goodnews august 2026 – good to read

American Trickster: The Hidden Lives of Carlos Castaneda

Ru Marshall
Twenty years in the making, this book follows the life and time of the secretive faux-anthropologist who pulled off one of the greatest literary hoaxes in modern history. Both an investigation of the techniques employed by the charismatic narcissists and a study of the cult dynamics that still shape American life, American Trickster defies conventional biography. It emerges as a chilling allegory for the Trump era, a trenchant critique of academia’s complicity in distorting and erasing Indigenous culture, and a deep dive into the mechanics of New Age spiritual abuse.
Ingram Publisher Services

Phenomenology of Psychedelic Experiences (New Directions in Philosophy and Cognitive Science)

Danny Forde
The psychedelic experience can open the subject to the essential nature of reality. This is one of the claims this book makes. The authors proposes that the mythopoetic archetypical phenomena encountered during the peak of the psychedelic experience are best comprehended in terms of essences. Finally, Forde argues that the psychedelic experience is a bona fide transformative experience and offers a distinct way of apprehending the Ground of Being.
Palgrave MacMillan

Mendo. How an Unlikely Group of Rebels Turned Cannabis into California’s Cash Crop

Charlie Harris
California’s homegrown weed industry helped launch the solar power industry, and that’s not all. Mendocino county–or Mendo–sits within California’s Emerald Triangle, a sprawling, sparsely populated region that has produced billions of dollars’ worth of weed, and since the 1970s, virtually every inhabitant has either been involved in the pot trade or been a beneficiary of it–including the government.
Counterpoint Press

California

The Family Acid
Roger Steffens is the world’s leading reggae historian, former co-host of the award-winning radio program “Reggae Beat,” and author of So Much Things to Say: The Oral History of Bob Marley. He has been taking photographs since the early 1960s, documenting his unorthodox life and experiences. In 2013, his children Devon and Kate began scanning his slides and negatives and posting them to Instagram, accompanied with stories and historical information related to each photo.
Gingko Press

Whimsical Mushroom Crochet for Beginners.

Oliver Potter
Whimsical Mushroom Crochet for Beginners.
Bring the magic of the forest to life with unique mushroom crochet designs and tutorials. Learn essential crochet techniques, understand pattern reading, master shaping and assembly, and create beautifully finished mushrooms inspired by forests, fairy tales, and fantasy worlds. With clear instructions, beginner-friendly explanations, and practical tips throughout, you’ll build your skills while crafting projects that make wonderful home décor, thoughtful handmade gifts, seasonal displays, keychains, ornaments, and collectible keepsakes.
Independently published

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