Art can be confusing. Luckily, cannabis can help, according to High Art: The Definitive Guide to Getting Cultured With Cannabis, due out at the end of this month. As the authors Robert Lambrechts and Estanio Holtz note in “An Introduction of Sorts,” “There is a decent chance that at lease once in your life you’ve seen a piece of art and thought to yourself, ‘What the f*ck was the artist smoking when they created this?’ Now, finally, you have the answer.”

Except the book doesn’t actually provide you with any answers about what the artists behind the oil paintings, sculptures, and statues shown on its pages think. What it does instead is give you a little explanation about what the pieces are meant to convey, and recommends a cannabis pairing for each.

Van Gogh’s self-portrait series is paired with the red-headed stranger strain. Starry Night is matched with blue dream. Pairing ideas get more specific in some cases, but a downfall of the authors is they fail to mention which states those specific brands are sold in, an important detail since the federal government still considers cannabis illegal and doesn’t take kindly to federally illegal products passing state borders. Without the ability to ship across state lines, cannabis brands are forced to set up production in every state they want to operate. Which is a long way of saying the readers of this book who aren’t in California will find it impossible to procure the recommended products at any dispensary near them.

All this said, the artwork is fun to look at and you’ll encounter a headline or two that will evoke a giggle. Along with the suggested pairings, the authors include some info on cannabis-related topics like terpenes, cooking with cannabis, and other such things—the most compelling of which is an “infallible guide to a few fantastic ways for pairing weed with wine.” 

The book also offers some useful information about terpenes, decarboxylation, and other such things—but none of it is info that can’t readily find somewhere else. Bottom line: The Definitive Guide will look good on your coffee table or displayed on your bong cart. Just be watchful of anyone reading it. If this happens, just say you were high when you bought it—the perfect explanation for anything. 

Release: April 27, 2021 / $15.99