Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which is processed chemically to produce heroin and other synthetic opioids for medicinal use and for the illegal drug trade. 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 the Romantic writers; from the earliest medical science to the Sino-British opium wars. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. By the time Emperor Jiaqing outlawed the import of opium in 1799, England had established a robust opium trade with China. Otherwise, a good book. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. Whereas I was less engrossed with the quite detailed technical descriptions of opium harvesting and processing early on, budding criminal scientist types no doubt want more. Publisher: Simon Schuster Trade, 1996. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Opium: A History (Audio Download): Martin Booth, Julian Elfer, Tantor Audio: Amazon.com.au: Audible Its dual properties - both as a painkiller and as a derivative, heroin - have lent it an ambiguity. Opium … However, it’s a bit dull, rations its commas much too severely, has a tendency to overgeneralize, and its racial characterizations and blind spots are troubling. Opium has been known for millennia to relieve pain and its use for surgical analgesia has been recorded for several centuries. This book is extremely long winded, repeats itself often, and could be half the length or much shorter. In the first few chapters, Booth does a great job combining data with his own observations regarding the cultural significance of the poppy and it's poultice, but that doesn't happen nearly as much in. Recreational opium use became popular in 17 th-century China after smoking tobacco was outlawed. Opium was even thought to protect the user from being poisoned. The CIA's alleged drug-dealing exploitsAto finance covert operations and to bribe local leadersAare also amply documented here. I ended up with more questions at the end of this book than answers. It came with the Civil War when so many wounded soldiers were given "God's Own Medicine" that their ensuing addiction came to be called "Soldier's Disease." “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 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, “Booth takes us from P. somniferum to 'black gold', compellingly documenting the influential role of the opiate trade throughout history.” ―Publishers Weekly, “From the subtleties of Chinese history to the complexities of GoldenTriangle narco-nationalism, ...Booth shows us a sure grasp of his material and manages to pull the innumberable and far-flung threads...neatly together.” ―Kirkus Reviews, "The book's wealth of detail is remarkable." Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, $14.33 Shipping & Import Fees Deposit to France. Jaw-dropping were the beginning sections, describing the parade of veritable Greats who used opium, including the ancient Egyptians, Hippocrates, Galen, Thomas Sydenham, most of the Romantic poets, even the august Benjamin Franklin, and on and on! London: Simon & Schuster, Ltd., 1996. You might as well just read the bibliography. [J M Scott] -- Investigates the impact of opium seed products on art, crime, and medicine throughout history. The earliest reference to opium growth and use is in 3,400 B.C. In fact, word of its medicinal properties quickly spread across the globe, and it was sought after by many powerful leaders. EMBED (for wordpress.com hosted blogs and archive.org item tags) Want more? I found myself alternately crazy bored and truly engaged with Booth’s narrative. Its medicinal effects was once thought to be magical, and it was a highly cultivated plant around the world. 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 the Romantic writers; from the earliest medical science to the Sino-British opium wars. This specific ISBN edition is currently not available. And, in the present day, as t. Known to mankind since prehistoric times, opium is arguably the oldest and most widely used narcotic. Everything you ever wanted to know about opium, and then some. It is believed by some scholars that the opium poppy … [History of opium poppy and morphine] Dan Medicinhist Arbog. Cart All. The most surprising thing I learned was that it was known in ancient Greek times that opium was addictive and yet.... "For the consumer nation, opiate addiction is a major health threat, a socially destructive, crime-orientated problem which can also undermine economic and even political stability. Opium: A History. We don’t know when we first realised the poppy’s potential but there is evidence of our Stone Age ancestors making it one of the first plants to be harvested. Cart All. when the opium poppy was cultivated in lower Mesopotamia (Southwest Asia). The first few chapters I've read are good and I don't doubt the others aren't, but I received a misprint. For the first time in history, the poppy plant and opium has been "tamed" into what's considered "God's own medicine," a safe and effective way to treat pain. I recommend it although it's a little dated and precedes the current opioid crisis. Opium: A History. 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. Poppy seeds and capsules were found in a Swiss Neolithic village 4 . Yet for the poppy-producing nation, opium is often the only sure means of a secure income for a large part of the population and a primary source of foreign currency for the state. The Sumerians referred to it as Hul Gil, the "joy plant." As people learned of the power of opium, demand for it increased. Known to mankind since prehistoric times, opium is arguably the oldest and most widely used narcotic. The fight against drugs in one country is an attack of the well-being of another and is but a part of the eternal tussle between the deve, "For the consumer nation, opiate addiction is a major health threat, a socially destructive, crime-orientated problem which can also undermine economic and even political stability. Opium for the Masses: Harvesting Nature's Best Pain Medication, Opium: How an Ancient Flower Shaped and Poisoned Our World, Wolf Boys: Two American Teenagers and Mexico's Most Dangerous Drug Cartel, Chasing the Scream (The Opposite of Addiction is Connection), Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic, Substance Use Counseling: Theory and Practice (The Merrill Counseling Series), American Overdose: The Opioid Tragedy in Three Acts. Opium cultivation and the art of poppy culling passed on from the Sumerians to the Assyrians and Babylonians and later to the Egyptians. History of Opium. He worked as a schoolmaster, a job he held until 1985, when the success of Hiroshima Joe allowed him to devote himself full-time to his writing. Hello Select your address All Hello, Sign in. Opium: a History: Booth, Martin: Amazon.sg: Books. Opium is a defining feature in the financial rise of London & Holland in the 18th - 19th Century (the banking centers of the world) and the social, moral and political decline in China from the 18th Century until the Communist Revolution in 1950. Anecdotes that I’ll remember for at least a few weeks include the falseness of TV detectives licking product at a bust (purer stuff might addict them instantly), Elvis’s ironic contribution to Nixon’s war on drugs declaration in 1971, and how an Englishman can write just like a US author except when it comes to mentioning “gaols” (for incarceration). After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Veteran British author Booth takes us from P. somniferum to "black gold," compellingly documenting the influential role of the opiate trade throughout history. Known to mankind since prehistoric times, opium is arguably the oldest and most widely used narcotic. MH. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Opium is no different. Opium has been used both recreationally and as a medicine for centuries. Martin Booth was a prolific British novelist and poet. --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." Known to mankind since prehistoric times, opium is arguably the oldest and most widely used narcotic. Please try again. Flowers in the Blood: The Story of Opium. Whereas I was less engrossed with the quite detailed technical descriptions of opium harvesting and processing early on, budding criminal scientist types no doubt want more. Very well researched. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Known to mankind since prehistoric times, opium is arguably the oldest and most widely used narcotic. I picked this up after hearing it be recommended on the radio during an interview with someone who apparently was a local heroin dealer. 3.73 avg rating • (326 ratings by Goodreads) Hardcover ISBN 10: 0312186436 ISBN 13: 9780312186432. Get this from a library! 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 the Romantic writers; from the earliest medical science to the Sino-British opium wars. The book does in fact have an Anglo perspective on things rather than global, it still remains fascinating to an American like myself. Opium comes from the latex of the poppy. Known to mankind since prehistoric times, opium is arguably the oldest and most widely used narcotic. To understand opium is to understand the history of our relationship with it. In any case, the oldest evidence of poppy cultures dates from 5 thousand years and was left by Sumerians. It was also used to induce sleep and to give relief to the bowels. Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: Lachryma papaveris) is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy Papaver somniferum. "Opium" is an entertaining and well researched narrative of the History of the drug from ancient to modern times.Particularly interesting is the role Opium played in the development of the city of Hong Kong and the country of China. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. This book contains some interesting information and provides a broad and in-depth historical look at its topic. Opium is known since pre-history or at least since very ancient historical eras. This specific ISBN edition is currently not available. It held my interest even in the slow sections. 10 Historical Figures Who Were Dependent On Opium - Listverse To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. An excellent overview of the topic and it's a troubling topic. Unable to add item to List. This is a fascinating account of opium and its derivatives. I was riveted from start to finish: Martin Booth’s OPIUM: A History was utterly fascinating. Opium a History. Well written, throughly researched, and extremely well-rounded: ‘Opium: A History’ is so much more than just a book on the current opiate epidemic sweeping North America (as well as Europe and Australia now too). Skip to main content.sg. Amazing how much one commodity shaped world history. Known to mankind since prehistoric times, opium is arguably the oldest and most widely used narcotic. Opium is no different. British colonizers, for example, used both legal and illicit opium production as a chief source of revenue in India, while for Dutch, British and Portuguese traders opium was a means to pacify and carve up China. 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 the Romantic writers; from the earliest medical science to the Sino-British opium wars. Opium: A History. It's one of the best and most lucid examinations of "the drug war" and how, Certain parts are simply more engaging than others, and there is certainly something lacking, but it's nonetheless a readable history, While this book was published in the mid to late 1990s, it is truly a fascinating history of the world from the vantage point of the opium and opioid trade. Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books, 1998. The First Opium War (Chinese: 第一次鴉片戰爭; pinyin: Dìyīcì Yāpiàn Zhànzhēng), also known as the Opium War or the Anglo-Chinese War, was a series of military engagements fought between Britain and the Qing dynasty of China. The book does in fact have an Anglo perspective on things rather than global, it still remains fascinating to an American like myself. A brief history of opiates, opioid peptides, and opioid receptors. In fact, word of its medicinal properties quickly spread across the globe, and it was sought after by many powerful leaders. By the end of this mesmerizing read, my lingering thought was this: If the product of the humble poppy had never escalated, thanks to the greed of men, into the deadly social affliction it became, how much better off suffering humanity would be, simply to have low-dose opium available without hard-to-receive prescriptions for use in a purely medicinal way to relieve chronic pain. 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 the Romantic writers; from the earliest medical science to the Sino-British opium wars. I highly recommend this book for anybody interested in the quirky relationship between humanity and opium. While this book was published in the mid to late 1990s, it is truly a fascinating history of the world from the vantage point of the opium and opioid trade. Blah!! Opium was a common drug among the ancient Greeks (who extolled the "healing dreams" it brought on), a convenient poison for the Romans, a narcotic in medieval England and a popular painkiller and sedative in 19th-century Europe and America. It goes into the science (botany and chemistry), geography, and history associated with the subject, covering worldwide developments up to the time of its writing at the end of the 20th century. It can stop pain and, as Thomas Sydenham observed over 300 years ago, few doctors would be hard-hearted enough to practise medicine without it. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Pocket Books, 1997 - Heroin industry - 381 pages. I was intrigued to learn that before the age of modern medicine, all over the world various libations and potions containing opium were used medicinally by the general public, including mild solutions to calm querulous infants. Although Booth delves into the opiate-taking habits of Graham Greene, Wilde, Cocteau, Dickens, Poe and Coleridge, he doesn't romanticize drug use. Well-researched book on one of mankind’s most infamous medicines, Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2019. 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 the Romantic writers; from the earliest medical science to the Sino-British opium wars. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Opium poppies have a significant medical impact in history that dates back to 3,400 B.C. 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 the Romantic writers; from the earliest medical science to the Sino-British opium wars. In this special series, Dr. Drew and drdrew.com examine the effects of powerful opioids and how the United States government is … Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. New York: St. Martin's, 1998. EMBED. One of the best well-rounded books on opiates that I’ve read yet. Sleep and his brother Death figure prominently in Martin Booth's "Opium - A History." June 12th 1999 Cite This. Millions have been saved by it: yet it has also destroyed millions of lives, enslaved whole … The ancient Greeks, who held the opium poppy sacred, claimed it was Demeter who discovered it, with figurines of Poppy goddesses found in Gazi, Crete. Booth writes a truly fascinating and detailed history of opium's influence on the world's history, economies, and cultures. The opium poppy was native to what is now Turkey. Hello Select your address All Hello, Sign in. I see why my school library got rid of this title. --Publishers Weekly, "From the subtleties of Chinese history to the complexities of 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." It tells the story of human ingenuity, the quest for relief from misery, greed (not only of persons or gangs, but of nations), conniving (including CIA involvement in trafficking to finance arms for rebels), and outright hypocrisy. Refresh and try again. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 4, 2012. History of drug war 1909 National Opium Conference in Shanghai to lower and from CRM 219 at Murdoch University 1 Review. --Kirkus Reviews. According to the author, opium has been used by man since prehistoric times. Opium is the latex from the opium poppy Papaver somniferum L., which humankind has utilized since ancient Mesopotamia all the way to modern times. Opium’s history in the United States is as old as the nation itself. Milk of Paradise: A History of Opium (English Edition) eBook: Inglis, Lucy: Amazon.de: Kindle-Shop Wählen Sie Ihre Cookie-Einstellungen Wir verwenden Cookies und ähnliche Tools, um Ihr Einkaufserlebnis zu verbessern, um unsere Dienste anzubieten, um zu verstehen, wie die Kunden unsere Dienste nutzen, damit wir Verbesserungen vornehmen können, und um Werbung anzuzeigen. I think I was hoping for a little more of a writer and less of a researcher when I picked this up. Booth spreads himself too thin towards the end, making for a scattershot and poor Chapter 15 especially. Novelist/biographer Martin Booth's sprawling history of opium tracks the drug from its initial use as a powerful and effective, if often misused, medicine and anesthetic through the development and massive societal impact of its primary derivatives—morphine and heroin—up to its current status as a massive international social ill. It is believed by some scholars that the opium poppy is … I enjoyed some of the history and fun facts about opium but I could have done without a third or more of the book being about what at the time was current drug law. If I ever really did, I certainly no longer desire any more information about opiates! ) with very little coddling needed s history in the U.S. war in Afghanistan, etc preferred commodity., but fascinating and well-researched Investigates the impact of opium passed on from the soon! But I received a misprint in British imperial history, the substance from which morphine and heroin are derived the! Opium dates back to England at the history and facts of historical fiction books that ’... 3400 B.C, morphine, and medicine throughout history. interest even in the Blood: the story opium... 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On your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required world opium: a history oldest recorded of... Its darkest side security system encrypts your information to others opium cultivation and the memoir Golden Boy: of... Smoke the drug, sprang up across China, and Jeff Goldberg with an Introduction by Burroughs...