayahuasca retreat.....
......new chapter, I went to an ayahuasca retreat......
The retreats the author visited are all different (often markedly so), but the structure of the book means they inevitably merge together. Surely, there must have been a less exhaustive way to present this information.
Also, it's frustrating, in that the author will tell you fragments of an ayahuasca participant's story and then... never tell you what happened to them. Did the treatment work? Where are they now? *shruggie*
I get that it's difficult to follow up with people and convince them to share intimate details of their life, but also... that's what journalism is, right?
It's a worthwhile book, but I did struggle with it. I think the issue is the structure. Basically, most of it goes like this:
.....here's what happened when I went to this ayahuasca retreat.....
.....new chapter, so I went to this different ayahuasca retreat.....
.....new chapter, I went to another ayahuasca retreat.......
......new chapter, I interviewed someone who went to an ayahuasca retreat.....
......new chapter, I went to an ayahuasca retreat......
The retreats the author visited are all different (often markedly so), but the structure of the book means they inevitably merge together. Surely, there must have been a less exhaustive way to present this information.
Also, it's frustrating, in that the author will tell you fragments of an ayahuasca participant's story and then... never tell you what happened to them. Did the treatment work? Where are they now? *shruggie*
I get that it's difficult to follow up with people and convince them to share intimate details of their life, but also... that's what journalism is, right?
October 28, 2024
Trippy is a captivating blend of personal memoir and hard-hitting journalism that offers a comprehensive look into the world of psychedelic therapy. Ernesto Londoño's candid exploration of his own mental health struggles and subsequent journey with psychedelics is both poignant and inspiring.
What truly sets this book apart is its balanced approach. Londoño doesn't shy away from the potential risks and challenges associated with psychedelic use, while also highlighting the immense therapeutic benefits. His meticulous research and insightful analysis provide a much-needed perspective on this rapidly evolving field.
I'm grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this thought-provoking book. If you're interested in the intersection of science, spirituality, and mental health, Trippy is a must-read.
What truly sets this book apart is its balanced approach. Londoño doesn't shy away from the potential risks and challenges associated with psychedelic use, while also highlighting the immense therapeutic benefits. His meticulous research and insightful analysis provide a much-needed perspective on this rapidly evolving field.
I'm grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this thought-provoking book. If you're interested in the intersection of science, spirituality, and mental health, Trippy is a must-read.
April 27, 2025
“The best thing that humans can do for one another is not to fill their hearts and minds with information that one human feels is important,” Janis said. “Rather, it’s drawing out the wisdom in someone else.”
this book exceeded expectations, but i shouldn’t be surprised in that it was written by a journalist who has seen and experienced a lot in life. Londoño took a very holistic and pragmatic approach to this book, which juxtaposes much of what the general public views of psychedelic therapies: woo-woo at best. it’s promising to see conservative groups, such as the VA, take on MDMA trials in an effort to treat PTSD. there’s still so much we don’t know about psychoactive treatments, but as Lodoño’s research shows, there’s a lot of promise.
this book exceeded expectations, but i shouldn’t be surprised in that it was written by a journalist who has seen and experienced a lot in life. Londoño took a very holistic and pragmatic approach to this book, which juxtaposes much of what the general public views of psychedelic therapies: woo-woo at best. it’s promising to see conservative groups, such as the VA, take on MDMA trials in an effort to treat PTSD. there’s still so much we don’t know about psychoactive treatments, but as Lodoño’s research shows, there’s a lot of promise.
May 7, 2024
Trippy is a thorough, nuanced, and experiential exploration of the world of psychedelic medicines - giving equal weight to both the potential of this space and also the aspects that are deeply problematic. What sets this book apart is Ernesto's willingness to expose both aspects of the exploitation of the field that haven't been covered before, as well as exposing himself through sharing his personal journey with how these medicines supported his own healing and growth. I think this book generously offers an accurate image of the landscape of psychedelics today and a checkpoint for the most ethical ways to proceed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews