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Hippies
Struggling with the contradictions of the 1960s counterculture, Jazmine, Ziggy, Ragman, and a coterie of hippies discovers an LSD-spinoff drug that triggers past life regressions and sweeps them toward a dramatic climax. This is the epic tale of hippiedom we’ve been waiting for, intimate in the lives of its characters but panoramic in its coverage of the sights and sounds of the Age of Aquarius.
288 pages, Paperback
Published February 3, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 10, 2017
After running from her neglectful and abusive family, Jazmine has made a new life for herself living in a co-op with a handful of hippie wanderers. It's 1960-something and she's still just trying to figure it all out, man. But for the first time in a long while (maybe ever), she's happy and at peace. As she's earnestly and innocently finding her way, however, there are certain harsh realities she's still going to have to face. Most difficult of all will be the realization that some of her free-loving friends aren't exactly who they say they are. And, unfortunately, their idealistic and (mostly) well-meaning actions will have some serious and lasting consequences.
This isn't a book I would normally gravitate toward. It's fiction, yes, but there are a lot of (drug-induced) flashbacks that make the book read almost like fantasy/mystery. I still enjoyed it, though. The storyline is unique and well-developed, and the whole hippie angle is interesting.
Even though there are moments when the discussions between characters go on too long (to the point that I felt preached at), I still could appreciate the balance of cultural perspective. It's a good mix of "all you need is love" vs. "no justice, no peace." And the characters do discuss a wide range of interesting cultural topics: war, sex, women's rights, civil disobedience, drugs, and the list goes on. Even the ending feels balanced. Plus, the story doesn't end where I expected it to, and that is always refreshing.
Overall, Hippies is a solid, enjoyable story. I think people who came of age in the 60s will especially enjoy it.
See more of my book reviews at www.BugBugBooks.com?
This isn't a book I would normally gravitate toward. It's fiction, yes, but there are a lot of (drug-induced) flashbacks that make the book read almost like fantasy/mystery. I still enjoyed it, though. The storyline is unique and well-developed, and the whole hippie angle is interesting.
Even though there are moments when the discussions between characters go on too long (to the point that I felt preached at), I still could appreciate the balance of cultural perspective. It's a good mix of "all you need is love" vs. "no justice, no peace." And the characters do discuss a wide range of interesting cultural topics: war, sex, women's rights, civil disobedience, drugs, and the list goes on. Even the ending feels balanced. Plus, the story doesn't end where I expected it to, and that is always refreshing.
Overall, Hippies is a solid, enjoyable story. I think people who came of age in the 60s will especially enjoy it.
See more of my book reviews at www.BugBugBooks.com?
April 6, 2017
I recently read Walden, a book that is considered a influencer on the hippie movement from de 1960's. Following its track, my next (and last) reading on this topic ought to be about the hippies and their impact on society. Then I found this book Hippies (Gary Gautier), which I have just finished reading. A very entertaining and well written novel about the hippies and their lifestyle, living in a hippie post-Woodstock community in New Orleans (the author was born there). The dream of simple life, no prejudices, no races, no limits, living just for today, no consumism, their music, much love and a lot of acid and other drugs mind trips. The negative impacts of drug addiction, particularly LSD addiction and its brain and mind damages, is very richly and vividly described, it almost makes the reader tripping together with the book characters. Last chapters are devoted to how it all ends, hippies back to "normal" society but living by their dreams. I liked the book a lot, it was a necessary reading to close the topic on my mind. Highly recommended!
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Li recentemente Walden, um livro que é considerado um influenciador no movimento hippie dos anos 1960. Seguindo sua trilha, minha próxima (e última) leitura sobre este tópico teria que ser sobre os hippies e seu impacto na sociedade. Achei o livro Hippies (Gary Gautier), que acabei de ler. Um romance muito divertido e bem escrito sobre os hippies e seu estilo de vida, vivendo em uma comunidade hippie pós-Woodstock em New Orleans (o autor nasceu lá). O sonho da vida simples, sem preconceitos, sem distinção de raças, sem limites, vivendo apenas hoje, sem consumismo, sua música, muito amor e um monte de ácido e outras drogas e as viagens mentais que provocam. Os impactos negativos da dependência, particularmente o vício do LSD e seus danos mentais, são muito ricos e vividamente descritos, quase fazem o leitor viajar junto com os personagens do livro. Os últimos capítulos são dedicados a como tudo termina, os hippies de volta à sociedade "normal", mas vivendo e guiados por seus sonhos do passado. Gostei muito do livro, era uma leitura necessária para fechar o tópico em minha mente. Altamente recomendado!
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Li recentemente Walden, um livro que é considerado um influenciador no movimento hippie dos anos 1960. Seguindo sua trilha, minha próxima (e última) leitura sobre este tópico teria que ser sobre os hippies e seu impacto na sociedade. Achei o livro Hippies (Gary Gautier), que acabei de ler. Um romance muito divertido e bem escrito sobre os hippies e seu estilo de vida, vivendo em uma comunidade hippie pós-Woodstock em New Orleans (o autor nasceu lá). O sonho da vida simples, sem preconceitos, sem distinção de raças, sem limites, vivendo apenas hoje, sem consumismo, sua música, muito amor e um monte de ácido e outras drogas e as viagens mentais que provocam. Os impactos negativos da dependência, particularmente o vício do LSD e seus danos mentais, são muito ricos e vividamente descritos, quase fazem o leitor viajar junto com os personagens do livro. Os últimos capítulos são dedicados a como tudo termina, os hippies de volta à sociedade "normal", mas vivendo e guiados por seus sonhos do passado. Gostei muito do livro, era uma leitura necessária para fechar o tópico em minha mente. Altamente recomendado!
December 1, 2018
Gary Gautier's Hippies, intoxicated me. Reading this fine book was, for me, an experience not unlike the leisured enjoyment of a good wine, up from which wafted colorful notes of Jack Kerouac's On The Road, Tom Wolfe's The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, and Richard Brautigan's In Watermelon Sugar; with just the barest hint of my favorite Brautigan book, Trout Fishing In America, thrown in, to boot.
The counterculture world of The Beats, first, and then, The Hippies, has always interested me though, admittedly, I am about as conservative as you can get (heck, to this day I have never tried a recreational drug). Yet through my reading of the aforementioned books, including Mr. Gautier's, each of which came at me from a different angle and resonated in a unique way, I have found great enjoyment, been provided insight, and have discovered a growing appreciation of the times in which the Beats and the Hippies lived, and what they sought; which, in my humble and exceedingly square opinion, really boils down to the answer to one question: what does it mean to live?
And isn't that the question we're all trying to answer, but in various ways?
In Hippies, the "different angle" of which I spoke and what I most appreciated is, the author's writing of exceptional dialogue; especially the intimate conversations between the main-characters, Jazz and Ziggy. Whereas Jack Kerouac, Tom Wolfe, and Richard Brautigan brought me, so to speak, along for the ride, for as enjoyable as those rides turned out to be, I was there, reading, as a mere observer, Gary Gautier's book related to me in a more personal, up-close way, as if I, too, were one of his story's characters, connecting, as Jazz relays James Joyce's famous line to Ziggy, to the "strand-entwining cable of all flesh" which binds us, everyone.
Good, meaningful book! Give it a try!
The counterculture world of The Beats, first, and then, The Hippies, has always interested me though, admittedly, I am about as conservative as you can get (heck, to this day I have never tried a recreational drug). Yet through my reading of the aforementioned books, including Mr. Gautier's, each of which came at me from a different angle and resonated in a unique way, I have found great enjoyment, been provided insight, and have discovered a growing appreciation of the times in which the Beats and the Hippies lived, and what they sought; which, in my humble and exceedingly square opinion, really boils down to the answer to one question: what does it mean to live?
And isn't that the question we're all trying to answer, but in various ways?
In Hippies, the "different angle" of which I spoke and what I most appreciated is, the author's writing of exceptional dialogue; especially the intimate conversations between the main-characters, Jazz and Ziggy. Whereas Jack Kerouac, Tom Wolfe, and Richard Brautigan brought me, so to speak, along for the ride, for as enjoyable as those rides turned out to be, I was there, reading, as a mere observer, Gary Gautier's book related to me in a more personal, up-close way, as if I, too, were one of his story's characters, connecting, as Jazz relays James Joyce's famous line to Ziggy, to the "strand-entwining cable of all flesh" which binds us, everyone.
Good, meaningful book! Give it a try!
June 6, 2021
Deep look at the hippie life of the 60s and early 70s, complete with 'universal love' philosophies and acid trips.
Do Jaz's tan-acid trips take her somewhere else, or expand her understanding of this world? Is the hippie lifestyle freeing or encumbering? Do drugs have lasting impacts on psyches?
The characters who come together in this story are complex, idealistic, flawed, and, most importantly, not "doers". They're watchers, through whom we see the philosophies play out.
One has to be a much deeper thinker than I to follow all the philosophical musings in this story. Yet even I found myself unable to put it down and leave it alone; I read two other books in the interval, but kept coming back.
If you enjoy Michael J. Vaughn you might like this. They're really not the same, but provide many of the same "deep thought" exercises.
Not my cup of tea, but I'm glad I read it. Would someone much younger than I even get many of the references? I doubt it. I was in high school during the period of this story, but like most highschoolers of the day, not really involved in much outside my own world. The characters and happenings were part of my world, but a far-flung part. I doubt my daughter would get anything from the story.
Do Jaz's tan-acid trips take her somewhere else, or expand her understanding of this world? Is the hippie lifestyle freeing or encumbering? Do drugs have lasting impacts on psyches?
The characters who come together in this story are complex, idealistic, flawed, and, most importantly, not "doers". They're watchers, through whom we see the philosophies play out.
One has to be a much deeper thinker than I to follow all the philosophical musings in this story. Yet even I found myself unable to put it down and leave it alone; I read two other books in the interval, but kept coming back.
If you enjoy Michael J. Vaughn you might like this. They're really not the same, but provide many of the same "deep thought" exercises.
Not my cup of tea, but I'm glad I read it. Would someone much younger than I even get many of the references? I doubt it. I was in high school during the period of this story, but like most highschoolers of the day, not really involved in much outside my own world. The characters and happenings were part of my world, but a far-flung part. I doubt my daughter would get anything from the story.
June 10, 2020
This was a very interesting novel about finding oneself set amid the hippie scene in New Orleans. Jasmine has been taking tan acid and has dreams she is Rebecca in medieval Germany. As she tries to understand her past life regression she is also connecting to Ziggy a fellow co-op resident. The information about living in a co-op or commune was enlightening. The characters are well developed and interesting. Eventually those who remain after a police raid find peace and enlightenment. It was a very good novel for those of us who grew up in the 60’s and 70’s.
October 2, 2017
Hippies Hapless
This is one of the few books I grew so tired of early on I had to speed read to get through. It just wasn't what I expected with the premise of drugs and supernatural recession circa 1970. Even the hippy attitudes didn't appeal to this aging hippy. Just a lot of convoluted drama, confusing surrealistic time travel that may or may not be caused by a mysterious new acid. Glad this was a free Prime Member selection.
This is one of the few books I grew so tired of early on I had to speed read to get through. It just wasn't what I expected with the premise of drugs and supernatural recession circa 1970. Even the hippy attitudes didn't appeal to this aging hippy. Just a lot of convoluted drama, confusing surrealistic time travel that may or may not be caused by a mysterious new acid. Glad this was a free Prime Member selection.
August 11, 2020
Hippies
Very well written account of some great characters during a time when things were achanging. LSD had its place but isn't the point of the story, it's a tool. A close intimate look at the connections between souls and lives and the big picture of you can put your own ideas aside for a moment.
Very well written account of some great characters during a time when things were achanging. LSD had its place but isn't the point of the story, it's a tool. A close intimate look at the connections between souls and lives and the big picture of you can put your own ideas aside for a moment.
July 28, 2024
Hippies
Wow. Memories of a time long gone by; the Summer of Love. A slow uncertain beginning to a deep story, a circular story.
Love, philosophy, memories, loss, time shifts. Initially confusing, it all blends together by “the end”.
I can see myself reading this wonderful tale multiple times, just because I want to. Rule #2. (Read it to learn what it means.)
Wow. Memories of a time long gone by; the Summer of Love. A slow uncertain beginning to a deep story, a circular story.
Love, philosophy, memories, loss, time shifts. Initially confusing, it all blends together by “the end”.
I can see myself reading this wonderful tale multiple times, just because I want to. Rule #2. (Read it to learn what it means.)
July 19, 2020
Too cliche for me. I enjoyed the music references. I was also disappointed that Kent State was not in the book because when I looked to buy it the book stared the day as May 4, 1970 and not a mention.
March 30, 2018
Great book! Five stars! I really enjoyed reading this book. It was authentic and fun!
January 3, 2019
Decent book
Interesting plot. Took a while to become interesting but after a bit, there were quite a few "can't out the book down" parts
Interesting plot. Took a while to become interesting but after a bit, there were quite a few "can't out the book down" parts
June 5, 2021
I wanted to like this book but I lived thru the 60's and it just seemed repetative to me and I gave up on it.
May 21, 2023
I was determined to finish this book. But, must admit it was a struggle. Too many insignificant characters & a lot of irrelevant information to sort through.
September 29, 2024
I loved this book. The characters were strongly drawn and it was a book with meaning and compassion. I’m 70 years old now and aim to read it again at least once before I die.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews