Wizard of the Upper Amazon cover art

Wizard of the Upper Amazon

The Story of Manuel Córdova-Rios

Preview
Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Wizard of the Upper Amazon

By: F. Bruce Lamb
Narrated by: Kirk Magoon
Try Standard free

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $28.99

Buy Now for $28.99

About this listen

A richly-detailed real-life account of ancient tribal life and the fascinating role of Ayahuasca in the heart of the Amazon.

Wizard of the Upper Amazon provides an insightful depiction of a South American tribal society at the turn of the 20th century. It delves into the captivating world of the Huni Kui tribe and their deep-seated connection with Ayahuasca, a powerful hallucinogenic plant. With the resurging interest in Ayahuasca today, this account offers a valuable and historical perspective, unveiling its traditional uses in day-to-day tribal life.

Our narrator, Manuel Córdova-Rios, takes the reader along on his extraordinary journey from a young boy taken in by the tribe to a respected healer. His accounts illustrate a unique societal fabric where plant medicine is a teacher, telepathy a communication mode, and clairvoyance a revered skill. In comparison to the modern ceremonial use of Ayahuasca, Córdova-Rios paints an enlightening picture of how this substance is entwined with various aspects of tribal life, from hunting practices to dispute resolution.

Wizard of the Upper Amazon is a rare look into a world that remains largely unexplored and elusive. According to reader reviews, the book delivers engaging insights into tribal life and Ayahuasca's role within it. This real-life tale invites readers to immerse themselves in the tribal world's intricate dynamics and to appreciate the deep wisdom and traditional practices of the Amazonian people. A classic read for those interested in indigenous cultures, shamanism, or plant medicine, this book offers a robust exploration into a time and place far removed from our own.
Americas Anthropology Indigenous Peoples Indigenous Studies Native American Other Religions, Practices & Sacred Texts Social Sciences South America Specific Demographics United States

Critic Reviews

"This is one of the three or four best books I have ever encountered."—Peter Warshall, The CoEvolution Quarterly"A rare glimpse of the private life of a Peruvian healer."—Andrew Weil, M.D., author of the The Natural Mind
All stars
Most relevant
Unlike the takes of Carlos Castenada the story of Manuel Cordova in Wizard Of The Upper Amazon rings with authenticity from end to end. The level of detail indicates that there is an enormous reservoir of real memory that could be drawn on at any moment for even more detail at any time.

Steve Beyer’s book Signing To The Plants is an encyclopedia of knowledge describing the Mestizo (mixed blood Spanish speaking) plant medicine tradition that has emerged over the past century.

Where singing to the plants is the encyclopedia, wizard of the Upper Amazon is a first hand telling of one key instance of indigenous plant medicine tradition being passed to the river and town dwelling mestizos in the Amazon. In a sense it shares an account of the birth of mestizo plant spirit medicine practice.

For those interested in Rewilding and deep nature connection such as those taught by Jon Young and Tom Brown Jr, this book has much to share about Amazonian hunting and tribal practices.

Essential reading on Ayahuasca & Indigenous Amazonian Life

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.