Book Review: Tales of the San Francisco Cacophony Society

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In June, 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr delivered a speech, saying:

Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.

Twenty-three years later, the Cacophony Society was formed (and those who follow the Goddess Eris may see a connection to that span of years!); the world as we know it has not been the same.

Part how-to-manual for rearranging individuals and society, part collection of glorious exploits by madcap pranksters, Tales of the San Francisco Cacophony Society chronicles the (mis)adventures of a group of Dada-ist creatively maladjusted miscreants  responsible for some of the most culture-shifting exploits ever. Using comic-book/graphic  novel style that further enhances both the fantastic and the geekastic sides of what some call an “art collective,”  Tales tells almost all, and leaves room for you to fill in your own gaps and develop your own surreal stunts.

Founded in 1986 in San Francisco, the Cacophony Society spread to Los Angeles, Portland and beyond, filling the pre-Internet years with counter-culture, counter-current events that inspired, amused, delighted, and disturbed the prevailing social orders.

Defining itself as a

randomly gathered network of free spirits in the pursuit of experiences beyond the pale of mainstream society

the Cacophony Society filled teddy bears with cement and left them on store shelves, made pilgrimages to Emperor Norton’s grave,  organized sewer walks, laid the  quicksandy foundations for 4Chan and Anonymous, and for over fifteen years distorted reality into something far more interesting and enjoyable that still lingers, morphing and reshaping our world.

From Burning Man and Fight Club to LaughingSquid.com, the Cacophony Society has made its mark on world culture, creating flash mobs  and surreal scenes that defy boundaries and embrace anyone willing to expand their mind/s. Tales of the San Francisco Cacophony Society will inspire, delight, and disturb. Get it for your square sibling’s kids to insure that you’ll never be invited to family gatherings again! Keep it in the  kitchen as a recipe guide for Better Living Through Culture Jamming.
Join the Cacophony Society (you may already be a member!) Saturday June 22 at La Luz de Jesus for a book signing party, and then throw yourself in deeper at a screening of Jon Alloway’s Into the Zone at the Vista Theater. Both events feature live performances, and are once in a lifetime experiences, x2.

Tales of the San Francisco Cacophony Society Book Signing: Saturday, June 22, 6pm at La Luz de Jesus

Into the Zone at the Vista Theater: Saturday, June 22, 11:30pm at the Vista Theater (tickets $10, pre-purchase strongly advised)

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