If there’s a single book that defined the 60s, the emerging “Summer of Love” and the hippie culture you need look no further than the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test and the true tale of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters.
Why We Love The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
Tom Wolfe’s book is the story of how Ken Kesey and his followers moved around the United States as they travelled in a converted school bus (a bit like the modern house bus) and held acid tests.
The acid tests were LSD trips (we’ve got a guide to micro-dosing but we urge you to remember LSD is still illegal) and were absolutely recreational and consciousness expanding.
The book details how the group encountered most of the notable folks of the time and finally the collapse of Kesey’s movement, his flight to Mexico and his arrests.
And, of course, his eventual sentence in the forests of California.
The book is the first piece of “New Journalism” to have caught the public’s attention and it’s as fascinating to read today as it was back then.
Final Thoughts On Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
We can’t recommend the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test enough, it’s a book that influenced a generation and chronicles the emergence of that generation too.
It’s a great read and if you’ve ever been interested in how the hippie movement came about, it’s the standout text to explain it.
And if you’re fascinated by hippies, you might also want to check out our guide, “How to be a hippie in 10 super simple steps” too.
You can grab a copy of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test online here.