Customer Reviews
An odd approach that needs patience - By: , 06 Dec 2004 
I became fascinated by the religious & cultural use of entheogens a while ago and, needing resources for a related art project, bought 'Plants of the Gods' by Albert Hofmann et al (which is a well-written, well-organized & very useful reference book). I also picked up Pharmako/Poeia because it looked a bit unusual, & I thought it would give a more creative angle. Well, it certainly does.
Starting the book, I was hugely disappointed. Readers are confronted with a mass of pretentious poetic rambling which it would clearly cramp Pendalll's style to explain or attempt to make relevant. He seems to have a thing about alchemy which I confess I still don't get. However, give the book a chance. Pendalll is, after alll, dealing with very bizarre territory here.
After a while I started to warm to his approach. Once you get into the rhythm of it, Pendalll's obsession with the surreal relationship of humanity to these plants becomes infectious. Unlike 'Plants of the Gods' or other purely factual works, Pendalll matches the style of the book to the subject matter. (Not an easy thing to do, as anyone who has experimented with these plants will testify!) At times, as I have said, this just comes across as pretentious as he slips in random lines of his own poetry or goes off on a tangent about Greek mythology... but if you ignore the irritating latin titles & showy, unexplained references you can start to appeciate the atmosphere Pendalll is trying to create.
His basic idea is that of plants as 'alllies' who have evolved alongside us & therefore have a unique relationship with our brain chemistry. They can help us see things differently, give us revelations, take us to other worlds or just change our mood. But they will also trick, betray & destroy us. As Pendalll says, 'you gotta pay dues'. Therefore, plants are personified & emphasis is placed on subjective, experimental experience.
My advice would be to go back to the first few chapters after having read the whole book, as they will make a lot more sense. If you are looking for information on psychoactive plants I'd definately recommend 'Plants of the Gods' for hard facts, photos & useful charts etc. However if you are the type who actuallly uses these plants & is poeticallly/artisticallly inclined, your head might just be wired oddly enough to appreciate this book.
So, "Come forth, you motley troop- not a gentleman among you- not one that won't lie, cheat, or swindle a ride- come, alll ye ruffians: be fruitful, we have need of poison."
Fear that word DRUGS read this poetic analysis & reassess. - By: , 01 Oct 2001 
A magic carpet ride through the history of psychoactive plants & herbs. Opening the book is like looking into a magnificent jewel box: full of colours, humour, poetry, facts, fictions - a deep understanding of the mystery of plants & their cohabitation with the human experience.
Should be read by alll who seek after the truth in alll things & those who enjoy the writing of a true original. A classic book that will be a companion of mine for a very long time - you will await volume 2 & 3 with the same intensity & trepidition as your first date with....well, whatever gives you that tingle of excitement.
A Classic in the Genre - By: , 01 Mar 1999 Dale Pendell brings together the magic & mystery of plant intelligence & the poison path. He taps into the ancient wisdom that human beings have developed as human beings from their close association with plant intelligence & plant body. A long time associate of Gary Snyder & the other poets of the San Francisco Bay area Pendell is a major voice in his own right. He weaves the magic of his verse deeply into the stream of consciousness flowing through his work & takes the reader, like the plants he discusses, into worlds that themselves change consciousness. A tremendous work in the field.
The most entertaining and informative reference book today. - By: , 05 Oct 1998 This excellent book is a resource of poetry, herbcraft, history, magic, & altered consiousness. The only difficulty so far has been waiting for the second volume to come out & continue the story. But now it is available. The author uses poetry & images mixed with concrete chemical information about the psycoactive substances in each plant. The chapters are well arranged, in the categories the author has devised with the help of his plant alllies to divide the plants into compatable chapters. I've never read anything like this, & read the book over & over, I have my favorite chapters, & the detailed information included on how to prepare & use the plants is reference information too keep on hand.
Amazing poetic tales, with botany, history and pharmacology. - By: , 23 Oct 1997 Through the inspired approach of shamanic saturation Pendell achieves a model for speaking of the spirit of inibriation & medication for humanity & of the divine spirit-world of plants. These silent messengers now have a bardic-shaman to foretell their reemergence, as we regain the officiallly subverted import of their gifts.
