“Such an important book: so beautifully written and moving that it holds its journalistic rigor lightly. Whether you’re an enthusiastic psychonaut or have never heard of Timothy Leary, Empire of the Mind is a clear-eyed tour through an area of science, health, and philosophy that is controversial, complex, and fascinating.” — Xand van Tulleken, author of Make Me Well: One Doctor's Quest to Understand the Confusing World of Wellness

“Turn on, tune in, cash out. This riveting expose reveals the big money and power trying to hijack the psychedelic revolution. The wild story spins from shocking cover ups to outlandish patent battles, revealing the enormous stakes in a hidden fight over the human mind.” —Christopher Leonard, author of Kochland and The Lords of Easy Money

“As psychedelics race toward acceptance as medications for our minds, Olivia Goldhill waves a much-needed and well-researched yellow flag. Empire of the Mind exposes the dark side of the gurus, research institutions, and industry players that have promoted psychedelics as nearly magical cures.” —Daniel Bergner, author of The Mind and the Moon: My Brother's Story, the Science of Our Brains, and the Search for Our Psyches

“Olivia Goldhill is a tenacious reporter, and Empire of the Mind is an insightful and compelling account of the forces shaping the psychedelic renaissance—a story of idealists, opportunism and the seemingly unshakable constraints of human nature. An essential read for understanding the strange new industry of altered states.” —Kimon de Greef, author of The Ego Trip: Psychedelic Toads, a Trail of Deaths, and the Guru Who Peddled Transcendence

Empire of the mind

Pre-order here (US) or here (UK)

When investigative journalist Olivia Goldhill started reporting on psychedelics a decade ago, the science suggested these criminalized drugs would transform the mental health industry. Studies showed psychedelics could alleviate depression and trauma and were set to be the first new mental health treatment in a generation. But as she kept reporting, she discovered their promise was under threat. 

A battle was brewing—a fight not just for control of psychedelics, but for the very meaning of these drugs. Hippies and scientists believed tripping was the gateway to a more holistic approach to mental health, built around therapy and community support. But billionaire-backed entrepreneurs also saw an opportunity and worked to quash these efforts with cutthroat pharmaceutical tactics, churning out pills for profit. Meanwhile, activists in Oregon had a radical plan to create their own version of psychedelic therapy, entirely outside of the medical sphere.

In Empire of the Mind, Goldhill dives into the world of corporate behemoths, nonprofits, and community activists, each fighting for the future of these potentially transformative—and lucrative—psychedelic drugs. With gripping on-the-ground reporting, she sounds an urgent alarm about how one of the last vestiges of counterculture could end up tamed into a capitalist product.

Olivia Goldhill has been writing on psychedelics for over a decade. She is a New America fellow, supported by Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, and is currently a features editor at New Scientist magazine. Her reporting has been recognized by the British Journalism Awards, the Medical Journalists’ Association Awards, the EPPY Awards, and the Livingston Awards, and she has written for publications including The New York Times, The Guardian, and STAT.