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Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss Hard Cover Hardcover
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherNorth Star Press
- ISBN-100878396357
- ISBN-13978-0878396351
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Product details
- Language : English
- ISBN-10 : 0878396357
- ISBN-13 : 978-0878396351
- Item Weight : 15.2 ounces
- Best Sellers Rank: #4,829,677 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #132,447 in Memoirs (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Dennis McKenna is an ethnopharmacologist who has studied plant hallucinogens for over forty years. He is the author of many scientific papers, and co-author, with his brother Terence McKenna, of The Invisible Landscape: Mind, Hallucinogens, and the I Ching, and Psilocybin: Magic Mushroom Grower’s Guide. He holds a doctorate from the University of British Columbia, where his research focused on ayahuasca and oo-koo-hé, two hallucinogens used by indigenous peoples in the Northwest Amazon. He received post-doctoral research fellowships in the Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology, National Institute of Mental Health, and in the Department of Neurology, Stanford University School of Medicine. In 1990, he joined Shaman Pharmaceuticals as Director of Ethnopharmacology, and in 1993 became the Aveda Corporation’s Senior Research Pharmacognosist. Dennis has been an adjunct assistant professor at the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota since 2001, where he teaches courses in ethnopharmacology and botanical medicine. He has taught summer field courses in Peru and Ecuador, and has conducted fieldwork throughout the upper Amazon. He is a founding board member of the Heffter Research Institute, a non-profit organization focused on the investigation of the potential therapeutic uses of psychedelic medicines.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They describe the story as interesting, heartfelt, and touching. Readers appreciate the author's insightful writing style and emotional vulnerability. The book provides a fascinating look into the lives of two brilliant minds.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book well-written and engaging. They describe it as an interesting read with amazing moments. Readers consider it a must-read for Terrence McKenna fans.
"...but I see why Dennis included them, because they are a valuable record in their own right and also help to explain what comes later for both the..." Read more
"...This is a good book that gives an important view on the lives of both Terrence and Dennis Mckenna." Read more
"...Very well written, interesting read. It's full of the little tidbits that only a close family member could provide. Okay, here it comes...." Read more
"...now 75% of the way through the book, and it's continued to be an excellent ride...." Read more
Customers find the story engaging. They say it's an interesting account of the author's relationship with his brother Terence McKenna and how it shaped his novel ideas and perspectives on life. The book provides context for their relationship and is filled with personal details only a close family member could provide.
"...Dennis does a good job telling his story. From his relationship with his Mother and Father to his childhood relationship with Terrence...." Read more
"...Very well written, interesting read. It's full of the little tidbits that only a close family member could provide. Okay, here it comes...." Read more
"...What I've really enjoyed is the much-needed and long-overdue reality check which the cult of personality that is "Terence McKenna" receives at the..." Read more
"...he's a very good storyteller from a neutral perspective, he's very descriptive, engaging and paints and wonderful surrounding picture of the era..." Read more
Customers find the writing style engaging and readable. They appreciate the author's lively writing style, insightful storytelling, and honesty. The book provides an interesting account of a unique and touching brother relationship.
"...And then there are some wonderful essays (on Jung and Eliade for example) which are insightful, eminently re-readable, and which demonstrate Dennis'..." Read more
"...True Hallucinations By Terrence Mckenna This book really gave me a better understanding on where Terrence and Dennis are from...." Read more
"If You're into Terrace McKenna, You'll love this book. Very well written, interesting read...." Read more
"...through the turbulent times of the 60's ..etc. It is extremely well written, and contains a few words that one will want to be in the company..." Read more
Customers find the story heartfelt and detailed. They appreciate the author's emotional vulnerability and humility. The book details significant personal relationships throughout the journey. Readers describe it as a touching tale of brotherhood told with great openness.
"...Signifigant personal relationships are weaved, and vividly described throughout this journey of seeking the golden grail of mind expansion drugs...." Read more
"...Underlining the narrative is a touching story of sibling connectedness, the cover photograph perfectly foreshadowing much of what came to pass...." Read more
"...Delivered with rich emotional vulnerability and disarming humility, Dennis demonstrates an intense sensitivity to the special role that he and his..." Read more
"...But because it's a story about "brothers," it's also personal, painful and profound...." Read more
Customers find the book insightful and fascinating. They say it sheds light on their life paths, sheds light on brilliant minds, and is a wealth of inspiration for the younger generation. The book makes them laugh, cry, and contemplate biochemistry and cosmic eschatological ideas.
"...are some wonderful essays (on Jung and Eliade for example) which are insightful, eminently re-readable, and which demonstrate Dennis' uniquely..." Read more
"...That said, this alternate view of things, and the background provided about family life, adds a much-needed dimension to the relationship between '..." Read more
"...to be in the company of a dictionary. Curious, and adventurous youth are described who have a passion for their own growth of consciousness,..." Read more
"...amalgamation of his own understanding of bio-chemistry and cosmic eschatological ideas, which will either make you laugh hysterically and/or..." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's look. They find it provides a clear and humorous look into the formative and latter years of the two brothers. The book paints a wonderful surrounding picture of the era and its effects on the US. It is described as a richly textured portrait of two richly textured brothers. Readers appreciate the cover photograph foreshadowing much of what the story about a unique and touching brother relationship.
"...he's very descriptive, engaging and paints and wonderful surrounding picture of the era and it's effects on the US culture...." Read more
"This is a most absorbing and interesting look at how Terence McKenna developed his smorgasbord of ideas, at the same time providing a clear and..." Read more
"...to the infamous experiment at La Chorrera, Dennis provides a unique look into he and his brother's exciting lives as psychonauts, scientist shamans,..." Read more
"Beautifully written story about a unique and touching brother relationship and oh-so-much more......" Read more
Customers find the book informative about psychedelics from both subjective and scientific perspectives. They describe it as an essential companion to True Hallucinations and a wonderful introduction to the world of Psychedelia. Readers mention the book is a must-read for historians, fans of Terence and Dennis Mkenna, or anyone craving a rich and engaging read.
"...It was a really enjoyable read! These brothers experimented with psychedelic substances and in fact became some of the pioneers in elucidating their..." Read more
"...A must read for the historian of psychedelica, a fan of terence and dennis mkenna, or anyone craving a very insightful book about evolving as people..." Read more
"...he presents psychedelics from subjective experience as well as scientifically. very well-rounded and enjoyable." Read more
"...A must have for all ye psychonauts, fans of Terence, or those just in need a rich and honest story." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2012I'm fairly familiar with Terence's work and his excess when it comes to spinning tall tales (and I love it!). That said, this alternate view of things, and the background provided about family life, adds a much-needed dimension to the relationship between 'Terry' and Dennis, as well as to their individual personalities.
Although only 50% of the way through reading the book, I wanted to post a positive review now to help persuade anyone sitting on the fence to go ahead and buy it now; I can't imagine its quality changing significantly after this point, it has been consistently great so far. Regardless, I'll update my review once I'm completely done.
UPDATE (29 NOV 12):
So, I'm now 75% of the way through the book, and it's continued to be an excellent ride. What I've really enjoyed is the much-needed and long-overdue reality check which the cult of personality that is "Terence McKenna" receives at the hands of his little brother. Yet, it's not a harsh reality check that destroy's any love towards Terence; in fact, it simply makes him more lovable, because you see that he's just as flawed, in his own unique way, as the rest of us. I've gained far more genuine respect for both members of the brotherhood by reading and pondering the stories told in this book than by watching any number of videos about and by them.
One of my favorite quotes from the book is as follows:
"The problem with DMT, and part of its challenge, is that the experience is inherently ineffable; it cannot be described in ordinary language, it is translinguistic. You come down, slam back into your body, out of breath, suffused with ecstasy, babbling, sobbing. And yet we are linguistic creatures, and there is a nearly irresistible impulse to try to describe it. This begins almost immediately following the trip, as if verbalization were a protective reflex. DMT is more than the mind can handle; it's overwhelming in its raw nakedness; we feel compelled to try to stuff it back into some kind of linguistic box, and yet to do so is to diminish it. All of the descriptions, even Terence's, as elegant as they are, fall short of the actual experience. This is part of the mystery of DMT. It is a phenomenon that can be repeatedly experienced, and yet it is as astonishing the hundredth time as it was the first, and something that strange is worthy of our attention."
This quote really stood out to me, because in trying to describe just how impossible it is to describe DMT, he nearly describes it.
I'll update again once I finish.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2013The chorizo was needed for stamina, the coffee to keep me awake because as soon as I picked this book up I couldn't put it down - and at over 500 pages all told, this is no skimpy volume so it took me two days and two all-night sessions to get through it. In the absence of amphetamine, thank God and the swine for chorizo.
Ripped on coffee and sausaged-out in the cold light of my last day with Dennis, the question is 'Was it worth it?' And the only answer I can give you besides hard-wired caffiene gibberish is YOU BET. This is one of the best books I have read in a VERY long time. (Parallels for me are "One River", Dale Pendell's "Pharmo" books and "The Spiritual Journey of Alejandro Jodorowsky" - not because they're similar but because I stayed up nights with them as well, but it's rare.)
The subtitle - "My Life with Terence McKenna" - was unnecessary I thought since this is a Dennis McKenna book through-and-through and it should say so loud and proud. In fact, if anything, the subtitle could be "His Life with ME" since it really is Dennis' story - and better for it. Dennis has a wonderful writing style and, while Terence (much like Leary) was always ready with a soundbite, a cackling eldritch laugh and the story of another hero's journey to a place no map has seen, some of it was (as Dennis admits) more down to the blarney than the facts of the matter, whereas I believed every word that Dennis said.
Of course we all want to know "what the hell was going on" at La Chorrera (to use Dennis' words) but take your time with this book and don't rush ahead to that. The early sections on family life and ancestry make for an admittedly slow start, but I see why Dennis included them, because they are a valuable record in their own right and also help to explain what comes later for both the brothers. As an archive of how the boar ate the cabbage (or whatever the saying is), they're essential. And then there are some wonderful essays (on Jung and Eliade for example) which are insightful, eminently re-readable, and which demonstrate Dennis' uniquely thoughtful and intelligent nature. The stories of Dennis' work and relationships post-Chorrera (in fact, throughout) are equally riveting. There are whole sections where Terence isn't mentioned at all in fact - and, as much as I respect the man, I, for one, didn't miss him.
Towards the end of the book where Dennis draws some conclusions about his life, his work - and in particular the messages of the teacher plants he has worked with - my mouth fell open more than once because they are exactly the same conclusions I have reached, most notably in my latest book on Salvia; even the words sound like mine. It just goes to show that when the plants have a message they make sure it's heard and there's even a consistency to the language they use... almost... as if... all this talk of alien civilizations and guided evolution might even be... "real". Or if not real, then at least right.
If I could give this more than 5 stars I'd do it - and that's for Dennis not Terence, and the nights we shared on my sofa with a sausage and a flask of coffee. At the end of this book I had the sense of Terence giving Dennis a big high-five across dimensions and passing him the bud and the baton, and I really hope we get to hear more from Dennis in his own write soon.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2014If You're into Terrace McKenna, You'll love this book. Very well written, interesting read. It's full of the little tidbits that only a close family member could provide. Okay, here it comes. But, it quickly becomes apparent the author is terminally liberal. As a conservative, or as We are also known, a "bitter clinger " I cannot comprehend the liberal thought process. If there is such a thing. The author celebrates the destruction of the "stifling social norms " of the 1950's, and in the next paragraph bemoans the state of society today. How can He not see the answer staring Him in the face? This is the society without morality the Hippies wanted! He should be celebrating His generations triumph! I notice He also changed "Global warming", to "climate change ". Here's an idea. Some days it's hot. Some days it's cold. Some years it's warmer. Some years it's cooler. It's a phenomenon known as "weather".
- Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2013After Reading True Hallucinations By Terrence Mckenna This book really gave me a better understanding on where Terrence and Dennis are from. This book also gives a really important point of view on what happend at La Chorrera. I really enjoyed when Dennis talked about how he grew up in the shadow of his older brother. He never felt the need to be like him. Though he was envious of him at times. He told us a history of a younger Terrence and some sides of him we really never would have thought of. Dennis does a good job telling his story. From his relationship with his Mother and Father to his childhood relationship with Terrence. This is a good book that gives an important view on the lives of both Terrence and Dennis Mckenna.
Top reviews from other countries
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Daniel TakamiReviewed in Spain on June 14, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Gracias por compartir vuestra historia Dennis
Arroja luz sobre estas dos prominentes personalidades de la psiquedelia, se lo recomiendo a todos aquellos seguidores de estos dos hermanos únicos.
- Sorin Albu-IrimiesReviewed in Germany on March 15, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful, captivating saga
I first heard of Terrence McKenna through some YouTube videos while looking for some spirituality.
And truth be told, the eloquence and interesting, sometimes wild ideas intrigued me. After that I wanted to.know more about the intelectual force that Terrence and Dennis are. So I found this book and it was an amazing read. The way Dennis recounts and generally writes is a style I like. He presents both sides of the coin. At one point a more pragmatic approach then sleeping into the other and back. It is a beautifully crafted life story that grants the reader deep insights. I warmly recommend this one.
- S. M.Reviewed in Canada on November 19, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book.
A very personal book from Dennis Mckenna, brother of Terence Mckenna. I enjoyed reading it very much, and I feel honoured to have been able to catch a glimpse into the remarkable lives of the two brothers and all of the others mentioned in the book. I am thankful that Dennis shared these stories with us, the readers. Thanks, Dennis.
- DamonReviewed in Australia on January 21, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful
Most definantly a must read. I can not not review this book as I can only wish it continues to reach a wider audience.
- J. RiceReviewed in the United Kingdom on June 3, 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic read.
Tnis book makes the grade in several ways. It is very informative, colouring in the backgtound, childhood, adolescence and young adulthood of two very gifted brothers, Terence and Dennis Mckenna. For anyone interested in the ideas of Terence Mckenna this book shows the development of his thinking and philosophy in tandem with that of his younger brother, Dennis. In fact it turns out that many of Terence's original ideas were shared creations by both brothers. This is a deeply human, ,moving story, socially interesting for its initial portrait of Fifties America, contrasted with the colourful explosion of ideas and psychedelic experimentation of the sixties. It is, in many ways, a story of social revolution that affected the lives of countless families and whose ramifications are far from over today. The story of Terence and Dennis is unusual, in that these brothers went to extremes in order to tussle with truths of life and death. Dennis became an ethnopharmacologist, pursuing his interest in psychoactive plants through scientific study whilst Terence became a kind of bard, fantastic in his use of language and his mental agility in the realms of connecting ideas. Many of Terence's speeches and seminarss proliferate on the internet, extraordinarily prescient and prophetic as well as outrageous. Dennis Mckenna's book is not a disappointing read. It is full of colour, human beings doing interesting things at a time of unprecedented change. It carries a stark message though; either we drastically change our monkeyish behaviour as a species and really stop destroying Nature or we will simply go the way of the dinossaurs, and fairly soon.