Drugs Books

This is honestly the best book I have ever read. April Lurie, you are a terrific writer. I really appreciate your work! Thanks. Also, if you have any books very similar to Dancing in the Streets of Brooklyn, I would love to know.



Thanks for reading!

- Katie Jenkins

i have read this book 3 times in one day. u my think thats crazy but it just shows u how good this book is. a twist of reality, romance, and confilcts is what makes the recipe complete and this book has got it all.

Dancing in the streets of Brooklyn by April Lurie is based on some true events. A little piece of information I thought was interesting is that April Lurie grew up in Brooklyn, New York along with her character Judy.

Fourteen-year-old Judy Strand is the main character in this book. When Judy was younger, her father abandoned her and her mother. Judy's mom, knowing she would be the sole provider for her family, she set out for America for more opportunity. Before they started their journey, Mrs. Strand had two children, one of which died of pneumonia on their way to America. Judy had no idea that she had a younger sister until, nosing around in her mom's closet.There, she found a photo of a little girl and a birth certificate for an anonymous person. When Judy finally got the guts to ask her mom who this girl was, her mom started to weep uncontrollably. I'm not going to let out the secret of why she was crying..... You'll need to read this book and figure out for yourself the "Big Secret".

Lurie has a great talent for word choice. She is so descriptive; I had a visual of what was going on in the story at all times. Here is a great example; "I awoke to loud voices mixed with aroma of fish balls and creamed cabbage. Ma was fretting like she did when she burned something." You're probably wondering why she was fretting, but I can't give away the whole thing!!

I think this is a great book for ages 9 to 12 both boys and girls as it has many concurrent story lines. This is a very dramatic book for active readers. Why don't you read it and see for yourself. Have a great time reading!

Wow this is the best new author I have read in a long time. I read the entire book in one sitting because I could not put it down. The characters were so realistic and I felt like I could relate to each of them in one way or another. I recommend Dancing in the Streets of Brooklyn to anyone looking for an exciting novel to read over the holidays.

"Dancing in the Streets of Brooklyn" is a warm, beautiful story with authentic characters that have remained in my memory. Lurie avoids melodrama to tell Judy's story with sincerity and compassion. The author's roots in Bay Ridge give the book an authenticity that's refreshing. Not your typical wartime book, "Dancing" shows that while the years were difficult, they were innocent as well. Readers easily feel Judy's joys and sorrows as she comes to terms with the secrets of her past.

Deadly Deception is a great mystery novel, a real page turner, by first novelist, Susan P. Mucha. Compelling and intriguing from start to finish, her characters are well developed and real and the plot with it's twists and turns keeps you eagerly engaged to the conclusion. Mrs. Mucha ranks right up there with some of the best female mystery writers of our time and I look forward to her next novel with great anticipation!

Apparently this is Susan Mucha's first novel, but you couldn't tell by the quality of her writing. Deadly Decpeton is a beautifully written, fast-paced mystery/thriller which whips the reader from exotic Peru to the stately grounds of the Augusta National in Georgia. It's obvious Ms. Mucha didn't get her facts from an encyclopedia; she knows Peru and the Augusta area quite well, and readers are transported to wherever this talented writer chooses to take them.

I'm sure we'll be seeing more of this author's work. If her first book is any indication of what's to come, we're all in for a treat.

Not being much of a reader of fiction, I have to say that
"Deadly Deception" grabbed and held my attention from beginning to end. It's obvious that the author has thoroughly researched
the subjects and locations in her book. Ms. Mucha's writing
style is clean and easy to read. Her descriptions are so vivid
she makes you feel as if you are right there, in the moment, in Peru, seeing everything just as the main characters are viewing their surroundings.
This book is a page-turner...and I could be persuaded to become
a reader of mysteries now. I can hardly wait to see what Ms. Mucha plans to do with her fascinating characters in her next book.
A+.

For first time author it was a very good read. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of places and food of Peru. It made me want to return. She was able to keep the reader involved and made it a real page turner.It reminded me of the old love stories that let your imagination take over rather than have every kiss and "heaving bosom" be described in detail. I am anxious to read her next book.

I began this book with skepticism; I finished it with admiration and awe. Susan Mucha did a marvelous job with this novel. I couldn't wait to read each new chapter, breaking my own rule of one chapter a night. I can't wait for the next novel, and expect it to be as good as this one.

When a college in San Diego asks Edgar Donahoe to leave due to his drunk bellowing from his dorm room window at 4 in the morning, he resolves a decision to embark upon a journey which he has romanticized for some time. Throughout his journey his goal is to rid himself of the corruption of America by his discovery of paradise. Until he received a postcard from his best friend Mountain, he never had a destination in mind. With the discovery of Poisson Rouge, Edgar now sets out to the island where he intends to become one with nature and return to a more natural version of man.

However, Edgar makes the mistake of assuming that a change of ambience will help him live a meditated life. At the end of the novel the readers realize true peace of mind can not be achieved through paradise, but solely through one?s personal efforts. An external change will only change surroundings; it can not balance or improve one?s inner-self. As Edgar works through his internal and external problems he becomes captured in the same corruptive and influenced behavior he hoped to leave behind in America. Some of the adversity Edgar is faced with is a love triangle with his best friend Mountain, and Mountain?s girlfriend Kate. He is also stalked by an island native. Ironically, it takes a hurricane to remove protagonist Edgar from this complex lifestyle.

Poe Ballantine creates the image of a youthful character by breaking us down with complex tragedies and then building us up with his unique sense of humor. It is the story of a hero who attempts to regain paradise. Ballantine?s fast paced style keeps you interested from the beginning to the end and then craving for more. His detailed descriptions and vivid scenes make you feel as if you were following Edgar on his journey to paradise. Once Edgar reaches the island, the culture shock seems so grave that you wonder whether it is a direct representation of the society or a delirious description due to an unhealthy mix of heat and alcohol. However, this quickly forces Edgar to realize that civilization is not as overrated as he perceived. Ballantine also maintains an intriguingly relaxed and almost conversational tone throughout the novel which provides a level of comfort between Edgar, the author, and the audience. With this said, Ballantine has proved himself to be a contemporary spokesperson of today?s society with a strong sense of wit.

Despite the fact that the novel takes place in 1976, I believe it is still a good reflection of today?s younger generation. Edgar helps to open the minds of an older more structured generation to a more simple and fanciful mentality but also aids the youth in recognizing the demand for direction. Edgar?s whimsical idea of a simpler life, his endless craving for alcohol, and his yearning for unity with nature will leave you wishing to return to the days of youth or a motivation to improve upon them.

I suspect Edgar Donohoe, the twenty-one year old anti-hero and warped protagonist of "Decline of the Lawrence Welk Empire" may have walked straight out of the 1976 edition of the author himself and into the pages of this novel. Or maybe I would just like to think so. Perhaps it is a slight to think there is an autobiographical foundation to the character, but Ballantine clearly knows Edgar very, very well.

The action begins in San Diego, but the bulk of the story occurs on the blighted Caribbean island of Poisson Rouge, where no one is who they first seem to be.

Edgar, a young man without a moral compass, has a hearty appetite for booze and an appreciative eye for the ladies. His bawdy descriptions of the female anatomy punctuate the narrative thoroughly and consistently.

Immersed in Ballantine's descriptive power and offbeat imagery, the reader follows Edgar at a safe distance, keeping an eye out for Legion, a crazy loner who first wants to kill Edgar with a machete, shadows him relentlessly around the island and, ultimately, saves Edgar from his murderously jealous best friend, Mountain.

As Edgar lurches from one mishap to another, you'll feel torpid from the oppressive heat, your mouth will be sour from last night's Scotch and your head will throb with the dull ache of a hangover.

If you wish to revisit your own wasted youth--or if you are currently youthful and wish to get some good ideas--this book will fill the bill.

Once again, Poe Ballantine will crack you up, break your heart, and make you wish you had half his verbal skill. In his second novel, Ballantine follows his hero, Edgar Donahoe from God Clobbers Us All, on an ill-conceived attempt to simplify his life in a tropical paradise, only to discover that paradise exists solely in the mind. Traveling through his own personal heart of darkness, Edgar finds himself entangled by all the base desires and jealousies he'd hoped to escape by leaving the western world behind. Ballantine makes the island of Poisson Rouge come alive with explosions of language and vivid descriptions that border on hallucinatory. After reading a scene in which Edgar's love affair with his best friend's girlfriend is consummated in a graveyard, you'll never look at a headstone the same way again.

I'd never read anything by Ballantine before I purchased this novel. I was browsing a bookstore in Cambridge when I saw its cover proudly displayed in the window. Of course, I had to investigate. Needless to say, this book is fantastic. It is both a belated coming-of-age story and an adventure story, coupled with tinges of lust. I've loved every single page thus far, and unfortunately, I've nearly finished it (20 pages to go). "Decline" seems to be one of those novels you can read over and over, without getting tired of it. I love the pace and description in the narrative. Ballantine is certainly a welcome writer on my "favourite books" shelf. Do yourself a favour and read it.

I am not a big fan of most recent fiction. It is so often just whiny, self-aggrandizing crap that glorifies debauchery and pretends to carry a greater message. I picked this book off the shelf because the title and the cover are hard to dismiss. Reading the first page, even though the subject material seems conventional, it was immediately clear that I held a novel wholly different from any of the other two dozen recent novels I'd opened that day.

This book is a real story with real character, real fear, real consequences, and a real philosophy. It begins like The Catcher in the Rye but ends like Fight Club. It takes place in 1976, which seems perfectly poised between those two works, and almost feels like a transition between Holden Caulfield's tired hopelessness, and Tyler Durden's wreckless self-serving activism.

I adore this work, and if you have a soul, I suspect you will, too. This is literature.

This book has enriched my life. I have bought several copies to gift to friends and loved ones. It contains an empowering message of what we can be and accomplish with and through God in our lives.

For any Christian who is stuck in a rut, this is a good book to read. It gives some spiritual and practical advice about finding your own niche. Doing the written exercises will give you a great starting off point to make changes in your life.

This book rises above all those other "get what you want in life" books because it is Biblically sound. It is a well-organized, easily understood and practical guide for identifying the passions in one's life and how to channel them the right way. Read it and be motivated! The only problem? Something outside the book: like the old adage says, "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink," so with this book you need to read it and then take action.

I have to agree with Marc from Pennsylvania below. This is one of the most important books ever written for Christians--it deserves a much wider reputation than it has thus far.

In 1997, I turned 40. My father had just lost his final battle with cancer, and I was questioning my career direction. I'd read Kathy Peel's "Do Plastic Surgeons Take Visa?" and loved how she combined humor with practical suggestions for coping with everyday life--and I especially loved her story about how she went from being a housewife to a woman with a speaking and writing ministry. That story is repeated in "Discover Your Destiny" and it alone would be worth the price of the book. But there's MUCH more. Chapter by chapter, they talk about everything from discovering your dreams and passions, to preparing yourself physically, spiritually, and practically to embark on your next step. There are three great lists that I used not only with myself, but now with my students: "Spotting a Dream from God," "Preparing for Your Dream (this one is great--very practical and powerful at the same time) and the Growth Op for discovering what you're passionate about (For example, what issues make you pound the table and say, "Someone's got to do something about this?")

It was through doing the work in this book that I realized what was missing in my own everyday work--the career counseling component. These last five years I've attended professional meetings, bought books, gone out of my way to work on things related to what I wanted to do. And. . .oh, yes. . .I prayed. OFTEN. It took time. . .but when I finally helped create a position last year that combined academic advising with career counseling, it was the RIGHT time. I was truly ready to do the work. Even a year ago, I wouldn't have been ready.

This WORKS. Though I cannot proselytize on the job, I can certainly use the principles outlined by the Peels as the foundation for how I live and how I help others do what their book did for me.

This one is another one of my desert island books. Five stars are NOT enough!

It's revolutionized the way I live from day to day. The Peels have masterfuuly written a book that catapults the dreams in your heart while showing you how to practically live them out each and every day. Besides, it's loaded with quotes from major players in history who have reached their maximum, God-given potential. I recommend this book those who are worthy of it!

"The Doors of Perception" has been selected for listing in "Religion and Psychoactive Sacraments: An Entheogen Chrestomathy" http://www.csp.org/chrestomathy

Before reading this book, I had read 'Brave New World' and a few other essays of Huxley.My image of him and his writing was that he was more concerned with issues that link man to the society(the immediate one he interacts with which also exerts an influence on him like town, city, country etc). While Huxley in these pieces, is no doubt, extremely clear and has convincing arguments, the entire tone of his writing and philosophy was to look for solutions from 'The Without'. All his earlier works have the unmistakable ring of objectivity or externality.

The 'Doors of Perception' on the other hand is completely different from anything that Huxley had written before. For the first time, possibly, Huxley looks for answers to the riddle of the human predicament from 'The Within'. The classical mechanics led tone of impartiality/ objectivity is not there. It has been replaced by the subtler quantum mechanics treatment of the observer being as much involved(if not more) in the process of self-realisation and understanding of experience.

The book is brilliant and takes one into what possibly lies in the realm of 'The Transcendental Country of the Mind' - but the reader should get into it..and to realise the full potential of the book one has to suspend existing precepts in our limited consciousness.

There is an oft quoted zen koan which might make my point clearer. A professor of a university once wanted to know what Zen was all about. So he went to this famous Zen monk and asked him to teach Zen. The monk invited him to first have a cup of tea. He placed a cup before the prof and continued pouring tea into his cup even though it was full. After sometime, the prof got completely agitated and told the Zen Monk, "Why are you still pouring into the cup? Don't you see it? Its already full".
The monk replied, "Exactly. How can I teach you Zen when you are so full of yourself in the same way as this tea cup".

The same koan applies to reading 'Doors of Perception'..

If there ever should have been a person to experience and report on the higher states of consciousness that the use of psychedelic chemicals permits access to then this is he. Huxley expresses his 'sacramental vision of Reality' like no other could hope to, merging science and religion into a completely logical whole, and divulging to the reader the secret of Being, Existence, and the Not-Self. Readers experienced themselves in these states will possibly discover a meaning of Life. A timeless masterpiece.

This book simultaneously sythesized everything in my life and changed everything. It is a guide for understanding man's place in the world. enjoy its beauty.

Before reading this book, I had read 'Brave New World' and a few other essays of Huxley.My image of him and the tone of his writing was that he was more concerned with issues that link man to the society(the immediate one he interacts with, which also exerts an influence on him like town, city, country etc). While Huxley in these pieces, is no doubt, extremely clear and has convincing arguments, the entire tone of his writing and philosophy was to look for solutions from 'The Without'. All his earlier works have the tone of objectivity or externality.

The 'Doors of Perception' on the other hand is completely different from anything that Huxley had written before. For the first time, possibly, Huxley looks for answers to the riddle of the human predicament from 'The Within'. The classical mechanics led tone of impartiality/ objectivity is not there. It has been replaced by the subtler quantum mechanics treatment of the observer being as much involved(if not more) in the process of self-realisation and understanding of experience.

The book is brilliant and takes one into what possibly lies in the realm of 'The Transcendental Country of the Mind' - but the reader should get into it..and to realise the full potential of the book one has to suspend existing precepts in our limited consciousness.

There is an oft quoted zen koan which might make my point clearer. A professor of a university once wanted to know what Zen was all about. So he went to this famous Zen teacher and asked him to teach Zen. The teacher invited this prof for a cup of tea. He placed a cup before the prof and continued pouring tea into his cup even though it was full. After sometime, the prof got completely agitated and told the Zen Monk, "Why are you still pouring into the cup? Don't you see it? Its already full".
The monk replied, "Exactly. How can I teach you Zen when you are so full of yourself in the same way as this tea cup".

The same koan applies to reading 'Doors of Perception'..

It's not that this book is the most exciting story ever told or that it's sheer poetry to read. Two seemingly ordinary men created something extraordinary, something that's affected the lives of millions of people. In LIVING their beliefs, they showed the power that exists in being conscious of the choices we make 24 hours a day, one day at a time. AA got its real start in Akron -- that's where it started because that's where Dr. Bob and his Annie were. Bill had a harder time in NY. As Dr. Bob said, "Love and service keep us dry" and he really lived it. Bill may have been the better writer but in Dr. Bob's story we experience the early HEART of AA and we understand why it grew to be the powerful force it did. Dr. Bob isn't as well known as Bill W., he just didn't live as long, but the love and spirit he brought to AA played a crucial role in making it what it became.

The only historical work out of GSO worth reading. Brings home the powerful message that the good Doctor carried. Gives one puase to think of what AA could have become if Bob had outlived Bill.

This is a very interesting biography. His life took many fascinating twists and turns. Some of the other reviewers noted that the writing is a little bland, but it really doesn't get in the way of a good story!

I picked this up as part of research project on the history of alternative therapies in America. I thought it'd be some dry recount of the early days of AA, but instead I found it to be a very warm account of a very intriguing man. The writing style lacks flair, but the plain language makes it readable for practically anyone. His final weeks are especially inspiring.

While looking for a book by Dr. Bob Arnot, I accidently came to this book review for Dr. Bob and The Good Oldtimers. Well, I read the reviews and then asked an AA friend of mine of he had the book in his library. He did, so I borrowed it.

There's no author listed in the book, so I gather it might have been written by a group of archivists? The writing has that dry, "committee" like feel to it. Which is a little sad, because Bob Smith lived one interesting life! His story is very inspiring.

I read it in one sitting, about three hours, so it's not long. From my perspective, you don't have to be an alcoholic to enjoy this book. Cause I enjoyed it.

Blake Morgan is a DEA agent. He is involved in two major arrest operations, one involving drug running in Mexico, and the other involving drug and people smuggling in Seattle. Both are solid arrests, the kind where convictions are practically guaranteed. That is, until both suspects are released, and granted immunity from prosecution by someone very high in the CIA. Supposedly, they are also good sources of information for the Agency. Blake knows that something very strange is happening.

Blake was born in a Japanese concentration camp in World War II Hong Kong. His parents, a Welsh father and a Hispanic mother, did not survive the war. Blake was adopted by Wang Chan, a rising member of the Hong Kong business community. Soon before the arrests mentioned above, Wang Chan is found murdered. Like most Hong Kong businessmen, there are rumors that he was involved in illegal activities. Unsatisfied with the pace of the official investigation, Chan's son, Raymond, goes to the Hong Kong triads (gangsters) and asks for their help in avenging his father's death.

While all this is going on, Blake gets word of a proposed alliance between one of the triads and a Mexican drug cartel, assisted by whomever in the CIA is in the habit of releasing drug dealers from prison. Profits are down, so it is proposed that they get together and market an ancient, and quite powerful, Mayan drug called jfuri. Just to make things more interesting, Blake has fallen in love with DEA Special Prosecutor Angela Townsend. It is up to Blake to fight his way through the conspiracies, corruption and general lying to get to the bottom of this, once and for all.

This is an excellent novel. Thriller readers will love it. The reader will be involved from start to finish, it feels very plausible, and the author knows what he is talking about, having actually been born in a World War II concentration camp in Hong Kong. This gets two thumbs up.

Dragon Tamer takes you on a fast-paced journey into the dark and deadly world of international drug deals and one man's struggle to fight back. Intricate details of Hong Kong triad initiation rites,Taoist funeral rituals, Mayan ruins, money laundering and the CIA make a fascinating read on their own and bring the plot to life. Well worth reading !

Dragon Tamer is an excellent read! A very exciting story of mystery and intrigue -- you never know what will happen next. The plot is full of twists and turns, but it's quick-moving too. You can really identify with the characters too -- they're interesting and realistically flawed. I'd recommend this book.

When I friend of mine recommended this book, I thought,
no, I don't read that kind of book, but when I started
reading the first page, I couldn't stop. I had to write this review before I even finished the book, GO BUY IT NOW, it's the best book I've read in a long time.

Dragon Tamer is a must-read ! So exciting you can't put it down. Not only do you get to travel to Hong Kong, Mexico, and the Pacific West Coast, but the author also takes you on a journey through the dark world of drugs and the CIA. The main character, Blake Morgan, fights corruption while struggling with his own personal demons borne out of his childhood in a Prisoner of War camp. The characters are so special, I hope to meet them again in a sequel.

A MUST READ FOR EVERY MIDDLE AGED HEDONIST WHO STILL REMEMBERS VASELINE. TODAY IT'S PEPPERMINT FLAVORED "JOY JELLY' FOLLOWED BY A STARBUCKS LATTE INSTEAD OF A CIGARETTE.

WOW, THINGS HAVE CHANGED, BUT DR. WHYTE BRINGS BACK MANY FOND MEMORIES. ODDLY, I REMEMBER MEETING A CHAP JUST LIKE HIM ON "ILE DES SAINTES & ST. BARTS" DURING THE 1970'S. OF COURSE, WE WERE ALL NAKED AND DRINKING "VIN ORDINAIRE" SO IT'S RATHER VAGUE. HOWEVER, COULD IT BE ? NAH.

"Doc" was my family physician from 1979 until he retired. I can honestly say that he was a wonderful Doctor. He is a good friend, and we still meet for lunch once or twice per year. I did not know that he was dyslexic, or anything about his personal life. I found the book extremely entertaining. I hope that people will enjoy reading about his life....very interesting, but more importantly find his medical advice valuable.
"Doc" writes about personal things in his life that are common to most "men" but few would have the testicular fortitude to expose it to the world.
Thanks Doc..G Wood.

Memorable and hilarious!

I could not put it down last night as the memories of Durban came bounding back. I converse in Zulu rather fluently so really enjoyed the references!

This is an amazing triumph of perseverance, compassion, and change. Dr. Whyte's depiction of real life episodes leaves the readers wanting more and more. I guarantee you once you start reading this intriguing book, you will be hard pressed to put it down. Well done Dr. Whyte.

This is a very difficult book to put down once you've peeked under its (and Dr. Whyte's) covers. From his youthful escapades and spot-on insights into growing up in his beloved South Africa in the 1930s, to his many (often spicy) adventures while studying at Cambridge and after, Dr. Whyte paints a picture of living life as it presents itself, and savoring every minute. Yet even as he takes us along on his light-hearted journey, he occasionally slips back into his lab coat and reminds us of a few important health-related bits about our bodies and how they should be looked after, How well done, to give us a page-turning read and a few gentle health tips all in one marvelous little book!

This book examines objectively the use of MDMA ("Ecstasy," "mole") in the US and Europe. Saunders reviews many aspects of the drug and its culture (eg his personal experience, history, psychological dangers, social effects, safety, psychotherapy and much more). While the majority of readers probably use the drug or are thinking about using, non-users should read this work as well (it was recomended to me by a fellow parent who had bought it after learning that her 20 yearold son had begun using MDMA). Saunders did not recieve much publicity b/c of the taboo subject, although many reviewers and critics personally thanked him for a well written, informative book.

This book is excellent and I agree with all the other people that have reviewed it in a positive way. However, what surprised me is that Nicholas included very little about the bad effects of Ecstasy, such as first-time user panic attacks, negative effects that might occur (anxiety, claustrophobia, fear of others,midweek crash, etc.) I agree totally with him that E should have never been made illegal, but I feel that he was (rest in peace) so passionate about the good part of E that he forgot that E has a definite downside. Ignoring this downside can make some readers think that E is ALL positive. I recommend this book because still it's very informative and obviously well-researched, I just want potential readers (and E users) to keep in mind that Ecstasy is a strong substance that should be used with respect.

Earlier incarnations of this book, "E for Ecstasy," "Ecstasy and the Dance Culture," and "Ecstasy Reconsidered," have been chosen for listing in "Religion and Psychoactive Sacraments: An Entheogen Chrestomathy." http://www.csp.org/chrestomathy

Of all the books on MDMA I've read this is by far the best. Very well organized and goes through everything concerning MDMA from its legal status to the chemistry behind it. The text is very easy to understand even for those who do not know much about this subject. All his statements are backed by solid evidence derived from independent research and real life stories. Saunders gives the reader a chance to decide for himself, rather than telling the reader 'This is what I looked up so this is what I think, and therefore what you think as well'. I would recommend this book to everyone. The author has dedicated his life to this subject, as indicated by the quality of his work.

Saunders, a brilliant and inquisitive man, writes of his experiences, research, and overall knoweledge of MDMA. From the chemical make-up to the trafficing of the drug, Saunders tackles the entire realm of Ecstasy and its culture. A must read for anyone curious about the subject - #1 Thesis on Ecstasy

An anarchistic dystopia that might not be so hard to believe in. Curcio is a great writer, and truly delves into the human soul with his character production and surreal landscapes of the inevitable babylon!

If you enjoy Hunter S. Thompson, Robert Anton Wilson, and Crowley then you will enjoy this. Even if you do not, this man is truly and up and coming author, that I think everyone will enjoy. I'm excited to see what else will come from this unique mind.

Hunter S. Thompson's darkest fantasy - sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll bring down the forces trying to turn us into cookie-cutter people. Along the way there's some seriously hardcore philosophical babble that might make your head hurt if you're unprepared. But if you are, it will probably make you grin in pleased recognition: "A fellow travelor!"

But it's no Utopian vision. James Curcio has no illusions as to what the crumbling of the infrastructure would mean to most of us. (As most of us do, which is why so many won't question deeply). But the infrastructure (and thus those who comprise the infrastructure) aren't particularly benign. They can't be. Security, to their mind, is based on conformity and control, completely antithetical to the individual.

What's the answer? Perhaps there isn't one. Or perhaps there isn't just one. The question is: will we wait until the decision is made for us?

How can I put this lightly? Fallen Nation is like Neil Gaiman's American Gods on an ayahuasca trip, while rocking out to the noise of Mushroomhead, with the lyrical subtext of Steely Dan. To all those that thought Curcio's Join My Cult! was good, this is James Curcio to the second power... with spicey mustard for added kick.

There has been a lot of comparisons made between James Curcio and Robert Anton Wilson, Philip K. Dick, or even a little Neil Gaiman. Throw those out the window - even my comparison above. If you're reading Fallen Nation with those comparisons in mind, you're not doing the book - nor Curcio - any justice. This is something totally new. Curcio's book is specifically meant to stimulate the missing art of storytelling and hijack the archetypes of mythology that have - for too long - been buried in your subconscious.

Curcio has stepped up his game since Join My Cult!. Fallen Nation is big on cultural warfare, but unlike the rebellious "teenage revolution" feel of Join My Cult!, Fallen Nation is the more mature sibling that knows which battles are best to fight, and goes in with a game plan rather than a grenade. This isn't to say that its tame; to the contrary, it makes it that much more powerful.

For additional information - and downloadable content - check out the books web site.

Illuminatus, Robert Anton Wilson, Philip K. Dick and Neil Gaiman certainly all come to mind when reading Fallen Nation; Haruki Murakami and Alan Moore too. I love all these authors, but thankfully Curcio is doing something all his own here. He's not aping anyone else.

In Fallen Nation Curcio has dragged something unsettlingly out of the shadows of modern culture so we can examine its contours more closely. In the process we may note the hidden effects of oh-so-fashionable complacency, homogeneity, cynicism, escapism and post-modern irony just as his rebel-rousing characters must; and just maybe find a portion of the courage, tenacity, wit and humor they unfold in order to find both themselves and a better, more humane way of living.

If you liked any of the fore-mentioned authors then this book is for you. If you enjoyed his previous book, Join My Cult!, then you're going to absolutely love this one. It's a faster, more fun-loving and dangerous ride.

Curcio's prose begs the reader to live and love like there's no tomorrow... 'cause you know what? Your end, and the end of the American Empire may be coming sooner then you think.

Thick with both occult and pop-culture references "Fallen Nation" summons up echo's of Robert Anton Wilson's "Illuminatus!" trilogy. The book sets an aggressive pace as it follows the adventures of several gods who are seeking to reform the nature of reality and their own minds. If you are at all a fan of "American Gods" by Neil Gayman or Illuminatus! this book is one which you will surely enjoy.