Outside Looking in

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In 1943, LSD is synthesized in Basel, and by the 1960s, a group of Harvard grad students becomes captivated by the drug under the influence of Timothy Leary. Fitzhugh Loney, a psychology Ph.D. student, and his wife, Joanie, find themselves drawn into a world where their "research" shifts from clinical trials to an adventurous exploration of mind expansion and communal living. With humor and pathos, Boyle chronicles the Loneys' journey from their initiation at one of Leary's parties to notorious summer seminars in Zihuatanejo, culminating in their expulsion from Harvard. They then join a community of thirty devotees living in a sprawling mansion, engaging in various experiments and philosophical inquiries. The narrative raises profound questions: Is LSD a belief system? Can it lead to spiritual enlightenment? Can the Loneys' marriage withstand the tumultuous and often hedonistic effects of psychedelics? Witty and insightful, this work showcases Boyle's masterful prose and intricate plots, offering an engaging exploration of reality, identity, and consciousness, as well as the limitless potential for creativity and self-discovery.