Opium
A History
ISBN10: 0312206674
ISBN13: 9780312206673
Trade Paperback
400 Pages
$27.99
CA$31.50
Known to mankind since prehistoric times, opium is arguably the oldest and most widely used narcotic. Opium: A History traces the drug's astounding impact on world culture—from its religious use by prehistoric peoples to its influence on the imaginations of t he Romantic writers; from the earliest medical science to the Sino-British opium wars. And, in the present day, as the addict population rises and penetrates every walk of life, Opium shows how the international multibillion-dollar heroin industry operates with terrifying efficiency and forms an integral part of the world's money markets.
Reviews
Praise for Opium
"A great sprawling catalogue of sheer information about opium and its effects over the last 4,000 years, during which it has always been both a blessing and a curse."—The New York Times Book Review
"The book's wealth of detail is remarkable."—The Economist
"Opium is of great value for its thoroughness, and it is briskly written . . . Each chapter [is] a ball of opium with an explosive charge."—The Boston Globe
"From the subtleties if Chinese history to the complexities if Golden Triangle narco-nationalism . . . Booth shows us a sure grasp of his material and manages to pull the innumerable and far-flung threads . . . neatly together."—Kirkus Reviews
"Booth takes us from P. somniferum to 'black gold,' compellingly documenting the influential role of the opiate trade throughout history."—Publishers Weekly