Books I've Read in 2025

A reading journal, or more so a record of the rare success of one of my standard New Year’s resolutions - to read more. And yes, almost all of these were read by way of audiobook, which is by no means an inferior way to take in literature — quite the contrary. Think of seeing an amazing play or performance by a favorite actor versus simply reading the script yourself, and you see the point.

Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon, by David McGowan

What the hell is really going on in California? Why did so many of the artists and bands coming out of LA during the 60s and 70s have ties to military and intelligence circles? The author sheds some light on those questions, but the story goes so much deeper. Guns, drugs, and sexual depravity are what you find on the outside of the rabbit hole. It gets very dark, very fast. Satanism, the sexual abuse of children, murder, a Nazi cult in the canyon, and the ubiquitous presence of Charles Manson on the scene come together to paint a picture of surreal madness and debauchery. How could so much great music — music about love and freedom, of all things — have emerged from such sadness and evil? It’s a question I still ask myself after having read the book. Written by a legendary conspiracy author, the book also contains a lot of great historical information about the life and careers of a lot of well known artists as well as significant lesser figures. Highly recommend.