This. Was. Fantastic. The Devil's Picnic: Around the World in Pursuit of Forbidden Fruit by Taras Groscoe was captivating, informative, entertaining, and interesting. This was one of the best books I've ever read. A work of non-fiction, The Devil's Picnic details the history and cultural significance of several types of ingestibles - coca leaves, raw-milk cheeses, alcohol, poppy seeds, criadillas, coffee, and nicotine, to name a few... These items have all at one point or another been targets of prohibitions and illegalities. The way in which Groscoe outlines the reasoning behind the prohibitions and who is ultimately benefitting, while asking the question of whose job it is to "protect" private citizens is highly entertaining and illuminating. I LOVED this book, and would consider purchasing it to have as a reference. This makes book #30 read in 2009... I'm looking forward to time at the beach so I can really get rolling on my books!
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