A Book Profile on ‘Dopeland’ by John Birmingham

‘Dopeland’ was released by Random House Australia on May 1st this year, under it’s Random House imprint. It is available for retail sale at a price of $29.95 from major bookstores such as Angus & Robertson, Borders, Dymocks and QBD as well as individual booksellers such as Coaldrakes Bookshop in Milton. These booksellers have chosen to keep the book at recommended retail pri

If the sensation surrounding ‘Dopeland’ is to be attributed to anything, it is not the fact that it is an honest book about Australia’s marijuana culture; it is Birmingham’s admittance of being a part of that culture. Although largely niche, books on cannabis are already prevalent in the Australian book market. Released just this month by Random House under it’s Doubleday imprint is Martin Booth’s “Cannabis: A History”, selling for an even pricier $34.95. Late last year also saw the release of Jonathon Greer’s “Cannabis” from Hardie Grant Books, selling for $39.95.

A gloomy, almost chilling cover design of an aged hand holding a joint is quite obviously fitting, but could quite easily give us the wrong impression of the book being too serious and murky. From another perspective, the front cover could be seen as neutral towards the issue- as opposed to the faces of a smiling stoner or depressed addict gracing the cover. Chances are this is a clever marketing idea intended to accommodate for those on both sides of the marijuana smoking debate.

Some topics in this essay:
John Birmingham, Required Readings, Bookshops Brisbane, One’s Tits”, Random House, Bookshop Milton, House Australia, Cairns JB, Hand” Birmingham’s, Trends Australia”, random house, house australia, random house australia, australian book, australian book market, australia’s marijuana, dream project, “he died, book market, paperback non-fiction, “he died felafel, died felafel, died felafel hand”, felafel hand”,