APRIL 2019 - AudioFile
This is a listen for those curious about what life was like under the spell of the real-life cult-like figure Timothy Leary, who extolled the virtues of psychedelic drugs, free love, and the search for enlightenment. Boyle’s latest novel takes the listener back to the 1960s and a group of PhD students who are followers of the charismatic psychologist. Narrator Johnathan McClain delivers this story in a mellow tone that illuminates the days of drug experimentation and flower power. Boyle knows how to tell a story, and McClain offers a nice balance of skilled pacing and a sensitive approach to characters who may leave listeners aghast at their life choices. J.P.S. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
Spellbinding...Boyle’s latest work of countercultural, biographical fiction will lure his devotees and the newly curious alike.” — Booklist
"He writes with a youthful and sustained energy that parallels the zeal of his dreamers, and that ultimately attenuates their failures. There are few writers who seem more American." — New York Times Book Review
“This is a superbly paced novel that manages to feel simultaneously suspenseful and inevitable.” — Washington Post
“Few novelists have benefited more from the freedom unleashed by the psychedelic revolution than the prolific Boyle, . . . but here he shows a buttoned-down control over his material, a deadpan innocence in the face of seismic changes to come. . . . Boyle evokes a cultural flashpoint with implications that transcend acid flashbacks.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Boyle takes us deep inside the lives of [Timothy] Leary and his convention-bashing acolytes, offering a brisk read that provides much food for thought. Boyle fans will enjoy.” — Library Journal (starred review)
Booklist
Spellbinding...Boyle’s latest work of countercultural, biographical fiction will lure his devotees and the newly curious alike.
New York Times Book Review
"He writes with a youthful and sustained energy that parallels the zeal of his dreamers, and that ultimately attenuates their failures. There are few writers who seem more American."
Washington Post
This is a superbly paced novel that manages to feel simultaneously suspenseful and inevitable.
Booklist
Spellbinding...Boyle’s latest work of countercultural, biographical fiction will lure his devotees and the newly curious alike.
Washington Post
This is a superbly paced novel that manages to feel simultaneously suspenseful and inevitable.
APRIL 2019 - AudioFile
This is a listen for those curious about what life was like under the spell of the real-life cult-like figure Timothy Leary, who extolled the virtues of psychedelic drugs, free love, and the search for enlightenment. Boyle’s latest novel takes the listener back to the 1960s and a group of PhD students who are followers of the charismatic psychologist. Narrator Johnathan McClain delivers this story in a mellow tone that illuminates the days of drug experimentation and flower power. Boyle knows how to tell a story, and McClain offers a nice balance of skilled pacing and a sensitive approach to characters who may leave listeners aghast at their life choices. J.P.S. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine