Opium cover art

Opium

A History

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Opium

By: Martin Booth
Narrated by: Julian Elfer
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About this listen

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 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, Opium shows 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.

©1996 Martin Booth (P)2019 Tantor Social Sciences World Africa Latin America Imperialism Middle East British Empire
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This was by far one of the best books on this subject I’ve listened to. Perfectly executed. The minutiae of details the author has discovered about the history of Opium are woven into the story as smoothly as any fiction brings a world to life. And the narrator was brilliant. Thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end.

Brilliant

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