Reid Reads October 2018

#REIDREADS

#REIDREADS posts are dedicated to books I’ve read via Kindle, physical copy or my personal favorite (because you can speed up the reading), Audible, in a no bullshit-cut-to-the-point (biased) review at the end of every month.

“THE BEST INVESTMENT YOU CAN EVER MAKE IS IN YOURSELF.”

1. How To Change Your Mind

– Michael Pollan
[ 13 hrs and 35 mins]

This book had me interested from start to finish and made me feel like I wanted to hear more near the end. Michael Pollan is a well-spoken psychonaut and narrator that is probably one of a small group of people that can accurately describe a psychedelic experience without butchering it. He makes an experience sound reasonable without creating expectations or worry – just raw truth and power of psychedelics’ potential.

Available in: Kindle $14.99 || Hardcover $16.99 || Paperback $20.40 || Audiobook Free with Audible
(clickable links to shop)

2. What Is Zen?

– Susan Moon & Norman Fischer
[6 hrs and 32 mins]

In short, this title has good concepts, nothing revealing that I came to terms with. The book is laid out as a Q&A with most commonly asked questions of Zen – what it is – and the misconceptions. Decent answers for some deep Zen questions.

Available in: Kindle $12.99 || Paperback $14.36 || Audiobook Free with Audible
(clickable links to shop)

3. brainfluence

– Roger Dooley
[7 hrs 14 mins]

A book I’ll have to revisit when and if we decide to get into physical manufacturing of things. Brainfluence provides key points on what makes things attractive when it comes to humans, our attention, habits, and temptations. It wasn’t amazing but it does provide decent strategies to help sell your product when it comes to advertising psychology.

Available in: Kindle $13.00 || Hardcover $19.98 || Audiobook Free with Audible
(clickable links to shop)

4. Food of the Gods

– Terence Mckenna
[8 hrs 51 mins]

From the forefather advocate of psychedelics and hallucinogenics comes a book about plants, drugs, and our human evolution. Whether we like to acknowledge it or not, natural plants help expand human consciousness into the global species we are today. Food of the Gods is similar to How to Change Your mind (which I would recommend reading instead of or at least before Food of the Gods.) Great book for its time. Would re-read again.

(fun fact: you can get a small but dangerous hallucinogenic high from a holiday favorite: nutmeg – DO NOT DO IT, you can die…seriously)

Available in: Hardcover $55.00 || Paperback $13.59 || Audiobook Free with Audible
(clickable links to shop)

5. The Divine Matrix

– Gregg Braden
[7 hrs 14 mins]

Great to finish the Month with this book. Great and amazing read that I was able to listen to twice. Gregg is able to bridge the gap between spirituality and science. In fact, he’s so articulate and accurate that I can’t help but think he has either experienced shrooms and other psychedelics or has at least read books regarding the beauty and connection of all things. I highly recommend this book but you do need an open mind to bridge unknown gaps which Mr. Braden helps guide via science and most recent research regarding oneness.

Available in: Kindle $4.99 || Hardcover $19.85 || Paperback $15.29 || Audiobook Free with Audible
(clickable links to shop)

This month I was able to complete 5 books with the focus being mind development and a bit of human history. Brainfluence taught me how the human mind reacts to situations when buying/looking/selling. While Food of the Gods and How to Change Your Mind taught me how natural substances that sprout from the earth can enhance our mental states and open our minds to new concepts like Zen and The Divine Matrix. Beautiful flow with all these books for the month as they all circle around how we as humans interpret the world and how we have the limitless potential to do just that. I hope my reviews are one of those things contributing to our species. Anyway, thanks for reading!

“KNOWLEDGE IS POWER BUT ONLY WISDOM IS LIBERTY.” 

– Will Durant

Disclaimer: Wanderlustyle included affiliate links in this post to support our book purchases. Everything is my honest opinion. Thank you and happy reading!