美国国家公共电台 NPR Nixon's Manhunt For The High Priest Of LSD In 'The Most Dangerous Man In America'

 

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

In the early 1970s, with a countercultural revolution in full swing, an unlikely figure became the No. 1 enemy of the state - Timothy Leary, the so-called High Priest of LSD. Leary was a former Harvard psychologist. He left the ivory tower behind to spread the gospel of psychedelics. After breaking out of a California prison he went on the run, sparking a madcap manhunt for a bumbling fugitive¹.

BILL MINUTAGLIO: He's kind of a Mr. Magoo on acid, if you will.

SHAPIRO: That's Bill Minutaglio. He's the author, along with Steven L. Davis, of the new book "The Most Dangerous Man In America: Timothy Leary, Richard Nixon And The Hunt For The Fugitive King Of LSD." The story follows Leary as he hops² from country to country, trying to stay one step ahead of the Nixon administration.

MINUTAGLIO: He's a 50-year-old, middle-age guy, not in the greatest shape in the world, and he manages to escape from a pretty strong security prison in California by dangling³ over a wire, pulling himself out of the prison that many others had tried to escape from. He gets picked up by underground activists⁴. He puts on a disguise that allows him to escape the country, including using fake passports, and then embeds⁵ himself in the most unlikely way with extremely scary, dangerous, tending toward violence members of the Black Panther Party who are living in exile in Algeria of all places.

SHAPIRO: And the country has recognized the Black Panthers as a representative of America with their own embassy.

MINUTAGLIO: Yeah. The Black Panther Embassy was in Algeria. That's where Timothy Leary wound up. He escapes to Europe and then suddenly turns into this other sort of wild, living above the cloud line, European aristocrat⁶ experience where he's hanging out with Andy Warhol, you know, royalty⁷.

SHAPIRO: There are, like, more guest stars in this than Pee-wee Herman's Christmas special.

MINUTAGLIO: (Laughter) Allen Ginsberg shows up for a split second. His life was - you know, in our acknowledgements in the book the first line says, we'd like to thank Timothy Leary for leading a very interesting life.

SHAPIRO: Right.

(LAUGHTER)

SHAPIRO: Timothy Leary is best known for promoting psychedelic drugs. He was called the High Priest of LSD. His famous catch phrase was turn on, tune⁸ in, drop out. So why did Nixon view him as the most dangerous man in America?

MINUTAGLIO: You know, a lot of people had called Nixon that, so maybe he was doing some diversionary politics there.

SHAPIRO: Right.

MINUTAGLIO: (Laughter) Nixon needed a poster child, someone to vilify⁹ in his burgeoning¹⁰ war on drugs. But it really was a matter of misdirection. The war in Vietnam was still raging, and there was a lot of violence, aggressive activism on the streets of the country. And we stumbled across doing some research a tape where Nixon at the White House with many of his infamous¹¹ colleagues, a lot of the Watergate-era folks, had gathered around and said, you know what?

To salvage¹² your approval ratings, to misdirect attention away from this flagging war in Vietnam, a stagnant¹³ economy, your swooning poll numbers, we need to find a villain¹⁴, a guy in a black hat. And why not choose Timothy Leary? He's sort of the godfather of the countercultural revolution. And we can make him public enemy No. 1. And Nixon officially got obsessed¹⁵ with him.

SHAPIRO: This is one of the amazing things about your book, is that because Nixon recorded everything in the Oval Office you have these verbatim transcripts¹⁶ of White House aides saying, find a villain. It's got to be good guy against bad guy. As this whole narrative¹⁷ plays out, you know what the president and his advisers¹⁸ were saying as they were saying it.

MINUTAGLIO: I hate to call that kind of history exciting. But when you come across it, it really was exciting. He really singled out Timothy Leary in a meeting. They were equating¹⁹ him at a meeting just outside his office - some of his closest aides were calling him tantamount to Al Capone and Lucky Luciano, heads of the Mafia.

SHAPIRO: Was that just because those would be useful foils? Or was it because they actually saw him as dangerous as a mob leader?

MINUTAGLIO: You know, that's the brilliance²⁰ of this story, too, in my opinion, at least the way that it unfolded. They initially²¹ just thought he would be a pawn²². He would be a rube. But then as they got into it and they unleashed²³ people against Leary, they began to really believe it. They began to accumulate certain bits of evidence in their mind that indicated that Timothy Leary, in fact, was the greatest, you know, drug lord. He was the narco chieftain of the United States in a way.

So they became convinced over time that their initial political ruse²⁴ was, in fact, turning out to be, you know, a true political reality. The other thing that was working in the background was that Nixon really was convinced that there was something going on out there. There was a disturbance²⁵ in the shire, to steal a line from "The Lord Of The Rings." I guess that makes him Sauron. But he was looking out from the tower and he saw revolution in the streets.

Things were unhinged. The social fabric²⁶ was unraveling. And I think he wanted to find, again, you know, somebody symbolically²⁷ whom he could kind of pin all of this on and essentially²⁸ identify him as not only a drug kingpin, but the leader of sort of the domestic terrorist movement.

SHAPIRO: When you say Nixon saw upheaval²⁹ and unrest in the country, he was not entirely³⁰ wrong. One of the things that amazed me about this book was the sheer level of violence in the U.S. Today we hear the phrase radical³¹ leftists and it does not even compare to what was happening in the 1970s.

MINUTAGLIO: It really does pale. And I don't know if we've just forgotten or we've moved on, you know, in our electric digital news age, but things were really, really explosive. Cities were on fire. Buildings were being attacked. Campuses were being shut down. And there were really - no one was keeping an exact list, but there were millions of people in what might nebulously be called the movement, the counterculture movement. And Leary served an interesting purpose. He was an intellectual. He was a Harvard professor. He was extremely charismatic. He was handsome to boot, extremely eloquent³², friends with John Lennon, other cultural leaders. And...

SHAPIRO: I didn't realize that the Beatles song "Come Together" was actually written by Lennon as a campaign song for Leary's unsuccessful gubernatorial race in California.

MINUTAGLIO: Yeah. Yeah. Leary, almost as a joke, had run for the governor's office in California. And that was an early warning kind of missile system attack, in some ways, against Nixon and Reagan. They were going, what is happening because people were getting interested and beginning to think about voting for him.

SHAPIRO: Timothy Leary died more than 20 years ago. How much of this story did he know by the time he died?

MINUTAGLIO: You know, I met him in the early 1980s and we had a very robust³³ discussion in a dark bar in Houston (laughter) that lasted for several hours, as far as I can remember. And he told me then that he just couldn't figure out really what had happened to him. But he was one of these people that I think just enjoyed uncertainty³⁴, if that makes sense. He really embraced the next adventure.

So the book, you know, ends in some way with a nod to the fact that Leary had wanted to have his ashes blasted into outer space, which, in fact, did happen. I like the fact that when they were blasted into outer space his ashes were commingled³⁵ with the ashes of Gene³⁶ Roddenberry, the inventor of "Star Trek³⁷."

And then when the capsule that was holding his ashes disintegrated³⁸, Timothy Leary's ashes filtered all over the planet. And I think that was his last kind of cosmic joke, and also in a way his sense of continuing adventure. You know, little pieces of him were far flung and cast to the wind.

SHAPIRO: Bill Minutaglio is the author with Steven L. Davis of the new book "The Most Dangerous Man in America: Timothy Leary, Richard Nixon And The Hunt For The Fugitive King Of LSD." Thanks for a great read and for the nice conversation.

MINUTAGLIO: Ari, I really, really enjoyed it. Thanks so much.

(SOUNDBITE OF THE BEATLES SONG, "COME TOGETHER")

1 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

2 hops   

跳上[下]( hop的第三人称单数 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花

参考例句：

• The sparrow crossed the lawn in a series of hops. 那麻雀一蹦一跳地穿过草坪。
• It is brewed from malt and hops. 它用麦精和蛇麻草酿成。

3 dangling   

悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口

参考例句：

• The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果，那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。
• The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上，摇晃着他们的双腿。

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 embeds   

把…嵌入，埋入( embed的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The compiler embeds only the type information that your application uses. 编译器只嵌入您的应用程序所使用的类型信息。
• Embeds an image or a video clip in the document. 在文档中嵌入图像或视频片断。

6 aristocrat   

n.贵族，有贵族气派的人，上层人物

参考例句：

• He was the quintessential english aristocrat.他是典型的英国贵族。
• He is an aristocrat to the very marrow of his bones.他是一个道道地地的贵族。

7 royalty   

n.皇家，皇族

参考例句：

• She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。
• I waited on tables，and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生， 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。

8 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

9 vilify   

v.诽谤，中伤

参考例句：

• But I also do not want people to vilify.但希望我也别给人诬蔑。
• Two chose not to vilify Skilling,however.然而，也有两个人并不愿诋毁思斯奇林。

10 burgeoning   

adj.迅速成长的，迅速发展的v.发芽，抽枝( burgeon的现在分词 )；迅速发展；发（芽），抽（枝）

参考例句：

• Our company's business is burgeoning now. 我们公司的业务现在发展很迅速。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These efforts were insufficient to contain the burgeoning crisis. 这些努力不足以抑制迅速扩散的危机。 来自辞典例句

11 infamous   

adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的

参考例句：

• He was infamous for his anti-feminist attitudes.他因反对女性主义而声名狼藉。
• I was shocked by her infamous behaviour.她的无耻行径令我震惊。

12 salvage   

v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救

参考例句：

• All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.抢救失事船只的一切努力都失败了。
• The salvage was piled upon the pier.抢救出的财产被堆放在码头上。

13 stagnant   

adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的

参考例句：

• Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。
• Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。

14 villain   

n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因

参考例句：

• He was cast as the villain in the play.他在戏里扮演反面角色。
• The man who played the villain acted very well.扮演恶棍的那个男演员演得很好。

15 obsessed   

adj.心神不宁的,鬼迷心窍的,沉迷的

参考例句：

• He's obsessed by computers. 他迷上了电脑。
• The fear of death obsessed him throughout his old life. 他晚年一直受着死亡恐惧的困扰。

16 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句

17 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

18 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

19 equating   

v.认为某事物（与另一事物）相等或相仿( equate的现在分词 )；相当于；等于；把（一事物） 和（另一事物）等同看待

参考例句：

• [ Ray ] I definitely started equating crossword puzzles with songwriting. 我已经干脆开始把字谜游戏等同于歌曲写作了。 来自电影对白
• But they have a hard time equating plural marriage with those evils. 但是他们很难把这种多妻婚姻与上面说的那些坏事联系起来。 来自互联网

20 brilliance   

n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智

参考例句：

• I was totally amazed by the brilliance of her paintings.她的绘画才能令我惊歎不已。
• The gorgeous costume added to the brilliance of the dance.华丽的服装使舞蹈更加光彩夺目。

21 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

22 pawn   

n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押

参考例句：

• He is contemplating pawning his watch.他正在考虑抵押他的手表。
• It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President.看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。

23 unleashed   

v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government's proposals unleashed a storm of protest in the press. 政府的提案引发了新闻界的抗议浪潮。
• The full force of his rage was unleashed against me. 他把所有的怒气都发泄在我身上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 ruse   

n.诡计，计策；诡计

参考例句：

• The children thought of a clever ruse to get their mother to leave the house so they could get ready for her surprise.孩子们想出一个聪明的办法使妈妈离家，以便他们能准备给她一个惊喜。It is now clear that this was a ruse to divide them.现在已清楚这是一个离间他们的诡计。

25 disturbance   

n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调

参考例句：

• He is suffering an emotional disturbance.他的情绪受到了困扰。
• You can work in here without any disturbance.在这儿你可不受任何干扰地工作。

26 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

27 symbolically   

ad.象征地，象征性地

参考例句：

• By wearing the ring on the third finger of the left hand, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other. 将婚戒戴在左手的第三只手指上，意味着夫妻双方象征性地宣告他们的爱情天长地久，他们定能白头偕老。
• Symbolically, he coughed to clear his throat. 周经理象征地咳一声无谓的嗽，清清嗓子。

28 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

29 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

30 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

31 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

32 eloquent   

adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的

参考例句：

• He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。
• These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。

33 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

34 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

35 commingled   

v.混合，掺和，合并( commingle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Tears commingled with the blood from the cut on his face. 眼泪和他脸上伤口流的血混在一起了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Fact is inextricably commingled with fiction. 事实与虚构混杂难分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

36 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

37 trek   

vi.作长途艰辛的旅行；n.长途艰苦的旅行

参考例句：

• We often go pony-trek in the summer.夏季我们经常骑马旅行。
• It took us the whole day to trek across the rocky terrain.我们花了一整天的时间艰难地穿过那片遍布岩石的地带。

38 disintegrated   

v.（使）破裂[分裂，粉碎]，（使）崩溃( disintegrate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The plane disintegrated as it fell into the sea. 飞机坠入大海时解体了。
• The box was so old;it just disintegrated when I picked it up. 那箱子太破旧了，我刚一提就散了。 来自《简明英汉词典》