On Hashish

Walter Benjamin's posthumously published collection of writings on hashish is a detailed blueprint for a book that was never written--a "truly exceptional book about hashish," as Benjamin describes it in a letter to his friend Gershom Scholem. A series of "protocols of drug experiments," written by himself and his co-participants between 1927 and 1934, together with short prose pieces that he published during his lifetime, On Hashish provides a peculiarly intimate portrait of Benjamin, venturesome as ever at the end of the Weimar Republic, and of his unique form of thought. Consciously placing himself in a tradition of literary drug-connoisseurs from Baudelaire to Hermann Hesse, Benjamin looked to hashish and other drugs for an initiation into what he called "profane illumination." At issue here, as everywhere in Benjamin's work, is a new way of seeing, a new connection to the ordinary world. Under the influence of hashish, as time and space become inseparable, experiences become subtly stratified and resonant: we inhabit more than one plane in time. What Benjamin, in his contemporaneous study of Surrealism, calls "image space" comes vividly to life in this philosophical immersion in the sensuous. This English-language edition of On Hashish features a section of supplementary materials--drawn from Benjamin's essays, letters, and sketches--relating to hashish use, as well as a reminiscence by his friend Jean Selz, which concerns a night of opium-smoking in Ibiza. A preface by Howard Eiland discusses the leading motifs of Benjamin's reflections on intoxication. Front Contents Translator's Foreword On Hashish “Walter Benjamin and Drug Literature”, by Marcus Boon Editorial Note, by Tillman Rexroth Protocols of Drug Experiments 1. Main Features of My First Impression of Hashish 2. Main Features of My Second Impression of Hashish Ernst Bloch: Protocol of the Same Experiment Bloch's Protocol of the Experiment of [January 14, 1928] 3. Protocol of the Hashish Experiment of May 11, 1928 Ernst Joel: Protocol of the Same Experiment Waiting for Fränkel Vodka The Medals The Church The Coaling Station In Myslovice Fränkel Is Accompanied Out by Benj[amin] Thing and Opposite Thing Return Home 4. Saturday, September 29 [1928]; Marseilles 5. Hashish, Beginning of March 1930 6. [On the Experiment of June 7-8, 1930] 7. Egon Wissing: Protocol of the Experiment of March 7, 1931 8. Fritz Fränkel: Protocol of the Experiment of April 12, 1931 [Fragment] 9. Fritz Fränkel: Protocol of April 18, 1931 10. Crock Notes I II 11. Fritz Fränkel: Protocol of the Mescaline Experiment of May 22, 1934 [Notes on the Same Experiment] 12. [Undated Notes] Completed Texts Myslovice-Braunschweig-Marseilles Hashish in Marseilles Addenda From One-Way Street (1923-1926) To the Planetarium From "Surrealism'' (1929) From “May-June 1931” From "Surrealism'' (1929) From The Arcades Project (1927-1940) From the Notebooks From the Letters An Experiment by Walter Benjamin (Jean Selz) Notes, Index Notes 1. Main Features of My First Impression of Hashish 2. Main Features of My Second Impression of Hashish 3. Protocol of the Hashish Experiment ofMay 11, 1928 4. Saturday, September 29 [1928]; Marseilles 5. Hashish, Beginning of March 1930 6. On the Experiment of June 7-8, 1930 7. Egon Wissing: Protocol of the Experiment of March 7, 1931 8. Fritz Frankel: Protocol of the Experiment of April 12, 1931 9. Fritz Frankel: Protocol of April 18, 1931 10. Crock Notes 11. Fritz Frankel: Protocol of the Mescaline Experiment of May 22, 1934 12. Undated Notes Myslovice-Braunschweig-Marseilles Hashish in Marseilles From One-Way Street From "Surrealism" From "May-June 1931" From The Arcades Projed From the Notebooks From the Letters An Experiment by Walter Benjamin Index Back Walter Benjamin's Posthumously Published Collection Of Writings On Hashish Is A Detailed Blueprint For A Book That Was Never Written - A Truly Exceptional Book About Hashish, As Benjamin Describes It In A Letter To His Friend Gershom Scholem. A Series Of Protocols Of Drug Experiments, Written By Himself And His Co-participants In The Years 1927-1934, Together With Short Prose Pieces That He Published During His Lifetime, On Hashish Provides A Portrait Of Benjamin, Venturesome As Ever At The End Of The Weimar Republic, And Of His Unique Form Of Thought. Consciously Placing Himself In A Tradition Of Literary Drug-connoisseurs From Baudelaire To Hermann Hesse, Benjamin Looked To Hashish And Other Drugs For An Initiation Into What He Called Profane Illumination. At Issue Here Is A Way Of Seeing, A New Connection To The Ordinary World. Under The Influence Of Hashish, As Time And Space Becomes Inseparable, What Benjamin, In His Study Of Surrealism, Calls Image Space Comes Vividly To Life In This Philosophical Immersion In The Sensuous. This English-language Edition Of On Hashish Features A Section Of Supplementary Materials - Drawn From Benjamin's Essays, Letters, And Sketches. A Foreword By Howard Eiland Discusses The Leading Motifs In Benjamin's Reflections On Intoxication.--jacket. Walter Benjamin And Drug Literature, / Marcus Boon -- Editorial Note / Tillman Rexroth -- Protocols Of Drug Experiments (1-12) -- Completed Texts. Myslovice, Braunschweig, Marseilles ; Hashish In Marseilles -- Addenda. From: One-way Street ; From: Surrealism ; From: May-june 1931 ; From: The Arcades Project ; From: The Notebooks ; From: The Letters ; An Experiment By Walter Benjamin, / Jean Selz. Walter Benjamin ; Translated By Howard Eiland And Others ; With An Introductory Essay By Marcus Boon. Translated From The German. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 159-170) And Index.