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The Doors of Perception Audiobook
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(3.00) - 13,557 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The critically acclaimed novelist and social critic Aldous Huxley describes his personal experimentation with the drug mescaline and explores the nature of visionary experience. The title of this classic comes from William Blake’s The Marriage of Heaven and Hell: “If the doors of perception were cleansed, every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things through narrow chinks of his cavern.”
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"It was amazing to have what a psychedelic experience feels like put into words. I've tried many times to describe the feeling - that's more than a feeling - to no avail. But Huxley does a wonderful job. I want to give it to my sister to read and see if it can convince her to try some with me. "
— Caitlyn (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“There is nothing the pen of Huxley touches which it does not illuminate, and as the record of a highly civilized, brilliantly articulate man under the influence of an astonishing drug, The Doors of Perception is a tour de force.”
— Daily Telegraph (London) -
“You can look at Aldous Huxley and draw parallels with the Beatles…with The Doors of Perception his full-blown Sergeant Pepper trip. Like the Beatles, Huxley had so many ideas in his head that it was natural he would want to expand and experiment. What drugs provided for them both was not escape, but reevaluation.”
— Times (London) -
“The Doors of Perception is a poignant book, partly because it reveals the human frailties and yearnings of a very cerebral writer.”
— Financial Times (London) -
“Sometimes a writer has to revisit the classics, and here we find that ‘gonzo journalism’—gutsy first-person accounts wherein the author is part of the story—didn’t originate with Hunter S. Thompson or Tom Wolfe. Aldous Huxley took some mescaline and wrote about it some ten or twelve years earlier than those others. The book he came up with is part bemused essay and part mystical treatise—‘suchness’ is everywhere to be found while under the influence. This is a good example of essay writing, journal keeping, and the value of controversy—always—in one’s work.”
— Amazon.com, editorial review
The Doors of Perception Listener Reviews
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" This book changed my life a little bit. "
— Emily, 2/19/2014 -
" This book stinks. It's a mix of unexplained eastern philosophy references, and incorrect scientific information "
— Phillyclaude, 2/18/2014 -
" Meh, el mero retrato de un viaje de mezcalina. Interesante, pero no tiene mucho valor literario. "
— Fathermocker, 2/15/2014 -
" After reading this, I really want to experiment with mescaline. Unfortunately, I'm 99.9% sure it would give me the giantest panic attack ever. *sadface* "
— Sarah, 2/13/2014 -
" Thing about this one is that, while I suspect Huxley has nailed--perfectly--the origins of the religious impulse, as well as its connection to hallucinogenics and a multitude of other vices, in the desire for self-transendence, his critique of systematic reasoning is followed by a bit of his own systematic reasoning, which does not seem to be a self-conscious choice. In other words, he cannot help but do the thing he wants us to stop doing. If nothing else, he has successfully identified the core problem of being human, which is no small task. "
— Sam, 2/11/2014 -
" Yeah I mean you know. "
— Simon, 2/7/2014 -
" like using drugs "
— Tsigalko, 2/3/2014 -
" There were some parts of this book I found incredibly insightful and some parts I found to be profoundly redundant. I understand it's an old book so I can forgive the numerous references to pieces of art and literature that flew completely over my head. But I'm still really glad I managed to finish reading this book. It had a quaint charm in how whether you're speaking of drug addicts from the 1900's or 2000's, they all go into such depth of detail when describing something that, to someone's never tried a hallucinogen, may seem mundane or insignificant "
— Michael, 2/1/2014 -
" This is one of the most influential books I have ever read. The ideas are simple yet so profound in scope that it shaped the way I view the entire universe, sanity, insanity, love, time and hope. "
— Arianna, 2/1/2014 -
" This was the book that inspired the Doors so I thought I would try it out. Not having read much from the drug culture and being very young and naieve I enjoyed this book, but don't think I will return to it. "
— melody, 1/28/2014 -
" This is an excellent book. I bought it and read it at the age of 15. I wish i still had it as I just got to read some samples from it online. This is good old Aldous Huxley whom wrote A Brave New World. "
— Rob, 1/20/2014 -
" A fundamental book of my most recent late post-adolescence . . . in terms of traveling . . . preparation for . . . folds in cords . . . Mozart's Jupiter Symphony . . . "
— Lee, 1/8/2014 -
" The experience of taking drugs without having to take them. Thought-provoking social commentary as well. "
— Brian, 1/8/2014 -
" This book changed my life. Plain and Simple. Huxley made me feel empowered by my own idea of being lonely in this universe. It's not a negative reflection, but really an acceptance that we must take our journey to the other side alone. I have read this book more than any other book. "
— Benjamin, 12/31/2013 -
" Very instructive. "
— Christian, 12/27/2013 -
" If there are "gateway drugs", then this is a "gateway book". Admit it, if you get what I'm saying, then you've probably used this book as a justification too. "
— Danger, 12/27/2013 -
" Essential reading for young Heads. You aren't just partying (hopefully), take it seriously and go with this guide if no other. Careful! Anyone older can tell casualty stories, sensationalized if not personal... "
— Chilly, 12/22/2013 -
" Drugs as poetry. "
— Alo, 12/9/2013 -
" A must-read for anyone who wants to probe beyond life's "sober" limitations. "
— Suzanne, 12/8/2013 -
" A provocative look at the human mind and more specifically, visionary experience. Huxley proves again why he is unmatched in both his intellectual curiosity and the aptitude to express his thoughts clearly on paper. "
— Smartiyan, 12/8/2013 -
" Worthy of many revisits in every state of mind. "
— Gabriela, 12/5/2013 -
" The author, although cloyingly prone to hyperbole, presents a good case for mescaline, and in the 1950s, no less! I'm sure some of this essay's worth has been lost with the ages; after all, there are only so many things one can say about peyote, but who's to tell Huxley wasn't the first to say them? "
— Matt, 11/29/2013 -
" aldous was clearly a brillant nut. "
— Vanessa, 9/10/2013 -
" I think I am not philosophical enough to fully understand this or maybe it's because I didn't take mescalin before reading it. Besides that it is still an interesting read. "
— Marlene, 7/22/2013 -
" i actually never made it through this one, but damned if it wasn't a helluva ride while it lasted. "
— Susan, 6/11/2013 -
" The story of his mescaline trip, interesting as poetry. Also, his light attack on the shift from our cultural interest in humanities and our inability to accept these kinds of novel experiences...remember, written in the 50's. "
— Cameron, 6/5/2013 -
" Definately an interesting book looking at the perceptual and religious experience as a function of peyote/mescaline use.... "
— Christine, 5/9/2013 -
" classic drug experience with lots of academic, philosophical bullshit thrown in to uphold his status "
— Mary, 5/3/2013 -
" consider the lilies. This book was a fun analysis on perception. Visual experiences and how they can lead to higher or lower transcendence. open the doors and explore your antipodes. "
— Jesse, 8/6/2012 -
" Hallucinogenics, a man, and a journal. Put them all together and this is what you get. "
— Laura, 6/16/2012 -
" Clearly> "
— Ant, 6/15/2012 -
" Mescaline! "
— Leslie, 4/17/2012 -
" Great for any doors fan "
— Powerofattorney, 4/6/2012 -
" i actually never made it through this one, but damned if it wasn't a helluva ride while it lasted. "
— Susan, 2/17/2012 -
" Once learned, one cannot unlearn. "
— Christine, 9/27/2011 -
" a counter-culture classic! "
— Scott, 6/5/2011 -
" the role of drugs relative to metaphyiscs. "
— Lance, 5/25/2011 -
" This is an excellent book. I bought it and read it at the age of 15. I wish i still had it as I just got to read some samples from it online. This is good old Aldous Huxley whom wrote A Brave New World. "
— Rob, 5/14/2011 -
" This is an excellent book. I bought it and read it at the age of 15. I wish i still had it as I just got to read some samples from it online. This is good old Aldous Huxley whom wrote A Brave New World. "
— Rob, 5/14/2011 -
" This is a re-read. Original reading was late 1980s. "
— Joe, 4/15/2011 -
" This is a re-read. Original reading was late 1980s. "
— Joe, 4/15/2011 -
" non fiction account of mesculine use...good thoughts on the use of drugs in religious and intellectual life and the expanding of our our perception, interesting dated book "
— David, 3/18/2011 -
" non fiction account of mesculine use...good thoughts on the use of drugs in religious and intellectual life and the expanding of our our perception, interesting dated book "
— David, 3/18/2011 -
" It was amazing to have what a psychedelic experience feels like put into words. I've tried many times to describe the feeling - that's more than a feeling - to no avail. But Huxley does a wonderful job. I want to give it to my sister to read and see if it can convince her to try some with me. "
— Caitlyn, 10/6/2010 -
" Si las puertas de la percepción fueran depuradas, todo aparecería ante el hombre tal como es: INFINITO "
— Oscar, 9/1/2010 -
" Si las puertas de la percepción fueran depuradas, todo aparecería ante el hombre tal como es: INFINITO "
— Oscar, 9/1/2010
About Aldous Huxley
Aldous Leonard Huxley (1894–1963) was an English poet, novelist, dramatist, essayist, and humanist philosopher. He attended Eton and Oxford and briefly taught at Eton before devoting himself solely to writing. His fifth novel, Brave New World, is one of the most read books in literary history.
About Rudolph Schirmer
Rudolph Schirmer (1919–2000) was educated at St. Mark’s and Princeton University. His father’s music publishing business, G. Schirmer, Inc., was responsible for bringing classical music to America and for nurturing leading composers of the twentieth century. A talented poet and writer, he was published in various journals and had a long association with the Huxley family.