Pot Stories for the Soul [Paperback]

Paul Krassner (Compiler), Harlan Ellison (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1999

For this book, Paul Krassner contacted 250 friends and acquaintances to cull stories. These true tales, ranging from funny to bizarre to poignant, include "How the Yippies Mailed 30,000 Joints to Perfect Strangers," "The Bust at Ken Kesey's Place," and "The Acid Trip of a Death Row Prisoner.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Krassner has the uncanny ability to alter your perceptions permanently.” —Los Angeles Times

“Wickedly funny.” —San Francisco Chronicle

“[Krassner] is an expert at ferreting out hypocrisy and absurdism from the more solemn crannies of American culture.” —The New York Times

“Krassner lives in a world where Truth and Satire are swingers, changing partners so often you never know who belongs with whom.” —Playboy

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Paul Krassner is an author, journalist, stand-up comedian, and the founder, editor, and a contributor to the The Realist. Krassner became a key figure in the counterculture of the 1960s as a member of Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters and a founding member of the Yippies. He lives in Southern California.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: High Times Books; 1st edition (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893010023
• ISBN-13: 978-1893010024
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,040,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Touched my Soul.., March 22, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Pot Stories for the Soul (Paperback)

First off, let me say that the past reviewer who said this book was "same old same old" has obviously never read this book. This guy probably just saw the High Times logo, and just imagined what this book was. Of all the ways I could descibe this great book, I would never say that this book is "same old same old."

As a person who has smoked marijuana, and has many friends who also smoke, I must say that the stories presented in this book have no similarity to my life. I only wish that I had the same cool adventures listed in these pages! I am just your average Joe, with a job, a car, and a nice little place in the city. While some people think all marijuana users are wild "Cheech and Chong" types, I am here to say that I am no diferent today, then when I started to smoke. I am shy, quiet, and only share my marijuana smoking with my closet of friends. Living in this country, I am always afraid to tell anyone about my "hobby", out of fear that I will end up in prison. While it might feed into some square's fantasy that all pot smokers all crazy nut jobs, I am here to say that we are all not Timothy Learys and Robert Downy Jrs.

Having said that, let me say that this book was a trip into the cool world of cannabis heaven. Stories of people, just like us, who happen to have neat adventures while they are high. And it is not what you think. While some reviewers might think this book is the ranting of a few stoners, I am here to say that it is no such thing.

Stories of love, escape, hate, paranormal, history, travel, and so much more. I could not put this book down. Each story was so personal and intimate, that I felt that these people are now my close friends. It is my wish that everyone who thinks that marijuana is "dangerous" will read this book. If this does not open your eyes and free your mind, then you are a zombie!

Now, for the standard stoner yell: FREE THE WEED!!

But something tells me that we will just get, "same old same old."

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hit and miss, March 25, 2009

By 

Nicholas S. Burrell (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pot Stories for the Soul (Paperback)

The book has some great stories about life, love, loss and hapiness. It is more then just a 'hehe munchies' collection of pot stories. However, there are many stories which are very average and i believe do not deserve to be in the book. I could have contributed many stories of my own from my experiences which would be a great read rather then some of the boring ones in the book. Still, the countless interesting and funny stories make it worthwhile.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars *sigh*, May 19, 2005

By 

ratgirl ~( )8:> (Sprawling Metropolis, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pot Stories for the Soul (Paperback)

Lord, spare me from aging boomers, for they think that the world ended in the 1970's. I was just as disappointed as "same old, same old" with the book's lack of relevance for younger, more modern-day smokers (and I'm at the very lower edge of the boomer generation). I assumed that someone with at least a small awareness of marijuana's consciousness-expanding and spiritually enlightening properties ("for the soul," remember?) would deliver something more than the "hee hee, we're so stoned" genre of stories. Yes, some stories are entertaining, but not new, and nothing more recent than the early 1980s. What about those who survived the War on Drugs? Don't those veterans deserve their own credit? If you're a boomer wanting to relive the glorious sixties, a far better investment would be to purchase some actual weed. I'm sorry, Paul, but we've moved on past you.