“Kava: The Pacific Elixir” – by Vincent Lebot

To those in the Oceanic Islands, Kava Kava (known by at least 80 additional names in the region) is a towering, unquestionable presence. On the majority of those islands, Kava still is a major facet of religious, political, social, and economic life. Its effects as an intoxicant are singular and unique; its ability to bring a sense of peace, calm, comfort, empathy, and easy sociability to users, while simultaneously leaving their thinking clear, sharp and lucid is unsurpassed in the entire world of plant inebriants. And yet, compared with many other substances, such as alcohol and cannabis, little study of Kava has been done, few books written about this remarkable plant, its significant place in indigenous Oceanic cultures, and its potential for worldwide acceptance and use.

With Kava: The Pacific Elixir, geneticist Vincent Lebot, ethnobotanist Mark Merlin, and anthropologist Lamont Lindstrom let us in on Oceania’s best-kept secret. This thorough-yet-highly-readable text summarizes almost all major research on Kava, and will answer every question one is likely to have about Piper Mythesticum and its place in traditional Pacific Island cultures. Written with a combination of scientific precision and easy accessibility, Kava covers everything from the origin of the Kava species, to its cultural and social significance, its preparation, effects, religious and medicinal use, and its impact on the world as a whole.

As Kava Kava becomes more and more popular as an intoxicant — and a safer, better substitute for alcohol — in the Western world, those who hear of it are bound to have numerous questions, to wish to acquire a deeper, more complete knowledge of this extraordinary plant. No book is better equipped to answer those questions than Kava: The Pacific Elixir. For those who already are familiar with Kava, it will provide very detailed information that will enhance their knowledge; and for those who have little or no knowledge of Piper Mythesticum, well, I can think of no better place to start.