Tripped

Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of the Psychedelic Age

Norman Ohler

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Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Atlantic Books
08 July 2025

History; History of the Americas; Postwar 20th century history, from c 1945 to c 2000; The Cold War

First used as a drug capable of treating mental illnesses, then as a 'truth serum' by the CIA, Tripped reveals how the fortuitous discovery of LSD in April 1943 led to a mass exploitation of this promising hallucinogen.

Using archival material, Norman Ohler brings to light the often misguided interaction between scientific research, state authorities and hedonistic drug culture that shaped drug policy in the twentieth century. With a cast of characters ranging from Albert Hofmann to the Federal Bureau of Narcotics; Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley; and Aldous Huxley and John Lennon, this is Ohler at his thrilling, revelatory best.

By: Norman Ohler
Imprint: Atlantic Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: Main
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 129mm,
ISBN: 9781838953607
ISBN 10: 1838953604
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 08 July 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

PART I: MEDICINE 1: The Zone 2: From Paint to Medicine 3: At the Zurich Train Station 4: On Location: Novartis Company Archive 5: The Mice Don't Notice a Thing 6: Swiss Cheese and Ergot 7: Agrochemistry 8: LSD in the Archive 9: Arthur Stoll's Art 10: The Other Richard 11: Brainwashing PART II: WEAPON 12: The Trip Chamber 13: Alsos 14: The Missing Box 15: Advisor Kuhn 16: Pork Chops 17: LSD in America 18: Brain Warfare 19: CEO and CIA 20: The Case of Frank Olson 21: Menticide 22: Operation Midnight Climax PART III: NARCOTIC 23: Mösch-Rümms 24: Bulk Order 25: LSDJFK 26: The Revolt of the Guinea Pigs 27: The Bear 28: Elvis Meets Nixon 29: A Case of Wine 30: Light Vader Hofmann Epilogue: LSD for Mom

Norman Ohler is an award-winning novelist and screenwriter. He is the author of The Infiltrators and the New York Times bestseller Blitzed, as well as the novels Die Quotenmaschine (the world's first hypertext novel), Mitte and Stadt des Goldes (translated into English as Ponte City) and the historical crime novel Die Gleichung des Lebens. He lives in Berlin.

Reviews for Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of the Psychedelic Age

'An astonishing story... Brilliantly told.' - Antony Beevor on The Infiltrators 'Deeply engaging, enticingly written and extremely affecting... Original and fascinating... This is a remarkable story, powerfully told.' - Philippe Sands, Spectator on The Infiltrators 'Gripping... Will appeal to anyone who relishes Ben Macintyre's tales of wartime espionage and cryptic codes.' - Sunday Telegraph on The Infiltrators 'A detailed and meticulously researched tale about a pair of young German resisters that reads like a thriller.' - New York Times on The Infiltrators