The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test

Probably one of the best books I have ever read.

An incredible insight into a pivotal time. Wolfe draws upon the experiences of many Merry Pranksters to give a range of personal perspectives, capturing the frenetic vibe of the developing psychedelic movement with a unique writing style. For some, this style may prove difficult to penetrate, while others will find it absorbing. (You're either on the bus or off the bus!) Personally, it carried me along with the flow on a most enjoyable ride...

I READ THIS AFTER HEARING WOLF USED SOME OF HUNTER THOMPSON TAPES HE RECORDED WHILST RESEARCHING FOR HELLS ANGELS BUT THE GUY DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE A SENCE OF HUMOUR BUT DO ENJOY READING ABOUT THE SIXTIES WHEN MIND EXPANTION WAS TO ACHIVED AND B4 WE GOT LAZY AND JUST WANTED TO GET S*** FACED HAVING BEEN BORN IN MANCHESTER IN 68 YOU CAN SEE THE PROBLEM THE MAIN ONE BEING THE YEAR THE SECOND BEING MANCHESTER HAD TWO 30'S THEN GOT IN BED WITH THATCHER BEING LED TO BELIEVE WHAT A NICE OLD LADY LITTLE DID WE KNOW THAT UNDER THE COVERS SHE HAD ON A BIG STRAP ON TIPPED WITH HUGE SPIKES BUT BACK TO THE SIXTIES THE BOOKS ABOUT KEN KESEY AND THE MERRY PRANKSTERS THE GUY WHO WROTE "ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOOS NEST." WHICH WAS LATER A PLAY THEN A MOVIE NEVER LIKED THE FILM BUT I DO LOVE THE BOOK IT GIVES THE CHARACTERS HUMANITY BUT THE TOM WOLF DOES A PRETTY FAITH JOB OF REPORTING EVENTS AS THEY HAPPEN AND SOME OF THE MOODS SURROUNDING THESE PEOPLE BUT HE DOESN'T SEEM TO INJECT ANY HUMOUR IT'S INFORMATIVE BUT IN MY OPPINION A LITTLE FLAT ABIT LIKE A BBC TWO DOCUMENTARY BUT IF DID ONE BASED ON THIS BOOK I'D WATCH IT SO IT CAN'T BE THAT BAD

Where did the saying "You're either on the bus or you're off the bus" come from ? Who were the real people in Kerouac's On The Road ? How did The Grateful Dead create such awesome sounds ? What did the Pranksters think about their meeting with The Hell's Angels ? (Hunter Thompson reported it in his book of the same name - this gives the other side of the same story) How did The Beatles come up with the idea for their Magical Mystery Tour ? The answer to these and many more questions about the acid culture of the 60s (when it was a lot safer to pop a tab) can be found in this great read. Highly recommended for anyone who was around at the time and can't remember much about it - also recommended for those who can remember and want a great trip down memory lane.

Ken Kesey is one of the most interesting people from the sixties without a shadow of a doubt. After getting the money from his book "one flew over the cuckoo's nest", he and his band of Merry Pransters reject modern society and live in his remote house and take a lot of acid. An amazing look back at the beginning of the sixties and one of the main figures in starting the whole acid scene. Also good for Kerouac fans cause Neal Cassady AKA Dean Moriarty is one of the main pransters. Really recommend this.

It is with great appropriatenessnessness that Hunter Thompson, in an S-less state, is mentioned, as the author of "Hell's Angels", as this is the other half of the equation whose solution is "Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas". A psychedelic splurge of a book, covering the acid-soaked start of the California Counterculture, of a type that the Summer of Love represented an end of, not a beginning. As the half-century approaches, read it and enjoy as the past turns into history - and no, they're not the same thing.

I didn't really enjoy this book. I found it boring.

Great story that completely submerses the reader into the crazy world they end up in, it really is one of those books that you cannot put down, easy read and very engaging from the beginning to end. Cannot recommend more for those who are interested in psychedelia.

Good book, one of the recommendations of Jordan Peterson, i felt that its longer than it should be

Perfetto

I never realized how much I disliked hippies until I read this book. I've had my fair share of interactions with hippies, but none of said interactions quite put them into perspective like this book did. Fair warning, one might find it a bit overwhelming without being aware of some of the things that happened around the timeline that this book was written. The book itself is extremely well written using a lot of slang from the sixties that you could find hard to follow. There were times where it felt like I was with the Merry Pranksters having my own bad trip. 8/10 would read again in a couple of years to rekindle my disdain for hippies. Footnote: The book ends with "We blew it". Surprising. Don't do drugs kids.

Great

This was purchased for our daughter in Germany, it arrived very quickly, and she is pleased with it. She has read other titles by the same author