How to Change Your MindHow to Change Your Mind
Score Modern
What it's about
Michael Pollan set out to report on how LSD and psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, are being studied as treatments for depression, addiction, anxiety and the fear of dying. Along the way he explores the history of psychedelic research, its suppression and revival, and, in the first person, what these substances do to the mind.
Why it's worth reading
It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and has spent 37 weeks on the lists. It's a careful, curious and personal look at a field of science that's changing fast.
You'll love it if you liked
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
A Short History of Nearly EverythingGood to know
It's journalism, not a how-to guide. A Netflix series is based on it.
By the numbers
- Readers76 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller70 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #90 of the 198 history books we rank
- #98 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #259 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #516 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Thought-provoking
More by Michael Pollan
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
A World Appears: A Journey Into ConsciousnessIf you like this, read next
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
How to Be an Antiracist
The Wright Brothers
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family
Einstein: His Life and Universe
Genius: The Life and Science of Richard FeynmanExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is How to Change Your Mind worth reading?
Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and has spent 37 weeks on the lists. It ranks #516 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 78.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is How to Change Your Mind about?
Michael Pollan set out to report on how LSD and psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, are being studied as treatments for depression, addiction, anxiety and the fear of dying. Along the way he explores the history of psychedelic research, its suppression and revival, and, in the first person, what these substances do to the mind.
How long does it take to read How to Change Your Mind?
About 12 hours (482 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after How to Change Your Mind?
If you liked it, try The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot or A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.