Customer Reviews

Waiting for the Man: The Story of Drugs and Popula

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I enjoyed the first edition of this book 10 years ago. Recently, I was pleased to discover that it has been revised and updated, and I bought the new edition immediately.

'Waiting For The Man' is the definitive history of drugs and popular music. It's a compelling study that covers a lot of ground - the histories of various drugs; how they work (and work against the user); why they have been popular with musicians (and others) at various times; and how the rest of society has reacted to this drug use (and, in turn, how drug use in itself is a reaction to the times).

A lot of the information presented in 'Waiting for The Man' is fascinating and surprising. For example - early this century, marijuana could be found growing wild along the banks of the Mississippi; LSD was once used as a psychiatric tool, and Cary Grant gave it high praise; and the heroin-and-cocaine 'cocktail' known as the speedball was not invented by rock stars, but by American GIs during the Korean War - to counter the adverse effects of their government-issue amphetamines.

As well, 'Waiting For the Man' is written in a highly-readable style which contains many witty observations - such as "the worst thing that could happen to a Mod was to have his parents understand him", and "as usual, the press took 2 and 2 and made 137".

So, if you're looking for an informative, thought-provoking and entertaining look at why drugs and popular music have always seemed to go together, 'Waiting for The Man' is the book you need.