Gabe's Review

Following a kaleidoscopic thread of psychedelics, shamanism, psychotherapy, Santa Cruz hippies, cultural revolution, and German New Age-ers, Pollan crafts the narrative on psychedelics in the contemporary moment. Extensively researched, and at points laugh-out-loud funny, How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence is already in line for nonfiction book of the year. Quarter tab of acid not included with purchase. - Gabe

Meet Michael Pollan at our off-site book talk & signing event on June 5th. Check here for ticket availability.

Musician, DJ, historian, and writer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson tackles the daunting challenge of investigating creativity. Is it a phenomenon? An in-born characteristic? Something learned? In his humorous and conversational prose, Questlove rallies against the creative self-help book, instead using a series of insightful anecdotes and observations on what it means to be creative in the modern moment. A well-written, funny, and in many ways charming book that is perfect for those trying to understand the creative alter-ego deep down. - Gabe

Like many angsty Chicano teens I found (and subsequently consumed) the Hernandez brothers’ Love and Rockets graphic novels with a certain fervor that only impressionable youths have. So I suppose one might say I’m pretty excited for a new book in the Love and Rockets universe. Maria M., Complete Collection is an unusual graphic novel that tells the Scorcese-by-way-of-Darren-Arnovsky crime tale of Maria M., the mother of one of Love and Rockets’ primary characters. Sex, drugs, rock (maybe some head rolling), and unforgettable characters make this collection a must-read for anyone nostalgic for their tormented teen years. - Gabe

This book's publication date has been rescheduled to January 22nd, 2019. While we are sad this book will not be out this summer, we are excited to share it with you next year! 

I found a refracted reflection of myself in the lives of the four 20-something musicians at the center of Aja Gabel’s debut novel, The Ensemble. The alienation, hedonism, love, loss, and beautiful music in their lives is depicted with such ferocity that Gabel’s romantic yet sardonic prose began to whirl around in my head during the day’s quiet moments. If you liked Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere or Nell Zink’s Nicotine, you will like The Ensemble. - Gabe

Straight from the land of Shaolin comes a poignant memoir about one of the Wu-Tang Clan’s underrated members, chronicling childhood traumas, first run-ins with Wu-Tang Clan members (his young Method Man stories are insightful and hilarious), and the beginnings of the Wu-Tang. Heartbreaking and laugh-out-loud hilarious, RAW is the definitive hip-hop memoir of the year. - Gabe

What are the fleeting memories and traumas that shape us? Adrian Tomine follows this question through a collection of tragicomic stories that reflect the humanity in characters that are both flawed and lovable. From the first page to the last, Tomine had me enthralled with both his minimal artwork and poignant prose. - Gabe

Seiichi Hayashi’s cult-classic comic will make you cry. The experimental black-ink work pays homage to Godard films as much as underground comic books. It completely immerses you in a fractured world of love, failed revolutionary politics, and art. Any word I can use to review this book feels false compared to the stark beauty and emotional viscosity of the book itself. - Gabe

This book provides a comprehensive deconstruction of digital privacy. Broken down into small vignettes that highlight either a historical or digital obfuscation, Finn & Nissenbaum offer an interesting guide for privacy in the 21^st century. An excellent nightstand book, this is a vital tool for understanding just how the State can intrude upon our individual freedoms. - Gabe

Part memoir, part snapshot of 90s Bay Area punk rock, this book offers a revelatory glimpse into the intersectional experience of a Xicana fem punk rocker creating in a homogenous cis-white scene. For those that are queer, brown, or any other oppressed identity in a punk-rock scene, this book is for you. The Spitboy Rule sparked in me a sense of belonging that I hadn’t felt in a long time. - Gabe

Lawrence’s account of the punk-turned-funk era of New York music is endearing and over-the-top ridiculous. From the proto-house and electro of the Bronx to the New-Waves grooves of the Lower East Side, Lawrence creates intimate portraits of the many people who have used music as a social salve. Perfect for anyone who has found love to the rhythm of a 4/4 beat. - Gabe