Book Review: Pilcher’s Marijuana Miscellany

A person’s bookshelf says a lot about them. It’s a glimpse into their interests, what makes them tick and what kind of stuff they like to learn about. But, looks can be deceiving — especially when it comes to “Pilcher’s Marijuana Miscellany.” What’s that they say, never judge a book by its cover?

The cute, little book emblazoned with an inlayed cannabis leaf design looks simple and unassuming — almost plain — from the outside, but inside it’s overflowing with tidbits, tips, techniques and trivia.

Pop culture expert Tim Pilcher, who also penned “The Cannabis Cookbook,” presents a diverse assortment of information that is likely to delight and captivate readers with varying levels of cannabis culture knowledge and teach them a few new things as well. His well-rounded grasp of pop culture and extensive database of factoids fill the book with wit and wisdom that give readers a chance to explore the kaleidoscopic world of marijuana.

The book features a collection of recipes, tutorials, anecdotes, quotes, lists, historical lore, illustrations and more with topics ranging from music to literature to religion and beyond. It touches on just about any topic pertaining to marijuana. It’s an enjoyable, whimsical read with a seemingly endless procession of miscellaneous material that ranges from interesting to amusing.

Readers can find out about the etymology of weed words like toke and blunt, famous writers who wrote under the influence, how to make hashish and why Kevin Smith is considered a hero of hemp.

Although it is stuffed with information, the book is presented in random, bite-sized portions, which keeps it light and entertaining without bordering on drab and encyclopedic. This small book is under 100 pages, making it a good choice for a coffee table book.

One of the best things about this book is that it doesn’t have to be read from front-to-back in order to be understood or appreciated. Readers can easily pick it up, flip to any page and arbitrarily begin reading without feeling like they need to backtrack in order for the information to make sense.

Originally published in issue 12 of Cannabis Now Magazine.