American Karma – Twilight of the Marijuana Gods

by Doug Shear 

A drugged-out 17-year-old named Doug, along with his Secretly Gay, Openly Black best friend, hitchhike the USA in search of Utopia. Meet Bologna Jane, Tina the Monkey Girl,  Big Arm, Redneck Hippies & Disney World Rejects. Invest in Glenn W. Turner’s Koscot Interplanetary, Inc. and Get Rich Quick! Or, Join a Cult of Satan Worshiping Heroin Addicts who believe Jesus will soon Forgive Lucifer. My memoir is hard-to-believe but completely true. Proof exists in the form of letters, interviews & memorabilia. Besides, nobody could make this up.

I was really excited to receive a review copy of this book to share with you because it’s sounds like a wild ride! And it really was.

“American Karma – Twilight of the Marijuana Gods” by Doug Shear is a hilarious, crazy, and completely fascinating journey through the 1970s counterculture. A kaleidoscope odyssey of self-discovery, ridiculous encounters, and hard-won lessons, this book is half road trip story, part memoir, and all tribute to young defiance.

With only a vague sense of direction and a desire for adventure, seventeen-year-old Doug embarks on his quest to discover Utopia, bringing his closest buddy Nixon with him. Nixon’s pragmatic instincts are in constant conflict with Doug’s idealistic, wide-eyed outlook. As Shear assures us, every word is genuine, yet what follows is a series of misadventures with a cast of characters so strange and diverse that they feel like they belong in a work of fiction. Through their travels, the pair encounters a variety of people on the periphery of a society struggling with the lingering effects of the hippie dream, from cultists hoping for Lucifer’s redemption to hustlers involved in pyramid schemes, and from Disney World outcasts to a woman dubbed Bologna Jane.

“American Karma” is notable for Shear’s fluid storytelling. He reminds us that maturing frequently entails crashing into reality by striking a balance between fun and sincere reflection. His incisive, self-aware, and daring voice captures the careless carelessness of youth as well as the bittersweet insight that paradise might not be what it seems. Although the book has a nostalgic feel that will especially speak to people who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, its themes – finding meaning in life, challenging authority, and learning the hard way – are universal.

This book quietly criticizes the American Dream, exposing its attraction and disillusionment beneath the chaos and fun. That’s actually part of the message that I appreciated the most. A big part of growing up is realizing things aren’t always how they seem. Doug’s journey is about navigating the contradictions of a culture that promises freedom but often delivers something far more complex than drugs and hitchhiking.

“American Karma” is a must-read for everyone who appreciates funny and thought-provoking memoirs. Shear’s coming-of-age tale is equal parts satire and reflection, a funny journey through the highs and lows of youthful idealism.

This book is worth the read, regardless of whether you’re searching for a sentimental journey through time or just a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously. I can guarantee it won’t be like anything you’ve ever read before!

Available on Amazon in paperback, audiobook and Kindle editions, as well as Kindle Unlimited.

Doug Shear

Doug Shear writes books, films, stageplays and monologues, some of which he has actually performed in South Florida and North Carolina. 
Three of his books are published and are available online and in the public library.

Doug also wrote and produced a documentary that was shut down by the police. It is on his YouTube channel. 
Two of his short films have won awards, including  best screenplay.

His stage plays have been performed in South Florida, Toronto and as far away as Alaska. 
And yet, with all that, somehow he is completely unknown. 

His most recent book – TOP GOD – was suddenly considered by the publisher to be too inappropriate to market on Social Media. He does not agree.
He is currently working on two other books, but now has to spend time marketing TOP GOD. It is important, because if enough copies are sold, it will stop the coming Apocalypse.