Book Review: Roll Up, Roll Up

Grab some bud and the rolling papers, it’s time to step your smoking game up. This small, entertaining book is a fun and light-hearted book of all the different and ridiculous ways to roll a joint. It begins with a very brief introduction that looks into the historical side of the plant before getting right to business. First, every successful roller must have the essential tools: papers, a grinder and a card or stiff paper that can be used as a crutch.

European author Danny Mallo, uses terminology from the other side of the pond throughout the book. On his side of the world, papers equal skins, rolling a joint is called skinning up and what Americans refer to as crutches are called roaches. Also, whereas a spliff typically refers to mix of weed and tobacco in the states, the term is interchangeable and can still refer to a pure weed joint in Europe. Still following? Good.

The book provides step-by-step directions with accompanying illustrated images to assist rollers in mastering the basics before moving on to the big leagues. Readers are lead on a stoney journey through all the different ways to get really, really high with meticulously rolled joints that are inevitably going to end up in a pile of ash. The collection lists joints in ascending size and difficulty, from the standard joint all the way through the multi-pronged monstrosity called the Scorpion.

A few things are for sure: whomever is going to be attempting to execute these joints must have lots of pot, a couple packs of rolling papers, a questionable amount of free time and an admirable amount of patience and fortitude. For the effort it takes to complete one of these designer joints, they’re probably best reserved for social situations where an enthusiastic audience will applaud the hard-won skill.

Mallo uses humor and a whimsical tone to carry the book but to be clear, these joints take concentrated and concerted effort to complete. Between the cutting and licking, arranging and assembling, impatient smokers may be better off just loading up a bowl. Rolling a joint in the shape of a trident or tulip may not seem especially important or practical right now but fast forward to next summer when all the festivals get going and that double-headed snake joint might come in handy. Plus, nobody’s ever really mad at the dude who shows up to the party with the wicked cross joint that actually burns well. This book has the possibility to turn even the most novice roller into a show-stopping joint artist.

Click here to purchase Roll Up, Roll Up: Show Your Cannabis You Care With 20 Unique Ways to Roll Blunts and Joints.