Cosmic Banditos

I met Allan a few times in the 1970’s when living in Montauk. I’ve known about his book and films for some time but only recently read Cosmic Banditos. Very glad I did as it’s an absolute fun read and in some circles could be called a “big time giggle” should you have the right attitude and qualifications. Didn’t realize he was so funny. If you identify with the Age of Aquarius, the Tribal Nation and have seen God and played basketball too pick up CB. You will learn about Sub Atomic Particles and the Meaning and Reality of life. Honest. Allan grabs your attention right away and keeps you captured through the entire book. The motivating plot which Allan artfully drops in about 1/3 way into the story is perfect. He sets the bait early in each chapter with new characters and adventures. Once you’re hooked he sets the bait again. With great humor reflecting on life experiences he weaves you through psychotic and episodic journeys that could be construed as a comedy of errors such as in “It’s a Mad, Mad Mad World” “Pink Panther” “Romancing the Stone” and others. I don’t want to say too much but the story teller is a dog loving criminal masquerading as a haphazard intellectual who with a select bunch of “do or die “mavericks including banditos he consistently dribbles, sometimes eloquently, analytical babble that Sub Atomic Particles have real meaning in life. He recognizes Mescal as a educational tool and enlightens his South American bandito compadre that quantum physics, life and Freud maybe all the same. His “Gonzo” buddy in crime believes him and starts his own sermons amongst other banditos. Funny. (Do you remember Eli Wallach as the bandito in “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly).You have to meet Allan’s canine compadre (name withheld) that I envision as a horny cross specimen between Pluto and Maraduke. Utilizing the company Lear Jet these sporadic escapades, enhanced and continuously sustained through large quantities of drugs and tequila consumption, move the story to a hilarious “coup de grace” finale romping through San Francisco Bay Area neighborhoods. Funny. There are a few “winging it” and “end run” moments but they are very brief and move the story forward. It’s a VFB (Very Funny Book) and Weisbecker admirably displays the qualities of a great storyteller. At the end you may wonder if you too were ever subject to Sub Atomic Particles. I think I was.I will be looking forward to seeing the film. I’m thinking of a “Good Fellas” with lots of The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Rolling Stones, and Grateful Dead.

Classics are sometimes labeled so purely for their age, cult classics are labeled so for their cult factor, but seldom to denote any particular level of quality. Think about it, scroll down your mental rolodex, most cult classics are essentially crap, but, you know, neat. They have a very specific appeal, special interest, limited market as it were. Self referential, wink wink nudge nudge sort of clever and/or funny at times, a conversation maker, sure, but definitely an acquired taste. And so Cosmic Banditos is very much a cult classic. In all those respects. A world of Bananas, Banditos, Contrabandistas and Dope Lords…and quantum physics. Yes, you read that right. This zany adventure follows a man on the mission to understand the subatomic composition of the fabric of the universe essentially, but in an utterly wacky fashion. And he’s also pretty much consistently high or otherwise elevated by tequila, peyote or really an entire list of fun substances. Basically a chemically altered mind trying to educationally alter itself. The science is real enough, but the book very much reads like it was written high and meant to be read likewise. Not acid trippy per se, but definitely trippy. That wasn’t meant to be a pun, actually, despite the many trips in course of one main quest of the book. The author does warn you about this, sort of in a lengthy foreword, with footnotes. You sort of get the idea of what to expect, but then again…a stubborn and inquisitive mind may choose to persevere. I did. Despite the footnotes...and I despise footnotes. They are sort of standard with nonfiction, but with fiction it’s just too tedious. Meant to be cute, but ends up being just precious. Apparently before its reprint, this one became a collector’s item fetching as much as $300 back when that was a decent amount. Then came digital publishing and I actually got this one for free at some juncture, manly attracted by the title. So if the author was given a chance to add a foreword and afterword, he probably also had the opportunity to clean up some racial and homophobic slurs also and chose not to. Interesting choice. Not to be all tediously PC about this, but seems like such an easy thing to do and all it would take to update the text, which otherwise is just weird enough to work timelessly. Anyway, this was a quick quirky idiosyncrasy of a book and one that definitely has its audience out there. I’m probably not it, but it was just about entertaining enough to merit the time. And the physics were actually kinda fun.

I read this book years ago, when it was one of those cult signals... you saw a copy in somebody's pocket and knew you were on the same wave. Like Robbins' "Another Roadside Attraction" or "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy".A hilarious book, but also an intellectual exercise. And, of course, a strong advocacy for the benefits of huge overdoses of alcohol and dangerous drugs while doing things like blasting around in yachts, shooting up neighborhoods, and flying at treetop level in unsafe stolen planes. People given to those pursuits (along with smuggling evil contraband) should definitely read this book.Hopefully you've realized by now that this is not a book that "reviews" help you understand or anticipate. Suffice it to say it's like nothing you've ever read and is written with a very rare, fine humor. And has dope and guns in it. And dogs. And sex. And sub-atomic particle behavior.Don't be a chump... it's SO great this thing is back in print, buy it and read it. I mean it.Do it.

I've read this book three times. I've also bought this book three times because I keep giving it to friends who are going travelling.It's probably the most entertaining and inspiring piece of quasi-fiction you'll ever come accross.It just needs to be made into a movie with Johnny Depp playing one of the main characters.Buy this book. If you hate it, contact me and i'll buy it from you, and punch you in the face for having terrible taste in literature.

Although this is my era and I have never considered myself to conform to the norm, this is so over the top and to me, boring, that I gave up reading this book before I got a quarter of the way through it. Perhaps my being British rather than American may have something to do with it?

It was an easy and amusing read but, from my expectations arising from the hype and acclaim, I felt a little disappointed. Some of the imagery invoked in my mind related to "The Pirates! In an adventure with Scientists!"I found the quantum physics links somewhat contrived but it was an interesting attempt to make an average book appear more thoughtful and involved.

Could not read this, jumped forward and still found it a stream on consciousness that was in no way interesting, sadly.

I loved this book! Very Hunter S Thompson, but with physics lessons too.I am unsure what was real and what was not, also I am unsure if that even matters! I learned many things along the way and would love to count any of the main characters in my friendship group.Read this book if you like mayhem, drugs, guns, alcohol, quantum theory, dogs or enigmatic characters.