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The History of LSD

Writer Jay Stevens has a new book about the creation of LSD in the 1940s, research into its therapeutic and weaponized potential in the 1950s, and its role in the 1960s counterculture--fueled in part by the influence of people like Timothy Leary, Ken Kesey and Aldous Huxley.

27:32
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Other segments from the episode on August 26, 1987

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, August 26, 1987: Interview with Jay Stevens; Review of Virginia Eskin's album "Pickles and Peppers"; Interview with Phil Tippett; Commentary on Le Grand Larousse.
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06:29

Remembering the Women of Ragtime

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new collection of piano pieces written by women in the early 20th century, and performed by Virginia Eskin. Schwartz says it's a delightful listen and an important social history.

Review
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09:48

Re-animating Stop-Motion Techniques

Phil Tippett worked on TV ads before creating stop-motion animation for feature films. He says there was no demand for his skills in the industry until recently, in part because the technique was associated with B-movies. His credits include Return of the Jedi, Dragonslayer and RoboCop.

Interview
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03:36

France's Catalog of the World

While vacationing in France, linguist Geoff Nunberg visited a museum exhibit showcasing an early edition of the Grand Larousse dictionary. He considers the cultural significance of this text, and what it says about how the French view language.

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