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Since the Stone Age, drugs have been sniffed to induce sleep, mixed to cure ills, swallowed to stimulate creativity, snorted to increase sexuality, popped for the hell of it and smoked to see God. Natural or synthesized, they have been smuggled for all kinds of reasons, from saving the world to becoming stinking rich. Blamed for deaths, wars, suicides, collapses of governments, multiple crashes, individual crises, anarchy and chaos, they have also been praised for opening minds and expanding consciousness. They've been worshipped and demonised, venerated and chastised, force-fed and forbidden. Every society has had its intoxicant, be it sacrament or scourge. They have also become irreversibly interwoven with politics, sex, business, religion, and rock-and-roll, providing writers, whether emerging from the ancient classical world or the street laboratory of today, with both inspiration and challenge.
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Rather than a wide boy's bible, guaranteed to sell on the authors notoriety, this is an anthology of writings losely themed on the ideas of intoxication and drugs, of all sorts. The sources range from Thompson to Baudelaire and Marks is largely a silent partner. He has contributed a few pieces, mostly warmed over versions of earlier writings, and offers no commentary or notes on the pieces which make up the bulk of the work; something which would have enhanced the book as a whole.
That criticism withstanding, the book as a whole is a strong collection of well-chosen pieces. It is well-structured, though in places it becomes repetitive and dull. It is not a book to read from start to finish in a single sitting; like any anthology, each individual piece deserves to be read properly, and not just in the context of the book.
My main reservation with this otherwise very readable and useful anthology is in its misleading branding. It is not a book of dope stories by Howard Marks. The bulk of the material is philosophical or intellectual in tone, and comes from a huge range of writers.
If Marks is playing the game of luring people to this valuable material using his name and notoriety i have no problem. Introducing the uninitiated to Sabbag et al can only be good.
If, on the other hand, he is just cashing in on his name to sell books, without even bothering to write a book....
I think, given his background and intelligence, there's a bit of both in the truth.
I read someone else's copy, then bought my own anyway. it's worth having.
As a collection of stories it is superb. Read more
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