Cultivate your mind: my 5 top books on cannabis culture
Here are some interesting readings to learn more about the many aspects in which cannabis is part of our culture.
While we wait for our grow-boxes to churn out the next crop, why not spend some time in the company of some good books that will make us appreciate our friendship with our favorite plant even more. We might discover, as Michael Pollan seems to suggest, that we didn’t choose it but were selected by it (what an honor!). Or we can lose ourselves in the labyrinthine journeys of Walter Benjamin or stop to meditate while coloring one of the drawings proposed in Donna LoCicero’s book. In any case, we will come out enriched and ready to see our relationship with cannabis in a new light.
Cannabis — Philosophy for Everyone: What Were We Just Talking About?
Fritz Allhoff (Series Editor), Dale Jacquette (Editor), Rick Cusick (Foreword by)
This book encompasses a collection of essays on the countless philosophical aspects of marijuana use. It analyzes the phenomenology of cannabis used as a tool for knowledge and spiritual enlightenment and its very close link with creativity.
In this historical era, in which the debate on legalization is largely underway in many parts of the world, a book like this constitutes a valuable tool for understanding the many social, philosophical, psychological, ethical, and moral aspects of this herb.
On Hashish
Walter Benjamin
Like many of Walter Benjamin’s works, this one appears at first glance incomplete and disordered. In fact, it is, since it is made up of a series of notes, essays, and memos published after the author’s death. It is a mixture between the project of a work yet to be realized and the ruins of a missed artifact. Between 1928 and 1933, Walter Benjamin began to write down the minutes of his experiences with hashish almost scientifically, but he was unable to complete his project. However, reading this book constitutes a fascinating journey into the writer’s stylistic laboratory.
Brave New Weed
Joe Dolce
Brave New Weed is an exciting read for cannabis advocates and detractors alike. The former editor-in-chief of Details and Star guides the reader through the “new world” of cannabis, reconstructing its history and possible futures.
Joe Dolce takes us around the world to places like Amsterdam, Israel, California, and Colorado, searching for interesting, unexpected, funny stories that will help us learn more about this complex plant. Dolce provides new points of view to fuel a debate about cannabis taking on new and exciting directions thanks to scientific discoveries that are increasing its cultural acceptance.
The Botany of Desire
A Plants’-eye View of the World
Michael Pollan
I am a big fan of Mr. Michael Pollan. I love his way of crafting compelling narratives about topics that used to be the exclusive domain of science, boring science at times. His incurable curiosity leads him to approach the topics he chooses from novel perspectives, as in this beautiful book about the relationship between humans and certain plants. Starting with four specific human needs (sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control) and the plants that satisfy them (the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato), Pollan shows how these plants have evolved to fulfill these human needs and how this has contributed to their prosperity. As one reads the book, a suspicion creeps into the reader that it was actually plants that tamed humans, and not the other way around.
A documentary was made based on the book, you can watch it for free here:
Color Me Stoned: a cannabis coloring book for adults
Donna LoCicero
A rich and informative reference that illustrates different cannabis strains from a to z, but at the same time a rich collection of illustrations to color, for the most relaxing moments. I love this book.
Bonus: 5 Facts About How Cannabis Was Used in Classic Books
This video, made by Civilized magazine, gives us five unexpected facts about cannabis use in classic literature. Would you have suspected that Shakespeare’s masterpiece “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” alludes to marijuana by calling it a “cowlip,” a flower that fairies consume that skews reality and amplifies senselessness?
Find out the other facts…
