Recommended Visionary Drug/Plant Reference Books

[AlbertKLloyd]

I like the Trouts Notes series.
there are a number of them, some out of print and a few unpublished
just amazing works!


I would throw out anything by Ott or Rätsch, or at least know that they publish a lot of hearsay and questionable claims as fact. Also the Plants of the Gods was written largely by Rätsch and had very little to do with Hoffman and Schultes, this includes the older version lacking Rätschs name on the book. Good coffee table book, bad as a reference work.

 

[Untm]

Does anyone know where I can get Trout's notes on 'Some Simple Tryptamines' as well as his notes on Peyote?

I have heard that I can buy them directly from him but I'm still not sure where to go and my searching turns up empty.

Thanks for your help.
-Untm

 

[endlessness]

http://www.accurateinformationmedia.com/SST2.html

 

[Untm]

Thanks end, I knew someone had shown me a link on chat one time; forgot it was you.

Many thanks again
-Untm

 

[Entropymancer]

Trout's Notes on Some Simple Tryptamines can be ordered from the Entheogen Review. I'm not sure where to get the second edition of Sacred Cacti (I beleive that's the peyote one that you're looking for?). The third edition is more available, but it seems to focus on San Pedro and other species in the same genus (currently Echinopsis, formerly Trichocereus).

 

[Entropymancer]

I would throw out anything by Ott or Rätsch, or at least know that they publish a lot of hearsay and questionable claims as fact. Also the Plants of the Gods was written largely by Rätsch and had very little to do with Hoffman and Schultes, this includes the older version lacking Rätschs name on the book. Good coffee table book, bad as a reference work.

I completely agree about Rätsch. His Encyclopedia has a lot of pretty pictures, but the quality of information is extremely suspect. I'd probably put it about on par with Stafford's Psychedelics Encyclopedia... not a first choice for reference.

I'm curious about your objection to Ott though. His thorough citations and large bibliographies give the reader a good way to assess the quality of the information being presented. If something is hearsay, Ott's style makes that clear. He may get a little overzealous at times, so his eagerness to disagree with a source he finds objectionable may trump a rigorous attention to the facts of a situation... and as a result, I think it's important to examine the primary literature closer on aspects of a topic that he gets heated about. But overall, I find Ott's work to be outstanding. Pharmacotheon is written engagingly, and is one of the best guides to the primary and secondary literature on the subjects that he covers.

 

[Untm]

The third edition is more available, but it seems to focus on San Pedro and other species in the same genus (currently Echinopsis, formerly Trichocereus).

Yeah the second edition is the one I am looking for, I'm currently holding the 3rd in my hands; what a fascinating collection of knowledge.

 

[Entropymancer]

A bit more on Trout's Notes...

The person known as "Keeper of the Trout" or "Keeper Trout" is an often underappreciated figure in the literature on visionary plants and drugs. Admittedly his books don't make for light reading; they really are reference books. But they contain a vast wealth of information, and are highly recommended reading material for the chronically curious. As Shulgin has said, "They would sell like hotcakes if they were known to be available."

Part of the problem is just how difficult it is to obtain his books. At present, you can only buy his two most recent volumes -- Some Simple Tryptamines, 2nd edition, and San Pedro & related Trichocereus species. If you're looking for anything older, like Sacred Cacti, 2nd edition, you're basically out of luck. Even if you want to buy a book that's still available you might run into trouble; when I went to buy Some Simple Tryptamines, I checked every link on both of Trout's websites and couldn't find a single bookseller in my country that still carried the book (Edit 14 Jan 2013: You can now order the book directly from his website).

When Trout's books go out of print, it's like they vanish from the face of the Earth. He has two websites (Trout's Notes and Largely Accurate Information Media) but they are not much help at all -- apparently his skill at crafting excellent reference works doesn't extend to crafting coherant websites.

I haven't even been able to find a list of how many "Trout's Notes" volumes have been written. But thanks to the magic of the internet, I used the Wayback Machine to crawl through old versions of Trout's website dating back to 2001, and compiled a list of every "Trout's Notes" title mentioned there over the past eleven and a half years.

So without further ado, I give you the (still incomplete but better than nothing) list of Trout's Notes! Any quotes that follow a title are excerpted directly from old versions of Trout's websites. On some of the entries, I have included my own notes on the availability of the title [in square brackets].

 

[Entropymancer]

Trout's Notes Index​

• #A-4: Acacia species reported to contain Tryptamines and/or beta-carbolines
  [Due to popular interest in this 86 page out-of-print title (last updated in 2004), Trout has made it available for download as a pdf.]
  
• #A-5: Ayahuasca & Ayahuasca Alkaloids
  [Through a partnership with Erowid.org, the 2004 edition of this title is available for browsing in html format on the Erowid website]
  

  242 pages (8.5x7 perfect bound) including inserted illustrated update and errata section. $35
  
  Two parts: The first, "Ayahuasca Alkaloids", includes a look at the 3 most important beta-carboline components (Harmine, Tetrahydroharmine, and Harmaline), physical, pharmacological, and toxicological data, purification, manipulations, assays, references and their reported occurrences. The second, "Ayahuasca and Ayahuasca Analogs", covers the major source plants, some purported minor source plants, as well as admixtures used in ayahuasca and modern day analogs, common names, references, published chemistry for the most important source plants and admixtures; also Mimosa hostilis, Anadenanthera species, an overview of Phalaris chemistry, dosage estimations for some commercial materials and comments on drug interactions.

• #C-1: The Peyote Crisis & Some Suggestions
  [Considering their similar lengths and titles, this volume presumably bears resemblance to the article Faith, belief, and the peyote crisis authored by K. Trout and Mark Hoffman, published in the journal Entheos in 2001]
  

  5 page bklt $5
  
  A sane & caring discussion of the current crisis and alternatives that may help preserve this species as a sacramental plant. 100% of the gross sales for this item will be donated to the Peyote Foundation or other groups dedicated towards the preservation of peyote as a sacramental plant.

• #C-2: The Cultivation & Propagation of Cacti
  

  36 page booklet (includes TOC & index) $12
  
  Care, cultivation, propagation, and disease control of the known mescaline producers and some other selected cacti. An updated version of this work is incorporated into SC2

• #C-3: The Occurrence of Mescaline
  

  16 page (5.5x8.5 bklt) $8
  
  A simple list of the reported occurrences of the species reported to contain mescaline, percentages found and some errors published in the literature. Now including 26 illustrations. (Incorporated as part of Sacred Cacti.)

• #C-9: Cactus Alkaloids, other than Mescaline; Reported from Mescaline Containing Cacti; (including Coryphantha alkaloids)
  

  147 page (GBC bound) includes TOC, an older version of C-10, C11 & index. $22
  
  Physical data, pharmacology if available and distribution. [This work is also known as Appendix A but will be replaced this coming year with an expanded revision that covers ALL known cactus alkaloids]

• #C-10a: Cactus Chemistry; By Species
  

  74 pages (8.5x11 Perfect bound) $19.95
  
  A comprehensive & extensively referenced summary of all analytical reports published for the family CACTACEAE; including anecdotal reports of human bioassays and suggestions for future research. Includes percentages, when published, and structural tables for the phenethylamines, tetrahydroisoquinolines, triterpenoids & sterols reported from cacti.

• #C-11: Glossary of terms used in Sacred Cacti & Appendix A
  

  22 page (GBC bound) Included in C-9. $ 10

• #C-14: Narcotic & Hallucinogenic Cacti of the New World (by M. S. Smith)
  [In his description of the book, Trout refers to this being an "electronic classic." To reach a length of 90 pages, it must have been greatly expanded since Smith last updated the web version in 1998, but anyone who is interested can access that much shorter version on this long-extinct website
  

  90 page (5.5x8 Perfect bound) $17.95
  
  Revised & expanded edition of Smith's electronic classic!
  Summary & discussion of ALL species of cacti and other plants recognized as a "peyote" and the other cacti known to be used for medicinal or spiritual uses by the inhabitants of the Americas.

• #C-15: Closet Cactus Care (by M. S. Smith)
  [A version of this title can be accessed on this long-extinct website
  

  14 page bklt with 10 photos & 1 drawing $4.95
  
  A concise and helpful instructional work on growing cacti from seeds.

• #D-1 [rev. 6-2000]: Cultivation of Desmanthus for root bark production (by Justin Case & K. Trout)
  

  28 pg bklt 24 B&W photos & 2 diagrams $8
  
  Simple home strategy for growing medicinal root crops with the focus on the prairie bundleflowers, Desmanthus illinoensis & Desmanthus leptolobus; potential ayahuasca analog plants successfully evaluated in humans. Includes plans for an easy to make alkaloid volatizer.
  Now with an illustrated description of how to recognize Desmanthus leptolobus.

• #D-2: The Genus Desmodium
  [This is another title that Trout has generously made available for download as a pdf.]
  

  36 page (GBC bound) incl. TOC & index $12
  
  Chemistry as published, synonyms when available, folk uses of numerous species and a brief pharmacological overview of D. gangeticum.
  Possibly the single most complete treatment of the chemistry and ethnomedicine of this genus yet assembled.

• #FS-X0: Tryptamines from Higher Plants
  

  196 pages (8.5x7 perfect bound) incl. TOC & index $30
  
  Out of Print! Order While They Last!
  Chemistry, toxicology & isolations for the main tryptamines found in higher plants.

• #FS-X7: Some Simple Tryptamines
  [Last time I checked, this title was still available for purchase. If you own the book, be aware that Trout has posted some brief errata on one of his sites.]
  

  NOW Available! 272 pages (8.5x11 perfect bound) $35
  
  NEW! Will replace FSX0. Updates the same entries but now expanded to include fungal and toad tryptamines. Heavily illustrated; 180 photos and 30 illustrations with a color cover.

• #SC-2: Sacred Cacti (Second Edition)
  [A few days ago, Trout indicated that an updated 3rd edition of this work is now being prepared to go to press, so the information should be back on the market before too long]
  

  422 pages (8.5x11 Perfect bound) incl. TOC & index $39.95
  
  Merges & Updates ALL of the TN works on the botany, chemistry, pharmacology, cultivation & utilization of mescaline containing cacti & selected other succulents; current through December, 1999. Heavily revised & expanded. [Now including 40 black & white illustrations]

• #SC-3: San Pedro & Related Trichocereus species (Sacred Cacti 3rd Edition Part B)
  [Last time I checked, this title was still available for purchase]
  

  312 pages containing over 1000 B&W photos and a color cover.
  
  This work covers San Pedro and its relatives, detailing what we could learn concerning the botany, chemistry and history of these beautiful and sometimes gigantic cacti.
  Formerly published as the Trichocereus chapter in Sacred Cacti 2nd edition.
  This material has seen such radical expansion for the 3rd edition that San Pedro is now its own 312 page book!

Other Stuff from K. Trout​

Web Projects

• The Genus Trichocereus
• Desmanthus leptolobus
• Plants associated with Astrophytum asterias and the Lophophora species

Miscellaneous

• Slideshow on San Pedro and Mescaline presented at EntheoGenesis Australis 2011, and accompanying data tables

Bibliographies

• From Cactus Chemistry; By Species
• From Sacred Cacti, 3rd Edition
• From Some Simple Tryptamines, 2nd Edition

 

[Vodsel]

Excellent thread. Some more suggestions to keep in mind...

- I think Jim DeKorne deserves a mention here. Besides his work as editor of The Entheogen Review (1992-2008 ), the closest thing to the Nexus before we had the Nexus, I find his Psychedelic Shamanism (1994, revised edition in 2012) a very enjoyable read, and even if (acknowledged by the author) some of the information included about preparations and chemistry is outdated or incomplete, he discusses the main families of entheogens and puts together a great collection of essays about the psychedelic experience and shamanic practices.

- Magic Mushrooms Around the World, by Jochen Gartz. Nice guide about psychotropic mushrooms, lacking perhaps the depth of Stamets guide, but compiling good information about species, IDs, cultivation and a lot of references to worldwide uses. Foreworded by Ratsch.

And if I may sneak in a non-english book,

- Historia General de las Drogas, by Antonio Escohotado. For spanish readers, this is a must. First published in 1989, and re-edited multiple times (the copies I own are 2nd Edition and the extended 1998 7th Edition) this monumental three volume, 1,300 pages work is arguably the most exhaustive history treatise ever written about psychoactive substances. The spanish jurist, philosopher and sociologist does not address particularly botany or chemistry, but I have this General History of Drugs in my bookshelf right besides Ott's Pharmacotheon. Escohotado is an encyclopedically wise man, and also a pleasure to read.

 

[The Meddling Monk]

Vosdel wrote:

- I think Jim DeKorne deserves a mention here. Besides his work as editor of The Entheogen Review (1992-2008 ), the closest thing to the Nexus before we had the Nexus,

Well said. My copies are in storage, disorganised and gathering mould.
Is there somewhere the entire 1992-2008 E.R. can be downloaded. It's ridiculous to have to pay for pre-Trout Entheogen Review. They should be in the public domain!
(And then I can hopefully find an article is one issue I seem to be missing )

 

[Vodsel]

Is there somewhere the entire 1992-2008 E.R. can be downloaded. It's ridiculous to have to pay for pre-Trout Entheogen Review. They should be in the public domain!

Agreed. And it certainly can be found online for download with a bit of searching. I'd like to share my copies with everybody, but the PDF back issues collection is still on sale in a CD for $45 in TER website, so as you say it's not public domain.

 

[Entropymancer]

I completely agree that the Entheogen Review deserves a place on this list, and there is a strong kinship between the sort of work that's being done on the Nexus and the work that was done in the Entheogen Review. As to the cost of purchasing those back issues, look at it this way: $45 for over 2000 pages of material is a pretty good deal.

 

[The Meddling Monk]

You're right. $45 is not a lot to ask. Just already paid for most of them once! But it's good enough to support twice.

 

[Entropymancer]

As Keeper Trout just posted in the [Literature] compilation thread, he recently made Some Simple Tryptamines (2nd edition) available for download as a PDF. You can find it here: http://www.largelyaccurateinformationmedia.com/SST2.html

While you aren't required to pay for the download, please strongly consider it. If you find the book to be a valuable source of information, show it by supporting Trout. He's worked hard to put these references together, and he deserves the support of the community.

 

[Vodsel]

^ Totally agreed, it's definitely worth at least the $5 for the PDF. Do it, folks.