Her Magic Mushroom Memoir Launches as a Binge-Worthy Novel-to-Podcast Experience
Ohio Pen/10308139

LEBANON, N.H. - OhioPen -- Her Magic Mushroom Memoir arrives as a historical novel reimagined as a serialized podcast. The series follows Dr. Lidiya Hart Johnson and her reluctant biographer, Chris Wade, through the discovery of magic mushrooms and the cultural shockwaves that followed.

Drawn from eyewitness accounts, scientific studies, R. Gordon Wasson's field notes, and public records, the story blends fact and fiction into 22 immersive episodes where personal transformation collides with history's untold truths.

Her Magic Mushroom Memoir combines the literary talents of professional writer and author Darren Hackett (The Antiquity: An L.A. Crime Novel) and John Wasson, a physician and healthcare researcher. Narration comes from Emmy-nominated voice actor Melissa Disney (As Told By Ginger), who also broke ground as Hollywood's first female trailer voice. Behind the scenes, award-winning producer Serena Travis (The Comeback Kids) brings her expertise to this ambitious hybrid of novel and audio drama.

"This project was born from a desire to tell history differently," say creators John Wasson and Darren Hackett. "By combining the depth of a novel with the intimacy of podcasting, we invite listeners not just to hear the story, but to live it."

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Now streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. HerMagicMushroomMemoir.com hosts companion resources, community engagement, and exclusive content.

Key Features

• Historical Depth: Grounded in real accounts and psychedelic research.
• Novelistic Storytelling: Rich characters and long-form arcs.
• Immersive Audio: Narration, soundscapes, and authentic voices.
• Masha Wasson recalls her mule ride to Huautla in 1955, where she joined a ceremony with María Sabina.
• Inti García Flores reflects on Huautla today and the creation of the Museum of Mazatec Culture.
• Professor Carl A.P. Ruck—who worked alongside R. Gordon Wasson, author of the seminal Life article "Seeking the Magic Mushroom"—explains why entheogen best captures these profound experiences.
• Accessible Format: Episodes built for listening at home, commuting, or traveling.

Her Magic Mushroom Memoir bridges page and podcast, marking a new chapter in storytelling—timely, timeless, and only just beginning.

Availability
The first episodes premiered August 21st, with new installments to follow.