Cannabis Culture

by Patrick Matthews

Book Overview

He brings his connoisseur s approach and journalist s questioning eye to the subject, to produce the essential cannabis companion. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0747566143
• ISBN13: 9780747566144
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Length: 276 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

A new point of view

A new point of view about cannabis and his culture

A breath of fresh air in a smoky room

This is a work in keeping with the best traditions of travel writing, objective, unbiased and fascinating in its simplicity. The reader is guided through the world of marijuana and allowed to arrive at his or her own conclusions, there are refreshingly few value judgements, and no school of thought is judged to be beyond the pail. Patrick Mathews deserves much credit for attempting to remain impartial, and it is that objectivity which is most engaging. Not all dope smokers are part of the murky sub class of criminals that might deserve imprisonment, equally not all those opposed to the legalisation lobby are foaming at the mouth reactionaries. The reason then that so many are able to disagree so fundamentally has more to do with a lack of informed and dispassionate discussion than it does peoples intrinsic ability to disagree, for that reason if for no other Mathews attempt to present facts over opinions is to be commended. I wonder how many from each camp were forced to reconsider their pre-conceptions as a result, I'm sure I was. I found his handling of the various conspiracy theories, which allege that hemp was prohibited due to its competing with the other industries of the day, to be concise enough. Moreover they showed a flair for historic analysis of texts which would put many mainstream historians to shame. Mathews meets and introduces the readers to a whole host of fascinating characters, and tries to demystify a subject which is so commonly too charged by opinion to discuss properly, and does a thoroughly entertaining job of it. I enjoyed it immensely and can only recommend it.

The Big "ahaa"

This is a balanced, sober and neutral book on the cannabis culutre, if there even is a culture, and if so how is it and which similarities does it have with other cultural subjects. When reading it I had a lot of "aha"-experiences, because the book is full on interesting facts and information, all backed up by footnotes telling you how to check up on the given information. Not a book for anyone who wants a book worshipping hemp, but defenately a book for the knowledge-wanting smoker (you're mentioned in the book more than once). The book also explains a lot of other cultures, and gives historical, scientific and legal information which can be very desired if you're interested in it. Not a book to read when you're influenced by the drug, but absolutely a book to talk about and refer to when you are.