Once an alternative doorway into radical culture, LSD is now being re-examined for its possible mental health benefits. Sub-titled 'Classic Selections from The Psychedelic Review, The Revolutionary 1960s Forum of Psychopharmacological Substances'. Half a century ago, the world changed forever when a Swiss chemist inadvertently ingested the experimental compound lysergic acid diethylamide. Many scientists expected LSD's radically psychoactive chemicals to revolutionise mainstream culture. The Psychedelic Review was founded in 1963 as a serious journal dedicated to the study of the potential of both natural and synthesized psychedelic substances. Presenting experts in the fields of anthropology, religion, pharmacology, poetry, and metaphysics, this pioneering journal had a dramatic impact on its times. Today, the benefits of LSD and other psychoactive drugs in treating depression, anxiety disorders, and PTSD have sparked renewed research. The Psychedelic Reader offers a relevant guidebook to the foundations of a bold new era in mental health studies. Luminaries such as Alan Watts, Timothy Leary, Sir Julian Huxley, and Ralph Metzner contribute insights on a variety of fascinating and controversial subjects. From precise dosage guidelines to ruminations on the poetry of Herman Hesse, this powerful anthology presents the entire psychedelic spectrum with both the seriousness and open-mindedness it deserves. 256 page paperback.

Sub-titled Soldiers and Ambulances 1914-1918 In Flanders Fields and Ypres, Soldiers and Psychiatrists 1914-2014, this book is a study of the suffering of war, which can be overwhelming. The book is exceptionally well illustrated with posters, colour artworks, archive images, modern photographs and some very harrowing photos depicting blown away body parts including faces, amputated legs and very badly injured soldiers which some may find distressing, but also angelic nurses and portraits and exquisitely beautiful artworks on every page. Offering both analysis and reflection, this intensely moving book looks at the way in which psychiatrists, reporters, artists and war photographers currently perceive and treat the psychological suffering, the often invisible legacy of those involved in war and human conflict. At the beginning of the first world war, not a single European army was prepared to deal with the large numbers of victims in a humanitarian way. How were injured soldiers taken care of and who did this? How were the victims evacuated, and how many were truly traumatised or were "male hysterics"? The firepower of the armies was increased, the defence reinforced, but victim care continued to lag seriously behind. Philanthropy, private initiative and the courageous efforts of many individuals had to make up for the failing medical care during the war. Read about the Friends' Ambulance Unit which was working under the flag of the British Red Cross and the work of the Quakers. As the war progressed, medical care also developed and organisation and relief improved. The greatest breakthrough was, however, the recognition - albeit reluctantly - of mental trauma caused by the war. During World War I, many soldiers fell victim to bizarre, anxious and disturbed behaviour, which was sometimes referred to as "shell shock". The army commanders seemed reluctant to recognise a formal diagnosis, questioning whether men were really traumatised or simply cowards who were trying to stay away from the horrific and terrifying reality of the Front. Whereas in the early 20th century, the focus was mainly on the shock itself and the outward physical symptoms, today there is a far more in-depth exploration of the complex nature of the human reaction to extreme stress, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. A rare import, 192 page extra large sized illustrated paperback, colour.
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Sub-titled 'A Junior Doctor's Stories of Compassion and Burnout', Joanna Cannon entered medicine as a mature student with more life experience than many younger doctors, but this did not protect her from the rudeness, exploitation, humiliation and patronising treatment by peers and superiors, and from near burn-out. She eventually fell on her feet in psychiatry, but the message of her book is about the immense value of 'the human effect in medicine' and the whole-person model. 'Words are never, ever, just words' she writes in the context of giving a diagnosis and it is equally true that there is no spare word in her book. Frank and compassionate, her memoir tells the story in heart-rending snapshots and we walk with her through the wards, facing extraordinary and daunting moments, from attending her first post-mortem, sitting with a patient through their final moments, to learning the power of a well or badly chosen word. In a profession where weakness remains a taboo, this beautiful and moving story brings to life the human stories of doctors and patients, and shows us why we need to take better care of those who care for us. It is a powerful hymn to the NHS and to the dedication of so many of its workers. 162pp, paperback.

Aroma is the primary language of trees. They talk with molecules, conspiring with one another, beckoning fungi, scolding insects and whispering to microbes. An olfactory journey which reboots our aromatic memory and reminds us of how our lives are intertwined with the wonder of trees. Each chapter summons a new aroma - leaf litter and wood smoke, pine resin and tannin, quinine and bay leaf - with a witty and erudite companion leading us through the woods and the world. The 13 essays explore the evocative scent of trees, from the smell of a book just printed as you open its first pages to the calming scent of Linden blossom and to the ingredients of a particularly good gin and tonic. The spikey, herbal odour of European juniper berries; a tang of lime juice from a tree descended from wild progenitors in the foothills of the Himalayas; bitter quinine from the bark of the South American cinchona tree, take a sip and feel the aroma and taste of three continents. Slow down, breathe in and experience a smell and allow your sensory awareness to activate and blossom. Sit under the boughs of a ponderosa pine. Roll a laurel leaf between your fingers or rest your hands upon the bark of your favourite tree. Inhale and share the story. 192pp, satin pagemarker.

Divided into three parts, Body, Mind and Spirit, with each expanding on the last, this is a book that so many of us need for our nervous system and mind. Sub-titled 'The Art of Breathing, Mindfulness and Meditation', take this book, pick up a pencil, draw breath and unleash your curiosity and creativity using over 200 guided patterns, shapes and mandalas. Explore a naturally relaxing, flowing breathing rhythm in a technique combining mindfulness, yoga and breathtaking art. There are quotations such as 'He who knows himself is enlightened' from Lao Tzu, lightbulb ideas, how to change your tune and switch frequencies, reframe your brain, get lost in thought, and begin naturally uplifting your mood with these handy tips, OM based on Hindu spirituality, circles of life and divine breath. Beautiful pink and blue art and text, satin pagemarker, 158pp, 75 beautiful illus. and 30 unique and easy activities.