The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants

Starred review from August 15, 2005
Hefty and handsome, this superb academic reference is the first comprehensive work devoted to psychoactive plants. Rä tsch, an anthropologist, ethnopharmacologist, and author of numerous books, includes more than 400 traditional and modern substances that "affect the mind or alter the state of consciousness." While his focus may seem narrow, he includes entries for cocoa, wine and beer, energy drinks, snuff, honey, and even "Mormon tea." Arranged by sections on psychoactive plants, psychoactive fungi, products, and active chemical constituents, the book features an introduction setting out historical background, including cultural and ceremonial -particularly shamanic -use, as well as the fears associated with these substances. Each major monograph contains the plant's scientific and common names, chemical structure, history, distribution, cultivation, appearance, preparation and dosage, ritual and medicinal uses, commercial forms and regulations, and effects, as well as research literature references. A taxonomy, bibliography, and daunting index (opium, for example, lists 65 different page citations) complete the work. Illustrations include woodcuts, drawings, and over 800 of Rä tsch's own stunning color photographs. Because monographs are arranged by scientific rather than common name, a page comparing the two might have been useful, as would more delineation between sections. Measurements are in metric.

Bottom Line Though other reference books on medicinal plants overlap with some of the material found here, they often lack Rä tsch's rich anthropological information. This book offers something for everyone, even though the focus is academic. Highly recommended for academic and larger public libraries. -Andy Wickens, King Cty. Lib. Syst., WA

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.