Author John O’Connor takes readers through a strange journey of psychonauts and the way psychedelics have helped form modern ways of thought. Starting with the elaborate writings of Terrence McKenna, a man convinced he could simply arrive in Panama with good intentions and a desire to try psychedelics, O’Connor doesn’t pull his punches on talking about the history of people walking into existing cultures and either intentionally or accidentally tearing them down in the process. Whether it is the search for the meaning of life, or just reaching for something to hold onto, McKenna’s writing and beliefs set the tone for this book. Come for the drug talk, stay for the exploration of how brutal the creation of rubber was on local communities.
A Short Strange Trip also looks at the modern use of ketamine, mushrooms, and other controlled substances to help with depression and other mental health issues. Using the experiences of his own alcoholic father, O’Connor keeps close to the personal even when it is uncomfortable. Like many books on psychedelics and culture, O’Connor’s work meanders from topic to topic which can make it hard to follow the flow. Readers who are familiar with gonzo-style writing or the writings of Stanislav Grov and Terrence McKenna will be more comfortable with the style than people who may have never had the pleasure of trying to parse out the meanings in this genre.
I deeply appreciated the fact that O’Connor takes wide-eyed pseudo anthropologists convinced that ancient Shamans are a particularly peaceful society to task. While modern school of thought has many ayahuasca users believing that Shamanism is all about healing and protection, it infantilizes practices that already have to deal with people taking bits and pieces from a culture for their own usage.
A Short Strange Trip is available April 14, 2026 from Sourcebooks.
