Peter MaguireThai Stick: Surfers, Scammers, and the Untold Story of the Marijuana Trade

Great book. Offers lots of insight and first hand accounts of activity that was largely obscure or kept secret. The black and white photos of the Thai sticks were cool but I wish they were in color! Gets kind of repetitive and boring at times but this is meant to be a historical record on the issue so it's very thorough.I'd recommend this book to young pot snobs who think that it was all "sticks and seeds" back then, and I'm a younger pothead myself! Our modern cannabis scene with nice pot had it's roots in a different time when the risks were much greater.

This book is a great read and I wasn't able to put it down. I felt the author did an excellent job of combining voluminous research and interviews along with recollections of his own youthful dalliance with smuggling, thereby personalizing and investing the story with a sort of authenticity that many historians can't muster.The "scammers" featured here are cast in a sympathetic but still honest and critical light. Although the author doesn't explicitly make the point, you can see a tragic arc in each of the stories: they got interested in illicit trade to help finance their surfing / hippie lifestyle, but ultimately each one of them was consumed by the trade and most set surfing aside to focus on making their scores and living the high life (literally and figuratively). This led to predictable consequences, but even though you can pretty much guess what's coming, the stories and ingenuity of the protagonists is truly fine entertainment. This is a great story told well.

Having grown up in the 60’s and 70’s in Southern California, I was well aware of the results of these surfers risky imports. It’s interesting to learn the story behind the trade. This book provides a perspective from the side of the smuggler and it’s a rich story.

Interesting read. These stories filled in some details about the Thai smuggling business. But, most of the book seemed to focus a little too much on the scams and scammers that went awry and not enough about the loads that made it, the scammers that succeeded and then went on to other things without legal ramifications. I suppose there wouldn't be much documentation when things went well. There were a lot of important stories untold, which may be for the best.

It was a quick read and answered many of the questions I had pondered during the later part of the Thai scam era. These scammers were getting leading edge MBAs in Intl business out of SE Asia, by virtue of pulling these complex deals off. Classic personalities, risky operations, rickety boats, bribes, losses, deaths and lavish spending for some. I loved the "code" and those who wouldn't break it.There were names familiar to me from those times, and I do vividly remember when it all unraveled and hit the media $#!@ fan.

This is a good historical perspective on West Coast smuggling. The mindset of the scammers as they started and as they made a lot of money was briefly touched upon, but I think more can be said about it. It was interesting reading that a lot of people coming of age in the 60s might be able to relate to. The children and grandchildren of these characters may have a harder time doing so. The times are less free. Law enforcement is so technological now that this kind of trade probably couldn't happen on the scale that it did. Those that took part in this story are getting old and passing away so there is a need to have their stories told before first hand accounts can no longer be found.

Wonderful history of SE Asia in the 70's and 80's; the surfing part wasn't of interest to me, but the rest was a fantastic glimpse into the world of cannabis smuggling. It was a bit repetitive at times, but overall I rate it as a must-read for anyone interested in global drug policy and reminiscent of times much simpler than these we live in today.

Living on Maui in 1970, I was a naïve young girl from Newport Beach who had no idea that all these guys were smugglers and transporters on such a huge level. Of course we knew "someone was bringing in weed" but who knew the extent of the massive amounts and the ocean going bravery it took. My heart was pounding while reading some of the stories, couldn't put it down. Have told everyone I know about this excellently documented book.

Have read a few books like this.Although I am enjoying it's not been one of those can't put down books.And I find it chops and changes so much it is hard to keep up.But I would say worth a read.

This really opens your eyes into the surfer scammer era as well as the lengths men would go to avoid conscription. It also highlights the original laid back culture around the drug and the reasons for smuggling it. I wasn't aware of the intricacies of what occurred in the 60 and 70s and how it seems to have shaped the world today and this book does touch on so many historic moments we have all been aware of but have not necessarily learnt that much about. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who enjoy history and learning about an underground or counter culture that occurred in those times.

Really interesting informative account of marijuana trafficking by the pioneers back in the day. Excellent counter culture exposé thoroughly enjoying

Incredible stories. It’s very impressive all the efforts/accomplishments in this high risk high return business. Stories in this book could easily be amazing movies.

Good read. Quality hardcover!