{"title":"Kimon De Greef","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"ego-trip-book-kimon-de-greef-9781399617949","title":"The Ego Trip","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA psychedelic guru, a magical toad and the dark side of the modern quest for transcendence.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Entirely mesmerising . . . \u003ci\u003eThe Ego Trip \u003c\/i\u003eis itself a trip' \u003cb\u003ePATRICK RADDEN KEEFE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A one-of-a-kind book. I loved it' \u003cb\u003eWILLIAM FINNEGAN\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Strange and wonderful' \u003cb\u003eSUSAN ORLEAN\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 2012, physician Octavio Rettig claimed he had revived a forgotten indigenous ritual: smoking the secretions of the Sonoran Desert toad, which releases a potent psychedelic substance known as 'the God molecule'. The experience promised ego death, communion with the divine and extraordinary relief for those suffering from PTSD, depression and drug addiction. As word spread, Octavio became the face of a global psychedelic movement, drawing seekers from around the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYet as his fame grew, so did troubling reports of extreme dosing, abusive behaviour and a disturbing cult-like following. what began as a spiritual revival evolved into something far more dangerous.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this gripping and deeply reported book, Kimon de Greef explores the promise and the peril of 'toad medicine'. Part true crime, part cult story, part investigative journalism, \u003ci\u003eThe Ego Trip\u003c\/i\u003e chronicles the rise and fall of a self-made messianic figure while probing our relentless search for cosmic understanding.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":53366037807377,"sku":"NGR9781399617949","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":54049736851729,"sku":"GOR015048243","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":54120885747985,"sku":"NLS9781399617949","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/9781399617949.jpg?v=1792248842"},{"product_id":"ego-trip-book-kimon-de-greef-9780385550246","title":"The Ego Trip","description":"\u003cb\u003eNAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY \u003ci\u003eTHE NEW YORKER\u003c\/i\u003e * SHORTLISTED FOR THE TOM WOLFE PRIZE FOR REPORTAGE\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e A lost tradition of \"toad medicine,\" a global psychedelic movement, and the charismatic doctor who left a trail of destruction in his wake\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Entirely mesmerizing. . . . Richly reported and written with humor and flair, \u003ci\u003eThe Ego Trip\u003c\/i\u003e is itself a trip--and Kimon de Greef is a major talent.\" --Patrick Radden Keefe, #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eLondon Falling\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Toad-laced psychopathy is one hell of a drug. . . . An enthralling, galling journey into the deeply weird underbelly of the psychedelic renaissance.\" --\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e In 2012, a Mexican doctor named Octavio Rettig declared that he had revived a forgotten indigenous ritual: smoking the secretions of the Sonoran Desert toad, which releases a potent psychedelic substance known as \"the God molecule.\" This enormously powerful drug can induce states of ego death and the sensation of being directly connected with the divine. In some cases, it offers profound relief for numerous conditions and illnesses. Drawn in by Octavio's visionary message of healing, many psychonauts, spiritual seekers, and patients without other options flocked to Sonora and sparked a psychedelic movement that would eventually circle the globe. But as Octavio's fame grew, stories emerged of extreme dosing, abusive behavior, and even dramatic deaths.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e In this gripping and deeply reported book, Kimon de Greef uncovers the truth behind this cultish figure and the wider world of toad medicine. While Octavio touted the cultural authenticity of his toad ceremonies, verifiable evidence of ancestral practice appeared questionable. Fractious turf wars broke out among toad collectors, who sent impoverished locals into drug cartel territory to chase after the animals and risk their lives in the process. And pharmaceutical companies raced against one another to profit from the commercial potential of the God molecule and develop a transformative mental health treatment that could rival Prozac in its impact on psychopharmacology.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Part true crime, part cult story, part cultural history, \u003ci\u003eThe Ego Trip\u003c\/i\u003e is a chronicle of the rise and fall of a messianic figure and an investigation into larger truths about our age of spiritual desolation. As de Greef makes clear in this hypnotic story, no matter the lengths we go to in attaining a more cosmic understanding, we will always remain firmly in the real world, bound by our limitations and inescapably human.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":53719996334353,"sku":"NGR9780385550246","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":53803623678225,"sku":"NIN9780385550246","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ BOOKAZINE","offer_id":54605866139921,"sku":"NBZ9780385550246","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":54664013447441,"sku":"CIN0385550243G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/9780385550246.jpg?v=1786119312"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/collections\/author-books-by-kimon-de-greef.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}