Outlaws in Babylon - Shocking true adventures on America's marijuana frontier

This is a classic about the Emerald Triangle (focusing on Mendo and Humboldt counties), along with R Raphael's Cash Crop, which was also published the same year. I am conducting fieldwork here in 2015-18, and find many of the themes in the book continue to resonate today. One is the diversity of cannabis farmers, typically pitting small family "mom & pops" vs big commercial green-rushers. Another is the heavy-handed role of the state, still a major player even on the eve of "legalization" (via extreme regulations). I particularly liked the sense of place(s), including the towns of Ukiah and Garberville, and Bear Butte Mt and Myers' Flat. While the characters may be considered too-large to be true, I am meeting farmers, pols, and police that are just as outsized today!