T.A. Sedlak's Anarcho Grow is the best marijuana adventure novel since T. C. Boyle's Budding Prospects. Sedlak's protagonist Ben Starosta grows pot in Costa Rica, but the CIA is hot on his trail. Can Ben stay out of their crosshairs while he enjoys the "pura vida" in Central America?

Ben's a self-styled anarchist whose cultivation and smuggling scheme benefits the ticos and ticos of Quebrada Grande, a mountain village north of the country's capital, San Jose. He's a regular Pablo Escobar of pot, giving back to the community, which earns him the locals' loyalty and respect.

Ben has one partner, Chi Cho, and a girlfriend, Daniela. Sedlak's picaresque takes you deep into Costa Rica's lush jungles and dusty towns. As Ben chows down on a morning bowl of gallo pinto or he and Daniela tour a coffee plantation, you're right there with them, breathing the fresh mountain air and hearing the the yelps of howler monkeys.

Their problem is Bill and Ron, the two CIA agents charged with finding Ben. They're classic Ugly Americans, especially Bill, who chain smokes Camels, drinks like a Costa Rican grouper and has a hooker in every town. When they finally track Ben and Daniela down hiding out in the shadow of Arenal Volcan, their capture is brutal and swift.

Can Ben and Daniela find a way out this colossal jam? Pick up a copy of this quixotic book to find out. At 235 pages, Anarcho Grow is a quick, compelling read.


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