Description
- Second Edition now available!
- 8 x 10″, with a combination of coated 300 gsm covers and Satin-Coated 128gsm internal pages.
- 170 pages, now with 50 full-colour pages, including detailed photos to aid identification.
“I am pleased to see the principles of evidence-based harm reduction being so prominently endorsed by this timely book” – Professor David Nutt, author of DRUGS WITHOUT THE HOT AIR and DRINK? (Edmond J. Safra Chair in Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London and Director of the Neuropsychopharmacology Unit in the Division of Brain Sciences).
“T. K. Nixon’s timely book is a profound reminder that everything we need for our physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing is abundant all around us. An explosion of new interest in the healing properties of psychedelics/entheogens in the last few years means that this lively, personal account will be read widely and used as a reference by many. With meticulous research and a poet’s eye for language, Nixon accompanies the reader on a journey of self-knowledge and teaches the earthy magic of foraging. A much-needed book in these times.” – Dr Katerina Cosgrove, Award-winning author of BONE ASH SKY and ZORBA THE BUDDHA (Literary Award Judge).
The book that you didn’t even realise needed to be written has been written. As I say in the Disclaimer:
‘This book has been published with the intention to reduce the potential harms surrounding the use of psilocybin-containing mushrooms in the Australian context. Psilocybin mushrooms are completely non-toxic to human beings[1]. The major harm identified with mushroom ingestion is misidentification and ingestion of poisonous doppelgangers, which can lead to severe sickness or death. Given this situation, the need for a simple guide outlining the psilocybin mushroom’s distribution, taxonomy and habitat is obvious and is a simple yet effective way in which such risk can be eliminated.’
Writing this book was equal parts joy and tedium, but regardless, all the toil was worth it, as I now present to you the only guide to identifying the Psilocybe cubensis and Panaeolus cyanescens mushrooms of South East Queensland, in the Australian context.
If you have ever wondered how to identify ‘Gold Tops/Cubes’ or ‘Pans/Blue Meanies’ this book not only includes numerous photos of each in situ, but also ‘Four Golden Rules‘ necessary to follow to ensure correct identification of these elusive fungi.
Environments and climatic conditions are covered, as well as an overview of mushroom use throughout history and advocates from the last fifty years.
The science behind the neurochemical workings of psilocybin, which is the main psychedelic substance found within psilocybin mushrooms all over the world is also explored, as well as the state of respective drug laws in Queensland. Such laws constitute the majority of the harms surrounding mushroom use, as they are so much more damaging to the user than the mushrooms themselves.
Professor Nutt’s Multi Criterion Analysis research is covered in detail as it pertains to relative drug harms and the hypocrisy upon which our drug laws are based. All topped off with a dash of scathing political commentary and questions to consider going forward.
This book was written because it didn’t exist. Trust me, I looked. Now it does. If you have ever found yourself wondering if the mushrooms you have found are indeed the non-toxic and psychedelic ones, this book will answer your question. Do not eat any you find until you have identified them first! This tip may sound like common sense, but eating unidentified mushrooms is one of the primary dangers facing foragers, particularly in the face of a distinct lack of information.
If you have heard about psilocybin mushrooms and want to know more about them, what they are used for and the cutting-edge neuroscience that is being conducted around psilocybin, then this book is for you. Likewise, if you are interested in consciousness, the mind, and mental illness, then this book will be worthwhile reading. Or if you think you might appreciate beautiful photos of some of the most stunning mushrooms in Australia, then you too will enjoy this book.
It’s all here!
Stay safe, and enjoy!
[1] Gable, Robert S. “The Toxicity of Recreational Drugs: Alcohol is more lethal than many other commonly abused substances.” American Scientist 94, no. 3 (2006): 207.