#13 - The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test

Well, while on the drug subculture kick, here is a classic: The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe. What a great time in history and what a crazy ride. Get an old bus, paint it day-glo colors, attach all kinds of speakers and recording gear, pack it full of free spirits and drugs and drive it essentially across the U.S. while freaking out the marshmallows in suits and shiny shoes. It makes for quite a book, although a lot of the participants were highly regarded "beat" generation luminaries I've never been a fan of most of them personally. I think they were largely hypocritical and I think many had ulterior motives behind what they tried to publicly pass off as groundbreaking and selfless. The author is also a bit too "square" for the journey and his own judgments and bias shows through often as does his disconnect from the group. All that said, it is a classic, and a great insight to a lost time in America's past. Recommended.

#12 - Watchmen

This Watchmen graphic novel is a collection of the entire story as originally released in comic book form. I will admit I haven't watched the recent film adaptation, but most comic books turned movie don't do much for me anyhow. This is no mere comic book either, it isn't some happy-go-lucky tale of a do-gooder or mutant/superpower fest, it is simply magnificent writing and execution. I'd say this is about as good as it gets when it comes to graphic novels and really stands in a league of it's own. Highly recommended.

#11 - Peopled Darkness

Peopled Darkness is not the average book, instead it is one man's recounting his experiences with the entheogen Salvia Divinorum, a psychoactive member of the mint family. Much of the book are his notes taken directly following his experiences and while some a slightly profound it doesn't make for the best reading ever. Which makes sense because much of a journey like this is personal and internal, not really the best basis for a book. The fascinating part of it all, though, is how the author's accounts match up so closely with so many other people's reports found online. Drugs, especially hallucinogens seem to take people on wildly different "trips" and each is unique to the individual, but Salvia seems to be very different and takes everyone on the exact same journey. The same concepts are talked about over and over. The loss of ego/self, a female figure welcoming them, a plane of people who seem both welcoming and distant... these are almost always the same. This author contends that this is a land of the dead and that these people are actually deceased and the reason they are distant is because they know the Salvia user is not. His theory is interesting, and the transformative effects Salvia has on him are life-changing. It is just a shame that this ancient plant is best known for dumb, suburban, kids on Youtube making fools of themselves and having no respect for the history and effects. This one is a quick read and is recommended.

#10 - Heat

Bill Buford makes the journey from a journalist to a cook in this mess of a book. I really wanted to like this one, and it comes with many high regards from the food world... I have no idea why. It is a jumbled mess of disjointed accounts that would make far better individual newspaper or magazine shorts, which I would not be surprised if that was the original intention that somehow spawned into a book. From weak accounts of life inside Babbo which centered inexplicably on individuals with no importance rather than the cooking to jumpy tales of the author's time in Italy which don't flow or develop into much of anything. This book is almost worthless. I couldn't recommend this to anyone.

#9 - Snake Eyes: Declassified

Ahh... Snake Eyes. Pretty much *THE* most central figure/hero/idol in my life from age 4 onward. My love for just about any other character in any form (music, film, comics, books, cartoons, etc.) is nowhere near the pedestal that on, alone, stands Snake Eyes. This collection of a 6-part mini-series by Devil's Due Publishing was an instant buy for me. But even with my devout affinity, I buy anything related to him with some trepidation. He is wildly popular, and as such he is one of the most exploited characters and in reality he has the least to cover. By nature he is an enigma with almost no identity, information or past. As you can imagine then, all of these types of tales are simply made up to either pander to the fans or try to give back-story where there really is none. Sometimes it comes off as a bad gimmick and occasionally, not often, someone has a unique angle that works. This is one of those times it worked... thankfully. It takes the parts and pieces that have come out over the years and adds just the right amount to them to form a cohesive story. For any fan this is not to be missed. Highly Recommended!

#8 - The Dragonhead

John Sack's "The Dragonhead" was a bargain bin find I came across a few months back and shelved for the right time. That time finally came and while I enjoyed it it required some work on my part to keep it that way. The writing style is not for me at all and smacks of trying to be a bit too clever for his own good. The other drawback for me is that it is "literary journalism" which basically means it is all based on reality and truth but the writer takes some liberties and creates dialogue and environments and situations. I find this incredibly frustrating and you have to suspend your belief to enjoy the minute details because you know they are fabrications. Even with all of this, the story is true and it follows the life and times of Johnny Kon, The Dragonhead, essentially the head of the Chinese Mafia and it is a decent ride. It's long, a bit contrived, a bit repetitive, but engaging and interesting to see things through his eyes such as the Vietnam War, America, and retribution. It's a tough call on this one, but I'd say in the end it is Recommended.

#7 - The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen

Wow, where to begin? I learned of this book from a quick comment made by Anthony Bourdain in one of his books, and having great respect for Jacques Pepin, ran out and picked it up. From his time with the late, great, Julia Child to the miserable shows with his dopey daughter I have always loved Jacques' classical French technique and work... although his dishes aren't ones the average home cook would attempt, heck I rarely even tackle his projects, but they are amazing. I always thought he was a bit snooty and high-class but that is all brought crashing down by looking at the photo of the tough 12-13 year-old dressed in his kitchen whites and holding a battered ladle as big as himself on the cover. It is also quickly dispelled in the account of his life within which ranges from growing up in wartime France to his own stint in the armed forces to some wickedly grueling appointments and terrible mishaps. He has paid his dues and in ways I had never known or would have expected. His writing style is exceptional and he even tossed in topical recipes which I'm dying to try out. This is unlike - and better - than most foodie/cooking/chef books out there, and just an amazing read. This is now firmly in my personal favorites short-list, and it goes without saying: Highly Recommended.