Opium A History [Paperback]

Known to mankind since prehistoric times, opium is arguably the oldest and most widely used narcotic.Opium: A Historytraces the drug's astounding impact on world culture-from its religious use by prehistoric peoples to its influence on the imaginations of the 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,Opiumshows how the international multibillion-dollar heroin industry operates with terrifying efficiency and forms an integral part of the world's money markets.

In this first full-length history of opium, acclaimed author Martin Booth uncovers the multifaceted nature of this remarkable narcotic and the bittersweet effects of a simple poppy with a deadly legacy.

Martin Booth(1944-2004) was the bestselling author of novels includingHiroshima Joe,Islands of Silence, andThe Industry of Souls, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Another novel,A Very Private Gentlemen, was adapted into the 2010 movie, The American, starring George Clooney. He also wrote several nonfiction books, includingCannabis: A Historyand the memoirGolden Boy: Memories of a Hong Kong Childhood. Booth was born in England, but spent much of his childhood in Hong Kong, a location that would deeply inspire his writing. He moved back to England at the age of 20, and started his literary career as a poet. He worked as a schoolmaster, a job he held until 1985, when the success ofHiroshima Joeallowed him to devote himself full-time to his writing. At the time of his death in 2004, he was living in Devon, England.

In writing this exhaustively researched history...Booth brings us that much closer to understanding-and thereby conquering-the most tenacious of human conditions. Amazon.com

The book's wealth of detail is remarkable. The Economist

Opium