The Pursuit of Oblivion: A Global History of Narcotics

Richard Davenport-Hines

W W Norton & Company Incorporated, Nov 10, 2003 - History - 586 pages

Spanning five centuries and several continents in a sweeping portrait of addiction, The Pursuit of Oblivion traces the history of the use and abuse of narcotics, revealing their subtle transformation from untested medicines to sources of idle pleasure and, relatively recently, to illegal substances. Richard Davenport-Hines, an eminent, prize-winning historian, uncovers the centrality of drug abuse in our modern industrial society, from the drug habits of Charles Dickens and John F. Kennedy to today's $400 billion annual worldwide trade in illicit drugs (the same volume as the oil industry). A vivid portrayal of the people and events that have shaped the history of narcotics, The Pursuit of Oblivion reveals that, contrary to the assumption underlying current drug policies, our need to escape reality and our body's need for physical pleasure are both ineradicable aspects of our humanity, unchangeable by government initiative.

What people are saying

Review: The Pursuit of Oblivion: A Global History of Narcotics

User Review  - Kathleen - Goodreads

A little long, but thorough for the novice on the subject. The author was persuasive in his argument for the legalization of drugs, as he so outlined in the introduction, and by book's end I changed my political standpoint to be in agreement. However, this does not mean that I am pro-drug use...

Review: The Pursuit of Oblivion: A Global History of Narcotics

User Review  - Horza - Goodreads

Not as fun as I was hoping. A bit too heavy on details and figures for a pop history but not a deep or broad enough synthesis for a social history.

About the author

Richard Davenport-Hines is the recipient of the Wolfson Prize for History and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He writes for the New York Times, TLS, Sunday Times, and The Independent. He lives in London.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Pursuit of Oblivion: A Global History of Narcotics
• Author: Richard Davenport-Hines
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: W W Norton & Company Incorporated, 2003
• ISBN: 0393325458, 9780393325454
• Length: 586 pages
• Subjects: History / Social History; History / World; Medical / History; Social Science / Popular Culture