
LSD My Problem Child
by Albert Hoffman Ph.D. · first published 2017
21mentions
9recommended by
18HN commenters
2009–2025first – last mentioned
50% recommend50% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Firsthand account by the chemist who discovered LSD, covering how it was found and his later reflections on its effects and use; recommended to anyone interested in psychedelics and their history.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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LSD my problem child by Albert Hoffmann
on “Ask HN: Which non-fiction books had the biggest impact on you?” ↗…document the human experience? For instance: - Scriptures of the major religions - The Conquest of Happiness (Bertrand Russell) - On Aggression (Konrad Lorenz) - Crowds and Power (Elias Canetti) - LSD, My Problem Child (Albert Hofmann) - Huis Clos (J.P. Sartre) - Essays by Michel de Montaigne - The Incoherence of the Incoherence (Ibn Rushd)
on “Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read” ↗"LSD - My Problem Child" is also well worth a read IMHO. It's by Hoffman and it tells the story of its discovery, also giving a few of his thoughts on what happened afterwards. Personally I'm not a huge fan of the "wonder drug…
on “LSD, Reconsidered for Therapy” ↗I highly recommend "LSD - my problem child" by Albert Hofmann, the inventor/discoverer of LSD. It's an interesting insight into the origins of the substance, and the feelings of its 'Father' towards what happened afterwards.
on “Owsley Stanley: The King of LSD (2011)” ↗This encouraged me to read his book "LSD: my problem child" (where this article pulls this excerpt from). I would recommend anyone interested in psychedelics to give it a read! It's available for free on the internet archive: https://archive.org/details/LSDMyProblemChildByDr.AlbertHoff...
on “Albert Hofmann discovers the effects of LSD (1943)” ↗For further reading, LSD: My problem child by Albert Hofmann is also interesting
on “Psychedelics could heal brain cells in people suffering from depression: study” ↗Shulgin’s Book PIHKAL, the biographical one is excellent. What Albert Hoffman wrote about LSD is also worth reading (LSD my problem child)
on “Mescaline’s Bio, Soberly Considered” ↗And then 4/20... and that's just a coincidence? It's enough to make one a bit paranoid even without partaking. Edit: I just went and re ordered Albert Hofman's book LSD my problem child. Its been a long time but I remember it as being informative!
on “Bicycle Day (Psychedelic Holiday)” ↗…contemporary society. Baudrillard posits that symbols and signs have replaced reality and meaning, creating a hyperreal world where simulations of reality have become more real than reality itself. * "LSD: My Problem Child" by Albert Hofmann (1 mention) * Summary: This autobiographical work by Albert Hofmann, the Swiss chemist who first synthesized LSD, discusses his discovery and personal experiences with the drug,…
on “Ask HN: Which non-fiction books had the biggest impact on you?” ↗…to research and insights free of political stupidity should be easily available. Oh right, we kind of do... It just takes _a lot_ of reading: * https://nlm.nih.gov * https://maps.org - I recommend LSD: My problem Child. By one Dr. Albert Hofmann. It is available as a free download on PDF, legally. * https://unodc.org * Critical thinking, LEARN IT. Read and understand the subject matter.* LSD-25 refers for the base…
on “Psychedelic news: The government fast-tracked LSD as an anxiety treatment” ↗I read LSD: My Problem Child. Interesting, short, book. At one point, Sandoz was giving out samples to anyone who asked, as they were hoping someone would find a good commercial use. Timothy Leary went and ordered 10 grams (which…
on “Albert Hofmann discovers the effects of LSD (1943)” ↗From LSD - My Problem Child, pt. "Discovery of the Psychic Effects of LSD": "Nevertheless, in the spring of 1943, I repeated the synthesis of LSD-25. As in the first synthesis, this involved the production of only a few centigrams…
on “San Francisco decriminalizes psychedelics” ↗>Note: LSD, My Problem Child appears in this library under the "Fair Use" rulings regarding the 1976 Copyright Act for NON-profit academic, research, and general information purposes. Readers requiring a permanent copy of LSD, My…
on “LSD – My Problem Child (1980) [pdf]” ↗In Hoffman's book "LSD: My Problem Child", he has a chapter (#6, entitled "The Mexican Relatives of LSD") where he talks at length about the process of isolating psilocybin and what his motivations were in participating. What you mentioned definitely…
on “Hallucinogenic Fish” ↗…tracing the evolution of hacking culture from the 1950s to the present day. It details the personalities, philosophies, and technical exploits that have defined this diverse and innovative subculture. * "LSD my problem child" by Albert Hoffmann (1 mention) * Summary: This book is the autobiography of Albert Hofmann, the Swiss chemist who first synthesized LSD. It chronicles his discovery, the subsequent fallout, and his…
on “Ask HN: Which non-fiction books had the biggest impact on you?” ↗