Michael Pollan’s work caught my eye because I am on a journey of questioning my relationship with caffeine. I hoped to learn more about what my body and brain experience when I drink coffee. In this book, he discusses his research and experimentation with the poppy plant, caffeine, and mescaline. You will be taken on a journey of history and culture for each plant before Pollan discusses his own experience using them. He covers the war on drugs, European culture, the American revolution, capitalism, and Native American history amongst many other topics. Although Pollan does cover some science for what happens in the body with these substances, it is more historic and autobiographic than I expected. However, I found the history fascinating—such as how clever these plants are for surviving and thriving. In the caffeine chapter, he references Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, which so happens to be on my shelf already. I look forward to that. Perhaps the part of Pollan’s book that stood out most is what a Native American quoted—”Sometimes, sometimes if you respect something, you just have to leave it alone.” (p. 210). There are also interesting references in the mescaline chapter to how the body and heart can hold onto trauma. I do recommend for anyone using these substances or working with clients who use these substances.

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