A psychedelic guru, a magical toad and the dark side of the modern quest for transcendence.

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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kimon de Greef is a journalist from South Africa. His original coverage of Octavio appeared in The New Yorker magazine. He has also written for The New York Times, The Guardian and Guernica, among other leading international publications. His first book, coauthored with Shuhood Abader, was Poacher: Confessions From the Abalone Underworld. 

'The Ego Trip: Psychedelic Toads, A Trail of Deaths and The Guru Who Peddled Transcendence' is published by The Orion Publishing Group and distributed in South Africa by Jonathan Ball Publishers