Flashbacks

by Timothy Leary

Book Overview

From planning the psychedelic revolution with Allen Ginsberg, Peggy Hitchcock, and Lawrence Ferlinghetti to discussing Dr. Albert Hoffman's legendary bicycle ride home after the world's first deliberate ingestion of LSD, Timothy Leary's passion affected an entire culture and influenced modern world history. Leary's original, animated, and psychedelic autobiography is now repackaged in an all new edition.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0874778700
• ISBN13: 9780874778700
• Release Date: March 1997
• Publisher: Tarcher
• Length: 405 Pages
• Weight: 1.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.1" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A fairly Identifiable Page-Turner

Not much is left to be said about the King of Lysergic Dyamethide 25.This book, in leary's candor, is a deranged trip through his life, telling all.. from his time is Folsom Prison to the Harvard funded Drug Research Trials he oversaw. Some are turned off by his all to frequent name-dropping, but it is also laying claim to the notion that not all was as it seemed in his era. More people were "turned on" than was contrary belief.

what an autobiography should be

This work is my favorite autobiography. Leary really starts at the very beginning (exceptionally humorously) with his conception in his mother's womb and takes you through his early years as a student, his time at Harvard as an esteemed academic and then up through his "retirement" years as a stand up comedian/raconteur and lecturer.Each chapter is nicely designed with a mini bio of someone who had impressed Leary and then continues with Leary's take on the various events in his life. There is much self-disclosure here in the form of admitting mistakes, something you certainly do not find a lot of in many autobiographies of conservatives!Leary's writing is lively, intelligent and hopeful - a friendly warning to all drug warriors that it is possible to live a productive, intellectually fruitful life while participating in moderate psychedelic "research" and consumption.The thing I like best about this work is that it is a hallmark of the true libertarian spirit. Leary smiled quite often during his life despite the fact that the power and control freaks tried to keep him down every day. Leary was a proud humanist and his spirit shall live on in many of us.

Q.A.T.F.Y.

This book is great fun so i gave it five stars,however, it seems to take liberties with the truth somewhat.he attempts to paint himself as a mad, self-less saint out to save mankind single handedly but occasionaly the true, self serving clours of Leary shine through faintly and it seems to me the C.I.A had more than a little to do with his 'success'. When alls said and done (we all have an opinion on Leary +or-) this was an amazing man with a basically positive,healthy philosophy and the world is a more colourful,exciting place because of him. An exciting read whatever the truth!!! In this case the motto becomes Question Leary and Think For Yourself!!!

Look beyond the obvious

Timothy Leary's name gets dropped with more frequency than the LSD he seems to be inextricably associated with. Ignore such name-dropping. Go to the source. Read what the man was trying to accomplish, in his own words.Drug War proponents who saw Leary as an anti-Christ of sorts, and stoners who invoke his name and the phrase "turn on, tune in, drop out" as reason to do nothing with their lives but drugs, BOTH missed the point. Go to the source. Get the facts. And have fun doing it -- Leary's an enjoyable storyteller.

An engaging self-portrayal of a brilliant enigma

Dr. Timothy Leary, Havard professor, ground-breaking psychologist, West Point graduate, psychedlic guru, honorary Beatle, icon of the most tumultuous decade in 20th century US history, or ...just plain Uncle Tim; has recounted the various intriguing events of his life in a very accessable, humorous, and poignant manner. This is an essential read for anyone interested in psychedelia, pop culture, counter-culture, modern history, psychology, sociology, philosophy and metaphysics; and a highly recommended selection for anyone who would enjoy the wit, wisdom, and adventures of a true American spirit.