11 Best Books To Read While High, According To A Weed Influencer

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Jon Gabrus knows good weed.

The comedian, actor, and podcaster has turned the act of getting high into an art and a career. In 2022, Gabrus produced and hosted the travel show 101 Places to Party Before You Die with his best friend and fellow weed lover, actor Adam Pally. In the series, the pair toured the country looking for the best places to eat, drink, and smoke up. To celebrate the “High Holidaze” on April 20th, he’s planned the annual “420 super sesh” of his popular podcast, High & Mighty. The video live stream event will feature Gabrus and a handful of his comedian buddies talking about (and of course partaking in) their favorite pastime.

Gabrus is also a prolific reader. In a good month, he reads about three books from start to finish—and even more if you count listening to audiobooks. His preferred genre is high fantasy (fitting), but he’s ultimately a literary omnivore, and he prefers recommendations from friends to find new books or authors. “I like the old-fashioned algorithm of word of mouth,” Gabrus says. “I’ll ask friends what they’re reading or liking at the moment, and then just blanket that genre or author.”

And on days that Gabrus isn’t sprinting across Los Angeles for a film project or working on one of his two podcasts (he also co-hosts the movie podcast, ActionBoyz), he can usually be found cranking through his reading list with the aid of joint or two. If turning to a good book while stoned isn’t your first instinct, that’s okay—Gabrus is good at selling the combo. “You might think that books and cannabis are opposing factors,” he says. “But they really can enhance each other.” When finding the perfect book to blaze to, however, you do have to choose wisely, taking into account that many factors like attention span, cognition, and taste may all be affected.

Setting is also important. Gabrus recommends finding a spot where you’re comfortable and at ease. His ideal place to read and blaze is at the beach, but if that isn’t in the cards, he sets the stage at home in his apartment in L.A.: “I’ll dim the lights, get a beverage, light a candle.” Then it’s time to spark up and get lost in the pages of a good book.

Here, Gabrus graciously flips through his bookshelf and offers up eleven books he highly recommends.

The Complete Far Side, by Gary Larson

According to Gabrus, this tome of more than 1,100 comics by the weird genius that is Gary Larson is the perfect stoner read. “What’s better than single-panel comics that make you laugh?” he says. “Depending on how strong your grass is, a single panel may be all you can handle.”

The Lord Of The Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

“C'mon now, you can’t have a 4/20 book list without featuring one of the OGs of stoner lit!” Gabrus jokes. While Tolkien scholars have tried admonishing the rumors that Gandalf’s pipe was filled with anything other than normal tobacco, it hasn’t stopped the world from seeing the wise old wizard as The Dude of the fantasy world.

Inherent Vice, by Thomas Pynchon

If hobbits hopping around the Shire isn’t your speed, even with the help of mary jane, Gabrus recommends this classic tale about a dope-loving private detective in the waning days of the psychedelic sixties by literary heavy-hitter Thomas Pynchon. “Is it kind of cliche for a reading list that revolves around getting high?” he says. “Sure. But it’s still a great read.”

Tech Noir: The Art of James Cameron

The acclaimed director James Cameron is known for his world-building (and mind-bending) visuals. He’s also a lifelong artist who got his start in the entertainment industry by painting movie posters for indie films. This coffee table book is full of Cameron’s artwork, sketches, journal entries, and more. “His propensity for sci-fi lends itself to some mind-bending reading,” says Gabrus. “But sometimes it’s nice to just look at pretty pictures.”

How to Smoke Pot (Properly): A Highbrow Guide to Getting High, by David Bienenstock

For anyone still finding their weed sea legs, this guide by Vice weed columnist and former High Times editor David Bienenstock will prove helpful. With chapters like “Indica vs. Sativa” and “What to Do (And Not Do) If You’re Too Damn High In Public,” this guide may well become your new bible. “Dave is a friend of mine. I don’t need this entry-level book anymore, but newbies to weed culture will gain a lot,” says Gabrus.

Warlock, by Jim Starlin

Bold graphics, fantastical storylines, and organized panels. This is what the comic book genre was made for. Gabrus is currently passionate about Adam Warlock, a being genetically engineered to become the next evolution of humanity. Warlock first appeared in Marvel Comics in 1967 and enjoys frequent story arcs as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. “If there’s a comic author and character combination that better lends itself to mind-expanding consumption, I don't know about it yet,” Gabrus says.

The Braindead Megaphone, by George Saunders

This collection of essays marks Saunders’ first foray into non-fiction. The Booker Prize-winning author of Lincoln in the Bardo turns his certified genius-level talents to the worlds of literature, politics, and travel, with stories about his trips to Nepal, Dubai, and the Mexican border, among others. “It’s highbrow, funny writing that’s perfect for some stony reading,” Gabrus says. “And chopping it up into short stories to fight THC-induced ADHD is clutch.”

The Fantastic Worlds of Frank Frazetta

The “godfather of fantasy art,” Frank Frazetta, is considered one of the most renowned illustrators of the 20th century. This collection highlights some of his best-known works, including paintings of Tarzan, Conan the Barbarian, Vampirella, and his signature Death Dealer. “Frazetta is one of my favorite artists,” says Gabrus. “But to be fair, any giant book of artwork will be a great stony read. Fewer words equal less ‘homework,’ if you will.”

Prison Pit: The Complete Collection, by Johnny Ryan

“At this point, you should be detecting a pattern,” Gabrus says. “Funny, wild visuals go a long way when trying to stay focused while reading and smoking.” And this comic series dreamed up by cartoonist Johnny Ryan definitely fits the bill. Just reading the log line sends you on a wild trip: "Welcome to Prison Pit: home of repugnant intergalactic criminals, drug-filled slugs, and now Cannibal Fuckface, a barbarian antihero who has been damned to this barren negative-zone."

Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties, by Tom O'Neill

Getting stoned is the perfect time to dive into someone else’s 20-year obsession with one of the most notorious murder sprees in modern memory. Chaos takes a second look at the infamous Manson murders, as depicted in the best-selling book Helter Skelter. It starts with author Tom O’Neill’s 1999 assignment to write a retrospective about those two notorious nights in LA, then follows him as he falls down an investigation rabbit hole of conspiracy theories about CIA misconduct, government cover-ups, and more. “O’Neill gets deep into all these conspiracy theories that surround the Manson murders, which is right in my wheelhouse,” says Gabrus.

The Dawn Patrol, by Don Winslow

Take a hit or two (or more) and fire up your fantasies of living the surfer life with this beach-themed crime noir. In The Dawn Patrol, ex-cop turned reluctant private eye Boone Daniels, who wants nothing more than to spend the rest of his days out amongst the breakers, has to choose between solving the biggest case of his career and missing the biggest swell of his life. “Yes, that's the actual premise, and it’s executed perfectly by the legend Don Winslow,” Gabrus says.

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