Originally I wanted this list to be science-heavy, full of cool, weird books about how drugs like LSD and “magic” mushrooms came to be and how they affect our brains, but it turns out that mostly white people write those books. Since we like a variety of voices around here, I added in the much-needed perspectives of marginalized people writing about the history and politics around the criminalization of recreational drugs, especially by way of deadly drug cartels in Latin America and the staggeringly high numbers of Black and Brown people being incarcerated for possessing or selling drugs. I also wanted to stay away from addiction memoirs and self-help books; while those are of course necessary for the conversation — and some of my favorites to read — they aren’t the focus here. It feels right that these political stories sit alongside the science books. Because everything in this world is political. Let’s get to it. If you want more, be sure to check out these 15 weed books about the history of the plant alongside how-to guides and cookbooks.
