The Ego Trip
Psychedelic Toads, A Trail of Deaths and The Guru Who Peddled Transcendence
Will be published approx. on 6. August 2026
Book
Hardback
336 pages
978-1-3996-1794-9 (ISBN)
Description
A psychedelic guru, a magical toad and the dark side of the modern quest for transcendence.
'Entirely mesmerising . . . The Ego Trip is itself a trip' PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE
'A one of a kind book. I loved it' WILLIAM FINNEGAN
'Strange and wonderful' SUSAN ORLEAN
In 2012, physician Octavio Rettig claimed he had revived a forgotten indigenous ritual: smoking the secretions of the Sonoran Desert toad, which releases a potent psychedelic substance known as 'the God molecule'. The experience promised ego death, communion with the divine and extraordinary relief for those suffering from PTSD, depression and drug addiction. As word spread, Octavio became the face of a global psychedelic movement, drawing seekers from around the world.
Yet as his fame grew, so did troubling reports of extreme dosing, abusive behaviour and a disturbing cult-like following. what began as a spiritual revival evolved into something far more dangerous.
In this gripping and deeply reported book, Kimon de Greef explores the promise and the peril of 'toad medicine'. Part true crime, part cult story, part investigative journalism, The Ego Trip chronicles the rise and fall of a self-made messianic figure while probing our relentless search for cosmic understanding.
'Entirely mesmerising . . . The Ego Trip is itself a trip' PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE
'A one of a kind book. I loved it' WILLIAM FINNEGAN
'Strange and wonderful' SUSAN ORLEAN
In 2012, physician Octavio Rettig claimed he had revived a forgotten indigenous ritual: smoking the secretions of the Sonoran Desert toad, which releases a potent psychedelic substance known as 'the God molecule'. The experience promised ego death, communion with the divine and extraordinary relief for those suffering from PTSD, depression and drug addiction. As word spread, Octavio became the face of a global psychedelic movement, drawing seekers from around the world.
Yet as his fame grew, so did troubling reports of extreme dosing, abusive behaviour and a disturbing cult-like following. what began as a spiritual revival evolved into something far more dangerous.
In this gripping and deeply reported book, Kimon de Greef explores the promise and the peril of 'toad medicine'. Part true crime, part cult story, part investigative journalism, The Ego Trip chronicles the rise and fall of a self-made messianic figure while probing our relentless search for cosmic understanding.
Reviews / Votes
Entirely mesmerizing, a tale of psychedelic tourists, shamanistic grift, chemistry, chicanery, tribal history, a chemical gold rush in the Sonoran desert and, above all, the enduring human quest for transcendence. Richly reported and written with humour and flair, The Ego Trip is itself a trip and Kimon de Greef is a major talent * Patrick Radden Keefe, author of Empire of Pain * Elegant and electrifying, this sweeping tale of would-be shamans, corporate cowboys, and faithful acolytes of the God Molecule is one of the sharpest works of long-form journalism I've read in years. It somehow manages to unveil new worlds, expose frauds, and tell a throat-gripping good yarn all at once. Don't hesitate-take the trip! * Robert Moor, New York Times bestselling author of In Trees and On Trails * Told with verve and built on deep reporting, The Ego Trip is strange and wonderful. De Greef is a great storyteller and he guides the reader beautifully around this story's crazy curves * Susan Orlean, author of The Orchid Thief * A one-of-a-kind book. I loved it. A gripping, meticulous journey through the rise and commercialisation of a ferocious new psychedelic. Kimon de Greef is indefatigable. At his story's heart is a charismatic doctor from Guadalajara, who becomes an addled villain on the order of Raskolnikov or Walter White - a character for the ages * William Finnegan, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Barbarian Days *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Orion Publishing Co
Product notice
Trade binding
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 156 mm
Weight
600 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-3996-1794-9 (9781399617949)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Kimon de Greef
The Ego Trip
Psychedelic Toads, A Trail of Deaths and The Guru Who Peddled Transcendence
E-Book
approx. 08/2026
White Rabbit
€14.99
Not yet available
Person
Kimon de Greef's original coverage of Octavio appeared in a March 2022 print edition of The New Yorker. He is the recipient of the inaugural Ferriss-UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship. Kimon's work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Guernica, and National Geographic among others.