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Higher Love: a psychedelic travel memoir of heartbreak and healing
This is not your average love story…
Her entire life, Anne Friedman chased everything that society told her she should Marriage. Professional achievement. Thighs that didn’t touch. But all that got her was depression, anxiety, and disordered eating.
When her fiancé dumps her without explanation, she buys a one-way ticket to Costa Rica in search of answers.
First, a spontaneous psychedelic experience in the jungle brings her peace with three simple words. Then, in Amsterdam, on magic mushrooms with her dad, she has a series of visions that allow her to let go of the self-blame for her broken engagement.
In captivating detail, Higher Love shares the life-changing wisdom gleaned from psychedelic experiences on psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD, and cannabis. Traveling through the Netherlands, Morocco, Turkey, Spain, and other richly sensuous locations, Anne invites the reader on a globe-trotting search for healing that ultimately leads to the very last place we ever think to look.
For fans of Eat, Pray, Love and Untamed, Higher Love is a guide for self-discovery with a delightful psychedelic twist. Don't miss out on this liberating tale of joy, self-acceptance, and the power of love in all its forms!
Her entire life, Anne Friedman chased everything that society told her she should Marriage. Professional achievement. Thighs that didn’t touch. But all that got her was depression, anxiety, and disordered eating.
When her fiancé dumps her without explanation, she buys a one-way ticket to Costa Rica in search of answers.
First, a spontaneous psychedelic experience in the jungle brings her peace with three simple words. Then, in Amsterdam, on magic mushrooms with her dad, she has a series of visions that allow her to let go of the self-blame for her broken engagement.
In captivating detail, Higher Love shares the life-changing wisdom gleaned from psychedelic experiences on psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD, and cannabis. Traveling through the Netherlands, Morocco, Turkey, Spain, and other richly sensuous locations, Anne invites the reader on a globe-trotting search for healing that ultimately leads to the very last place we ever think to look.
For fans of Eat, Pray, Love and Untamed, Higher Love is a guide for self-discovery with a delightful psychedelic twist. Don't miss out on this liberating tale of joy, self-acceptance, and the power of love in all its forms!
259 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 4, 2024
9 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 4, 2024
I got my hands on an advanced copy last summer and it was the perfect beach read that I finished in 3 days. Following Anne’s fascinating adventures is worth the read alone but I learned so much about psychedelics (things I would feel weird asking about) and most importantly this book is full of life changing wisdom and the push we all need towards self love.
August 14, 2024
Anne Kiehl Friedman’s memoir, Higher Love, offers a candid and powerful recount of her journey with drugs, psychedelics, and medicinal products. Within its pages, Friedman delves into the societal pressures placed on women in North American culture—pressures to be thin, beautiful, marry young, and have a large family—expectations ingrained from a young age that followed her into adulthood. Friedman’s life took a significant turn when she was diagnosed with Lyme disease, which led her to grapple with her mental health, self-medication, and self-worth, often defined through her relationships. After ending her engagement with a man also struggling with self-worth, she decided to leave everything behind and travel.
One of the strengths of Higher Love is Friedman's upfront message at the beginning of the book, cautioning readers against seeking quick fixes for mental and physical health issues. This "Don’t Do What I Did" message is crucial in memoirs addressing drug addiction and substance abuse, as it emphasizes the importance of avoiding actions that can cause irreparable harm. The memoir tackles profound and meaningful subjects such as mental health, body dysmorphia, and relationships, areas increasingly highlighted by social media. Friedman’s narrative sheds light on the damaging impact of societal beauty standards on youth. Her honest recount of feeling pressured to be thinner, happier, and in a loving, long-term relationship is both dark and heart-wrenching. Particularly poignant is her reliance on cannabis to manage her emotional state rather than its intended use for alleviating Lyme disease symptoms, which adds a layer of emotional depth to the memoir. Friedman could enhance her memoir by delving deeper into how the thoughts and actions of those around her affected her mental state. The initial chapters quickly outline her relationship with David, focusing more on her feelings about the relationship rather than how David’s actions influenced her. Expanding on how David shaped her thoughts, actions, and weight could provide greater insight into how these relationships contributed to her mental state and personal growth.
Higher Love raises important and controversial topics surrounding drugs and mental health. It is exceptionally well-written and profoundly engaging. Psychedelics are potentially dangerous due to the unpredictable nature of their effects but under professional guidance, they may benefit some individuals.
One of the strengths of Higher Love is Friedman's upfront message at the beginning of the book, cautioning readers against seeking quick fixes for mental and physical health issues. This "Don’t Do What I Did" message is crucial in memoirs addressing drug addiction and substance abuse, as it emphasizes the importance of avoiding actions that can cause irreparable harm. The memoir tackles profound and meaningful subjects such as mental health, body dysmorphia, and relationships, areas increasingly highlighted by social media. Friedman’s narrative sheds light on the damaging impact of societal beauty standards on youth. Her honest recount of feeling pressured to be thinner, happier, and in a loving, long-term relationship is both dark and heart-wrenching. Particularly poignant is her reliance on cannabis to manage her emotional state rather than its intended use for alleviating Lyme disease symptoms, which adds a layer of emotional depth to the memoir. Friedman could enhance her memoir by delving deeper into how the thoughts and actions of those around her affected her mental state. The initial chapters quickly outline her relationship with David, focusing more on her feelings about the relationship rather than how David’s actions influenced her. Expanding on how David shaped her thoughts, actions, and weight could provide greater insight into how these relationships contributed to her mental state and personal growth.
Higher Love raises important and controversial topics surrounding drugs and mental health. It is exceptionally well-written and profoundly engaging. Psychedelics are potentially dangerous due to the unpredictable nature of their effects but under professional guidance, they may benefit some individuals.
June 15, 2024
Wow, what a beautiful and compelling book! There are plenty of memoirs about growth through psychedelics. And there are plenty of memoirs about journeys from heartbreak to self love, and the discovery and dissolution of long-held barriers on those journeys. But this is the first I've seen that is both, each done so well, and beautifully woven together. Read this if you're drawn to either type of story!
It also doesn't hurt that it's funny, creative, and uncompromisingly open - like a long, flowing conversation with an old friend, who shows wonder at the highest highs and lowest lows in life. I hope there will be more to read from this author.
It also doesn't hurt that it's funny, creative, and uncompromisingly open - like a long, flowing conversation with an old friend, who shows wonder at the highest highs and lowest lows in life. I hope there will be more to read from this author.
August 29, 2024
oh this is stunning. as a book centered in many ways around psychedelic experiences, i’ll admit i wasn’t sure how much i’d be able to relate to this memoir. but i could not have been more wrong.
i felt SO incredibly seen and learned SO many valuable ideas about life, love, self…not to mention Friedman’s tone is equal parts genuine, delightful, and comical. i listened to the audiobook and the fact that Friedman herself was the narrator only made the experience all the more meaningful. fabulous!
i felt SO incredibly seen and learned SO many valuable ideas about life, love, self…not to mention Friedman’s tone is equal parts genuine, delightful, and comical. i listened to the audiobook and the fact that Friedman herself was the narrator only made the experience all the more meaningful. fabulous!
July 7, 2024
I devoured this beautiful book! Anne's gorgeous descriptions of the many amazing places she traveled, combined with the struggles and insights which I found deeply relatable, made this book impossible to put down. It felt like an honor to be invited in to such intensely personal visions and revelations, which were both singular to Anne and also immediately recognizable to anyone who has fought for their own steady sense of self. Get this book!
June 10, 2024
Anne's memoir is funny, relatable, and tender; a steady voice among the perilous ups and downs of navigating adulthood. With so much in the news about psychedelics these days, I appreciated learning about Anne's experience and better understanding an emerging mode of therapy.
July 9, 2025
Honestly this book kinda connected to me and I really liked the message and lessons learned I genuinely felt like I was going along with Anne and also I loved all the travel spots that was so interesting to me. Only thing is it took me a minute to get through. Good memoir tho
June 12, 2025
I think it’s more interesting at the beginning. Then it just keeps passing off „love yourself“ advice
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews