The Nature of Drugs Vol. 1

History, Pharmacology, and Social Impact

By: Alexander Shulgin

Narrated by: Fred Sanders

The Nature of Drugs: History, Pharmacology, and Social Impact, Volume 1, presents lectures from Alexander “Sasha” Shulgin’s popular course on what drugs are, how they work, how they are processed by the body, and how they affect our society.

Transcribed from the original lectures recorded at San Francisco State University in 1987, The Nature of Drugs series highlights Shulgin’s engaging lecture style peppered with illuminating anecdotes and amusing asides. Ostensibly taught as an introductory course on drugs and biochemistry, these books serve as both a historical record of Shulgin’s teaching style and the culmination of his philosophy on drugs, psychopharmacology, states of consciousness, and societal and individual freedoms pertaining to their use, both medicinal and exploratory.

The Nature of Drugs, Volume 1 features course lectures 1 through 8 and offers Shulgin’s view on the origin of drugs, the history of U.S. drug law enforcement, human anatomy, the nervous system, the range of drug administrations, varieties of drug actions, memory and states of consciousness, and research methods. It lays the groundwork for Shulgin’s philosophy on psychopharmacology and society.

The Nature of Drugs series presents the story of humanity’s relationship with psychoactive substances from the perspective of a master psychopharmacologist and beloved luminary in the study of chemistry, pharmacology and consciousness.

Audiobook note: The Nature of Drugs, Volume 1 audiobook contains portions of the original 1987 recordings of Shulgin himself conducting his course and interacting with his students. Those original clips are interlaced with newly recorded narration that fills in portions with more optimal audio quality.

©2021 Alexander Shuglin (P)2022 Transform Press

Amazing to have this book released on audible.

Amazing to have original audio clips inserted throughout the book. May the Shulgins live on through all of us.

loved every word. great book and history.

loved the book, Alexander's story and the history. so good! would listen again. get it!

What an amazing experience

As a chemist with a masters degree I found this book amazing. Lots of new light on old ideas. He was such a beautiful being with such an amazing mind. This is a treasure

Where's volume two

lots of great information but in this first volume they don't get into The nature of drugs

To Hear his Voice again 😭

I have this book in hard cover, i work in chemistry because of this man and his views, i pray one day to teach an up to date course on this material. I was shocked that the Audio has actual classroom recordings of Sasha. It hit a note as I was under the assumption i had listened to all recordings publicly available. Its in my top 5 audible purchases, without a doubt.