An exploration of humans' symbiotic relationships with plants and chemicals presents information on prehistoric partnership societies and the roles of spices and spirits in the rise of dominator societies An exploration of humans' symbiotic relationships with plants and chemicals presents information on prehistoric partnership societies, the roles of spices and spirits in the rise of dominator societies; and the politics of tobacco, tea, coffee, opium, and alcohol.Why, as a species, are humans so fascinated by altered states of consciousness? Can altered states reveal something to us about our origins and our place in nature? In Food of the Gods, ethnobotanist Terence McKenna's research on man's ancient relationship with chemicals opens a doorway to the divine, and perhaps a solution for saving our troubled world. McKenna provides a revisionist look at the historical role of drugs in the East and the West, from ancient spice, sugar, and rum trades to marijuana, cocaine, synthetics, and even television-illustrating the human desire for the "food of the gods" and the powerful potential to replace abuse of illegal drugs with a shamanic understanding, insistence on community, reverence for nature, and increased self-awareness. Praise for Food of the Gods "Deserves to be the modern classic on mind-altering drugs and hallucinogens."-The Washington Post "Terence McKenna is the most important-and most entertaining-visionary scholar in America."-Tom Robbins "The culture's foremost spokesperson for the psychedelic experience . . . Those who know and enjoy Joseph Campbell's work will almost certainly appreciate McKenna."-L.A. Weekly "An eloquent proposal for recovering something vital-a sense of the sacred, the transcendent, the Absolute-before it's too late."-Larry Dossey, M.D., author of Meaning & Medicine, Recovering the Soul, and Space, Time & Machine Introduction: A Manifesto For New Thought About Drugs xiii I. PARADISE 1(94) Shamanism: Setting the Stage 3(11) The Magic in Food 14(17) The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge 31(12) Plants and Primates: Postcards From the Stoned Age 43(14) Habit as Culture and Religion 57(12) The High Plains of Eden 69(26) II. PARADISE LOST 95(72) Searching for Soma: The Golden Vedic Enigma 97(24) Twilight in Eden: Minoan Crete and the Eleusinian Mystery 121(17) Alcohol and the Alchemy of Spirit 138(12) The Ballad of the Dreaming Weavers: Cannabis and Culture 150(17) III. HELL 167(54) Complacencies of the Peignoir: Sugar, Coffee, Tea, and Chocolate 169(19) Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: Opium and Tobacco 188(19) Synthetics: Heroin, Cocaine, and Television 207(14) IV. PARADISE REGAINED? 221(50) A Brief History of Psychedelics 223(23) Anticipating the Archaic Paradise 246(25) Epilogue: Looking Outward and Inward to a Sea of Stars 271(6) Notes 277(10) Glossary 287(6) Bibliography 293(8) Index 301