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| | Issue #19.41 :: 05/07/2008 - 05/13/2008 | "Pot Culture: The A-Z Guide to Stoner Language and Life"
By Shirley Halperin & Steve Bloom
| BY JOSH RUFFIN
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"Pot Culture: The A-Z Guide to Stoner Language and Life"
By Shirley Halperin & Steve Bloom
Abrams Image Publishing
Available Now
AUGUSTA, GA - When you first think about it, an entire book dedicated to stoner culture may seem more than a bit paradoxical. The very fact that it does exist, however, would probably provide anyone (good-natured stoners included) with a near-endless supply of jokes about the stereotypical lack of ambition when it comes to pot-smokers... take contributor and comedian Doug Benson, who says, on the back of the book no less, “If a bunch of stoners go to the trouble of compiling a book about pot, the least you can do is read it.”
It’s refreshing and relaxing that those involved in stoner culture can make light of themselves and their situation, but the very fact that we have to joke about it is a sad reminder of many people’s demonized perception when it comes to marijuana (it continues to be listed in the Controlled Substances Act as a Schedule 1 drug… alongside heroin). Thankfully, Shirley Halperin and Steve Bloom’s new book “Pot Culture: The A-Z Guide to Stoner Language and Life” take this obligatory tongue-in-cheek self-deprecation and channels it into a thought-provoking, informative, and funny analysis of everything dank-related.
Formatted primarily as a dictionary, “Pot Culture’s” extensive list of stoner vocabulary should impress and inform even the most seasoned smoker. For instance, did you know that the Hawaiian term for buds is “pakalolo?” Ever heard of a “dugout?” A “oneie?” How about a “Swayze?” Whether you didn’t know this stuff to begin with or you just forgot it (it’s OK, you can be honest with yourself), even skimming through these terms makes a fascinating read.
The real treat here, however (no, it doesn’t come with a free sample), is the series of celebrity-penned essays that are dispersed throughout the book. The step-by-step instructionals on how to make an apple pipe (by Jonah Hill of “Superbad” fame) or how to roll the perfect blunt (by Redman) are entertaining and, let’s face it, helpful, but we also get things like a dialogue with Melissa Etheridge on the virtues of medical marijuana, and a list of health-minded munchies (substitute frozen yogurt for ice cream, or baked potato chips for their greasier counterparts).
In addition, there are extensive lists of films to watch while stoned, including not only instructions on how to sync “The Wizard of Oz” up with “Dark Side of the Moon,” but also how to achieve match-ups of Radioheads “The Bends” with "Fight Club" and Rush’s 2112 with “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” In other words, plenty to keep you busy.
Though I do have a couple of bones to pick with the editors on the music front (everyone worth their salt knows that “Master of Reality,” not “Paranoid,” is essential listening for Black Sabbath’s stoner contingent), they’re mere petty gripes. “Pot Culture” is informative, hilarious, and no more serious than it needs to be. Whether you’re a seasoned pro, a newbie, or an interested observer, this is essential reading. | |
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