From Phinney Books‘ weekly newsletter:
WEED READS FROM DAVID SCHMADER
You likely know David Schmader from Last Days, his unfailingly hilarious long-running column at the Stranger, where he was associate editor from 1999 to 2014, but he’s also been a playwright, a performer, a bookseller (at the late, great Bailey/Coy Books on Capitol Hill), and a world’s authority on Paul Verhoeven’s masterwork, Showgirls, and now he’s working right in our neighborhood as the creative director at the Bureau of Fearless Ideas writing and tutoring center. And for many years he was preparing, in his own way, for the Washington state’s pioneering legalization of marijuana, which led to his first book, published this spring: Weed: The User’s Guide, a witty handbook for new and experienced users alike.
We’ve seen books paired with beers and cocktails before, but we’ve never seen the same done with marijuana, so we asked Dave to put his bookseller’s hat on again and choose a list of weed-friendly reads from our shelves. One important note he adds for newbies: “Absolutely all high reading should involve brain-tingling sativa strains (rather than body-numbing indica strains)!”
Amphigorey by Edward Gorey
Legendary for its dead-kid gallows humor, Edward Gorey’s collection is equally rich in beguiling combinations of words and pictures. “Mr. Crague asked Drusilla if she liked paper.”
Black Hole by Charles Burns
Like a lost David Lynch film in storyboard form.
The Three Einsteins by Sarah Galvin
Sarah Galvin is the Seattle poet who’s funnier than 90 percent of professionally funny people, and beyond her inspired yuks likes a world of deeper resonance (especially if you’re high).
Things Organized Neatly by Austin Radcliffe
Feeling stressed, existentially itchy, and/or lightly paranoid? Point your eyes at this and make it all feel better.
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
If you enjoy weed, please do so, then read the first paragraph of this book five times in a row. Repeat until you turn into a beam of light.
The Gospel According to Jesus by Stephen Mitchell
Stephen Mitchell carries on Thomas Jefferson’s work of creating a book made entirely of Jesus’ words. (Cutting out the apostley middle men does wonders for the message.)