Kindle
$14.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Paperback
$17.66
Buy new:
-46% $17.66
FREE delivery Wednesday, May 15 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$17.66 with 46 percent savings
List Price: $33.00

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Wednesday, May 15 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 15 hrs 57 mins
In Stock
$$17.66 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$17.66
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$15.67
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery May 21 - 24 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery May 20 - 22
$$17.66 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$17.66
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Sold by SKMG and Fulfilled by Amazon.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Alexander Shulgin
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

PIHKAL: A Chemical Love Story Paperback – October 1, 1990

by Alexander Shulgin (Author), Ann Shulgin (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,496 ratings
#1 Best Seller in Industrial & Technical Chemistry
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$17.66","priceAmount":17.66,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"17","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"66","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"7MUJcHaCdkEjmviJYU1rILiumJeUcvDaiwjqMvCqBROxevczyDf3Jmd8EXRrx6UybueD8y9DOPgyuTAFNo1sMnnJ80Jw2dbPwductT6Ajm501bOWUYn497j3mHdHCXl%2FntSKAsL9Yys%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$15.67","priceAmount":15.67,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"15","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"67","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"7MUJcHaCdkEjmviJYU1rILiumJeUcvDaKzNhtj5jf5fKBLz%2FOE3wIY1lXh4fc4PMryJfZ80rgK%2BtwaZVSQlxHEgGZjBSWGeoVJIWALZh0WULbHrOQcoP69xLnGnjy4BEJqP%2BAGZSLbBXhrm6h%2F1mDcXwGBI6MNP6hLthGSrDe%2FQpl4ypdd90A3gYiN2ZqoVQ","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Alexander (better known as “Sasha”) and Ann Shulgin’s foundational work in the genre was the first book to fully impart the how-to chemistry, and convey the effects, of many of the entheogenic drugs that are currently being studied and used to heal trauma and deal with death. An acronym for “Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved”, the book spans autobiography, organic chemistry, politics, ethnobotany, and psychopharmacology, and the cultural impact is likely to be profound for decades to come, as it has already. PiHKAL is divided into two parts, the first of which is a fictionalized autobiographical 'novel' - the main fiction is that it is fiction. This first half of the book is The Love Story, about two people named Shura and Alice who fall in love, though one of them is already in love with someone else. This love triangle is a painful ordeal they must go through, and that process unfolds before the reader with grace and great insight into human nature. Shura is a brilliant chemist who has dedicated his career to making psychoactive drugs, in the story they go through many experiences with the psychedelic compounds that Shura has discovered and has made in his lab, all of which have been bioassayed himself. The reader will find themselves going on this journey with them, experiencing what they experienced, both in their hearts and in the psychedelic journeys they have. The second half of PiHKAL is called The Chemical Story, and it contains detailed instructions for, and effects of, the synthesis of 179 psychedelic phenethylamines, which were mostly discovered by Shulgin himself. For each substance there is information on its synthesis, suggested effective dosage, duration, and detailed commentary on the subjective effects that were experienced. This book appeals to adults of all ages and cultures, and to the psychedelically experienced and inexperienced alike.
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    978 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Transform Press
  4. Publication date
    October 1, 1990
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1.75 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0963009605
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0963009609
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

PIHKAL: A Chemical Love Story
$17.66
Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 15
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
TIHKAL: The Continuation
$17.09
Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 15
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Nature of Drugs Vol. 1: History, Pharmacology, and Social Impact
$18.61
Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 15
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Choose items to buy together.

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alexander "Sasha" Shulgin (June 17, 1925 – June 2, 2014) was an American medicinal chemist, biochemist, organic chemist, pharmacologist, psychopharmacologist, and author. He is credited with introducing MDMA ("ecstasy", "mandy" or "molly") to psychologists in the late 1970s for psychopharmaceutical use, and for the discovery, synthesis and personal bioassay of over 230 psychoactive compounds for their psychedelic and entactogenic potential.

Ann Shulgin co-founded Transform Press in 1991 with her husband, Sasha Shulgin, out of their shared passion and commitment to an uncensored examination of psychoactive compounds. Through the Press they co-authored and published PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story (1991) and TiHKAL: The Continuation (1997), the two cult classics based on their psychedelic experiences. They also contributed jointly to several other publications including, The Secret Chief, The Secret Chief Revealed, Entheogens and the Future of Religion, and Ecstasy: The Complete Guide. Ann has served as a lay therapist facilitating the use of MDMA and 2CB in therapeutic settings while those substances were still legal. She brings a Jungian orientation to her examination of psychedelic experiences, with a particular emphasis on the integration of the Shadow and an overarching theme of spirituality and unification with the divine in all things.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Transform Press; First Edition (October 1, 1990)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 978 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0963009605
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0963009609
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.87 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.75 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,496 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Alexander Shulgin

Alexander Shulgin

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
1,496 global ratings
2 books in 1
5 Stars
2 books in 1
The personal experiences are a great read if wondering how chemicals can affect your mind.p. Part 2 is very specific on how to make all those chemicals with little to no experience.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Austin Talavera
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is magnificent.
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2023
Verified Purchase
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in psychopharmacology and or psychoactive substances. The first 450 some pages is a beautiful story about the lives of the author and as his wife, how they became intertwined, and their spiritual evolution’s alongside their detailed psychedelic experiences over the years. There is romance, conflict, some drama, adventure, and wisdom throughout the story. The next 400 pages or so read like a medicinal chemist’s laboratory experiments and notes. You don’t need an in depth knowledge of chemistry to read and understand the book, but I’m sure people with a background in chemistry would absolutely love the second half. This book is a hidden treasure and no library of psychedelic literature is complete without it.
11 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Ciaran
5.0 out of 5 stars Just another memoir from a dirty drug addict?
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2015
Verified Purchase
No. A chemical opus, perhaps. A masterpiece from a man who was adept with a conical flask as Michaelangelo was with a paintbrush, or Da Vinci with charcoal. Many may disagree but anyone who can who can discover, document and wax poetic about the subtle nuances of the effects of moving around an isomer or two...well, they must be unique to say the least. Sasha and his wife Ann were just that - a very special couple whose love exudes from their interactions, joined together in their mutual appreciation for psychedelics. Part memoir, part lab journal, Pihkal is an interesting read even for someone such as myself with only a minor interest in the science behind the experiences.

We've been taught that psychedelics are psychosis-inducing compounds, highly addictive, terribly dangerous and ultimately will lead to the breakdown of society. The Shulgins, after DECADES of psychedelic use, are highly intelligent and very loving people with not a hint of psychological problems. In fact, after very sadly passing away at the ripe old age of 88, Sasha surpassed the average life expectancy for a western man by a good couple of years. Hardly the story of the drug-crazed addict dying alone in a back alley with a needle sticking out of their arm. Always honest (even with the "bad" experiences), Alexander Shulgin was a pioneer of psychoactive chemistry, a man who stuck to his convictions and followed a passion for discovering new socio-chemical interactions despite strong pressure from various government agencies.

This is not the tale of a clandestine chemist passing dirty drugs to naive teens. This is not breaking bad. This book is an eye-opener into one of the unsung heroes of the scientific world, and his stories of benignly wandering around art museums while experimenting with new Phenethylamines is a far cry from the wild-eyed psychosis that certain people would have us believe psychedelics induce.
142 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars My Most Treasured Posession
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book contained so much more than I realized, and now I understand why so many people speak of it like it is a tome full of wonder, inspiration, & imagination. We could all learn much from this book, and we should all learn from this book. Ann's writing was absolute wonderful and captivating, and Sasha's genius exudes from every paragraph that he wrote.

Both of their writings have been a guiding light in my life, and I do hope it will be in yours as well.
6 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
JW
5.0 out of 5 stars 2 books in 1
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2023
Verified Purchase
The personal experiences are a great read if wondering how chemicals can affect your mind.p. Part 2 is very specific on how to make all those chemicals with little to no experience.
Customer image
JW
5.0 out of 5 stars 2 books in 1
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2023
The personal experiences are a great read if wondering how chemicals can affect your mind.p. Part 2 is very specific on how to make all those chemicals with little to no experience.
Images in this review
Customer image Customer image Customer image
Customer imageCustomer imageCustomer image
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Maddy
5.0 out of 5 stars fascinating
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2024
Verified Purchase
shulgin.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
D. Drury
5.0 out of 5 stars An unexpected and deep philosophical thought piece
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2014
Verified Purchase
PHIKAL is a very strange yet compelling doorway into the complexity of the human mind, the potential power of drugs in expanding psychadelic consciousness and the love between two people.

It's disappointing that Alexander Shulgin doesn't get the recognition he deserves for pursuing what in today's world might be seen to be a very taboo and contraversial topic - drugs, psychedelic drugs occasionally maligned as recreational - but as you read the book you start to understand the incredible power his discoveries of various (often naturally occurring) compounds have on the perception of reality and the workings of the mind.

The almost peripheral questions the book presents, as if by accident - about what it means to be human, how complex life really is and how little we really understand about not only the human brain but the power of nature around us - is staggering. No doubt Alexanders self experiments and those with people close to him have pushed him into territories that we will only begin to discover properly in decades to come.

You may be mistaken for thinking this book is a cook book for drugs or a curio-so from the pre-raver generation - it is not. It is a very important pre-text for our future.
15 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Daniel Vaughan
4.0 out of 5 stars insightful read into the world of psychodelics
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2022
Verified Purchase
Never tried one, this is food for thought into doing so. Shura’s and Alice’s accounts are complimentary and the love story is certainly worth a read. I can’t judge the second part of the book, but I highly recommend the first part.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
cory engkjer
5.0 out of 5 stars What a ride
Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2023
Verified Purchase
This was one of the best books I’ve ever read on any topic.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Mason
5.0 out of 5 stars Just Perfect
Reviewed in Canada on February 27, 2024
Verified Purchase
Amazing book had exactly what i was looking for from the start of the story to the end it was fantastic, amazon also delivered this way faster than i expected.
Report
Max
5.0 out of 5 stars Masterpiece
Reviewed in Italy on October 22, 2023
Verified Purchase
A true masterpiece for every chemistry enthusiast.
Report
Arthur martin
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect
Reviewed in France on October 14, 2023
Verified Purchase
Perfect
Report
Gordon Campbell
5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 8, 2022
Verified Purchase
Page turner. Well written, chemicals and the craziness of love!
Report
Cliente de Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente
Reviewed in Mexico on June 17, 2019
Verified Purchase
Excelente
Report