A strangle little book I've read other books by this author and liked them, especially "The Bear Went Over the Mountain." Perhaps I didn't read the emailed Amazon promo carefully enough because I had no idea that this book was written 35 years ago. It is a story of a druggie living in NYC in the '60s. Although I was part of that culture, I really didn't know anyone as deeply into weed as this character so it was hard to relate. Was the story supposed to be happy, funny, or just sad? It was hard to tell. And how DID the chorus get... more info
A Pothead Universe This classic captures both the sense of the drugged-out sixties--when the prevalent youth drugs were less dangerous and addictive--and the quirky character who is the narrator. It's kind of a literary Cheech and Ching, being off the wall in the same pothead way. But funnier, I think. Though I should say that his too light treatment of rape at one point brought me up short. At any rate, except for that rather awful glitch, this is one of the funniest books you'll ever read, if you like pothead humor. Sadly,... more info
the zen master speaks I read this book in my youth, and try and read it every couple of years. I rank it right up there with a confederacy of dunces, another classic. horse and ignatius are two of my favorite characters to come from the world of fiction. I came of age in the late 60's and early 70's, being a former hippie [ now my politics are just to the right of atilla the hun ] this book captures that era perfectly.
It's fun, man. Like FUN, dig? There has been a lot of counterculture literature since the rise of the Beat Generation in the 50s. Much of it fails to measure up to the standard of Kerouac, Ginsberg or Burroughs. There are some writers who have managed to rise up to the occasion with classic or near classic works. Terry Southern would be one that comes to mind. Another writer who has produced some fine works is William Kotzwinkle. Before, "E.T. The Extra-terrestial", Kotzwinkle was noted for producing counterculture literature. One of... more info
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