'The Curious World of Drugs and Their Friends'
Did you know that given cannabis, some dogs will wag their tails until they knock themselves over? That in addition to "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," 12 Beatles songs contain drug allusions?
If you find this kind of drug trivia sordid or unpleasant, steer clear of "The Curious World of Drugs and Their Friends: A Very Trippy Miscellany" by Ingo Niermann and Adriano Sack. But if you knew all of the above, or find yourself amused, this pocket-sized paperback will be fun to flip through.
It's a compendium of drug facts and rumors. Some might be useful -- naturally occurring mind-altering substances, the penalties for drug possession in various countries -- but mostly the contents are meant to entertain, not instruct. They even include lists of fictional drugs, like the Spice of Frank Herbert's "Dune" series.
Profiles of 26 "drug friends" detail the exploits of notorious users like Lindsay Lohan, Robin Williams and Courtney Love, which probably won't surprise many. But others just might: Writer Stephen King makes the friend list at No. 15 for his cocaine use in the 1980s. According to the book, the phenomenally prolific author "does not remember the number of books he wrote under the influence."
Of course, drug use can lead to abuse. Some well-known tragic ends are revisited (River Phoenix, John Belushi) to make this clear. Helpfully, a list of 11 top rehab clinics is included too.
-- Carolyn Kellogg
Photo of Canadian head shop display by C.P. Storm via Flickr
