I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski: Life, The Big Lebowski, and What-Have-You

With a budget of $15 million and an opening weekend gross of just $5.5 million, The Big Lebowski—the Coen Brothers’ nod to Raymond Chandler about bowling, pot, Southern California, mistaken identity and much more—was a box office flop when it hit theaters in 1998. Enough critics dismissed it to negate any positive reviews it received, so it seemed headed for the dustbin of movie history. Since then, it’s become a cult classic, especially among college males and stoners of every stripe. And of the four particularly rabid Lebowski fans who put together this bible for “Achievers” (a Lebowski reference that hardcore fans appropriated for themselves), two are founders of Lebowski Fest, a gathering that began in Kentucky in 2003.

The book examines Lebowski from every possible angle: interviews with cast members and the real-life inspirations for characters like Walter, Jesus and, of course, The Dude; profiles of some seriously devoted Achievers; lots of photos, gimmicky graphics; and a heavy dose of trivia. (Bet you didn’t know two of the three men the Coens based Walter Sobchak on actually did interrogate the real life Little Larry, and that they actually presented his homework to him in a plastic evidence wrapper. But it was algebra, not social studies.)

For Achievers, this is new shit that’s come to light, which means it should be read straight through, to commit all the ins and outs to memory. For everyone else, it’s a worthy addition to any coffee table stack, something they can flip through at random for a chuckle or two. And for those who don’t like The Big Lebowski at all, that’s just, like, their opinion, man. (Matt Elzweig)