a3bowles's review
5.0
Wow! This book is so much more than the story of a weed dealer. The history of drug criminalization and prohibition, the AIDS epidemic, drug reform, San Francisco and its gentrification, as well as Jonestown and the Milk & Moscone assassinations.
A fascinating and well-researched book.
A fascinating and well-researched book.
snoopfrog's review
5.0
such a colorful history of san francisco in the 70’s through an incredibly unique lens. i would rec this book to anyone living in sf— it’s a great primer to local history. i also had no idea that the AIDS epidemic is what let to marijuana legalization.
jfbfsf's review
3.0
3.5 stars
I enjoyed reading this - but it took me a REALLY long time to get through. Obviously that's mostly about what's going on in my life - but on some level it's also about how compelling a book is. The other night I stayed up over an hour past when I planned to go to sleep because I was so engrossed in my book. That never happened with this one.
I love reading the history of SF, but I knew most of the broader background already. That's not a critique of the book, just perhaps a reason why it was less compelling for me than for some. I didn't know the specific Castro businesses mentioned - but I still don't, so that didn't really make a connection for me, either.
It certainly was an unusual upbringing, but this story felt most personal in the earlier part of it - before the author was born (maybe this is just because the period in their lives where they lived outside of the city wasn't as interesting?) Once they left the city, it felt a lot less specific and more generalized history about the AIDS epidemic, and the history of marijuana legalization.
Anyway, all in all it was a solid, interesting book - it just didn't capture my attention as fully as I would have liked.
I enjoyed reading this - but it took me a REALLY long time to get through. Obviously that's mostly about what's going on in my life - but on some level it's also about how compelling a book is. The other night I stayed up over an hour past when I planned to go to sleep because I was so engrossed in my book. That never happened with this one.
I love reading the history of SF, but I knew most of the broader background already. That's not a critique of the book, just perhaps a reason why it was less compelling for me than for some. I didn't know the specific Castro businesses mentioned - but I still don't, so that didn't really make a connection for me, either.
It certainly was an unusual upbringing, but this story felt most personal in the earlier part of it - before the author was born (maybe this is just because the period in their lives where they lived outside of the city wasn't as interesting?) Once they left the city, it felt a lot less specific and more generalized history about the AIDS epidemic, and the history of marijuana legalization.
Anyway, all in all it was a solid, interesting book - it just didn't capture my attention as fully as I would have liked.
jweber13's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
planning2read's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
chantelbrenna's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
4.0
ettic's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
This was an absolutely beautiful book. I loved every second reading it, and I would recommend this to anyone curious about marijuana culture/history or even just history in general. This was infused with love in every page. Just wonderful.
ceci_cc's review against another edition
emotional
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
premarital_lex's review
5.0
This will go down in history as one of my favorite books of all time. I had high hopes for it and it did not disappoint. Having recently visited SF, it was a beautiful read and I found myself slipping into the time with ease. Not only is it written with so much love and detail about my favorite kind of people, it is done with credit to the history of cannabis, the LGBTQ+ community and the AIDS epidemic, and all other political context of the time. I don’t even have the words to fully describe my love. And all the photos and illustrations in each chapter??? Stole my heart. An easy FIVE STARS, LIFE CHANGING, WILL RECOMMEND TO EVERYONE.