The Pursuit of Oblivion: A Global History of Narcotics

by Richard Davenport-Hines

Book Overview

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... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393051897
• ISBN13: 9780393051896
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 576 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 6.6" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

An interesting case against the global "war on drugs".

This 498 page compendium of stories that go back thousands of years (to Sumer), detail in extraordinary (sometimes stifling) detail, mankinds continuous love hate relationship with intoxication. Be it with narcotics, hypnotics, stimulants, inebriants, or hallucinogens, mankind, for good or ill, loves to get f***'ed up. Hate that fact, or appreciate it; regardless, the global illicit market for narcotics is nearly half a trillion dollars and growing. Growing despite centuries of government regulation, and, more recently, decades of intense global conflict. Richard Davenport-Hines makes a powerful argument against the war on drugs, but he doesn't do it like so many authors of that thought genre, who, between tokes, rant and rave about the plight of users, or the unfair religious influence on "modern" policy (no dig on them intended, that was my best attempt at humor now that all my malt balls are gone and it's 3am)... Instead, the author makes a factual case, drawing in statistics that demonstrate clearly how ineffective public money is spent combating drug use. The stats used aren't homogeneous to the US, many extensive statistics are used from our more experimental neighbors across the Atlantic. Like many, I believe this book could have been condensed considerably without losing its argumentative efficacy. However, there were more than enough compelling stats and human stories to keep me engaged. Among them, stories of the founding of Coca Cola, or the first western experimentors with Cannibus, or the lengths some have gone to stay intoxicated...fascinating stuff. If you have a particular interest in understanding the relationship between man, drugs, government, and the societal impacts of interrelationship between them, then run and get this book. If however, you have a more casual interest, and would like to sharpen your argument for or against the war on drugs, walk to get this book, and skip chapters 2-5. Enjoy, Christian Hunter Santa Barbara, California

Takes an historical approach to considering

Pursuit Of Oblivion takes an historical approach to considering the traditional and changing use of illicit drugs around the world, pursuing a survey of five centuries of drug trade and showing how narcotics changed from untested medicine to pleasure tools. Social, political and cultural history blend in a treatment suitable for high school on up.

Academically excellent, a little dry

This book traces the fascination, profits and uses of various drugs and mind altering substances throughout history. It is especially good with quotations, use of the substances during various time periods, and the social views of useage during those periods. It is well documented and gives us a real view of the politics and economics of government manipulation of drug use and trafficking, throughout history. I wondered if some of the large drug companies, who are presented as the chemical inventors of some of our most dreadful drugs, should have some responsibility for the state of drug useage today -- this author names names.I found the early chapters to really be history and sometimes lacking in read-appeal. Later chapters reveal something of the author's personal views on solutions, the War on Drugs, which he calls a "war on drug users" and his disgust with the failed policies of this nation and Britain. Altogether a good book, but it took me a while to read.

A Dismal History, Authoritatively Told

In the midst of the War on Terror, we can only hope that it is going to be more winnable than the War on Drugs. The War on Drugs has been going on by name (and being lost), only for a few decades, but this represents merely a parochial view of the problem of drugs and societies. It might be better to take the long view, and this is what Richard Davenport-Hines has done in _The Pursuit of Oblivion: A Global History of Narcotics_ (W. W. Norton), a weighty volume that demonstrates that such wars have never been won in free societies, and have been waged at larger harm to their societies than the drugs themselves. A telling theme throughout Davenport-Hines's book is that just about anyone has wished for some sort of chemical aid towards taking the edge off life, towards making pleasure a little easier to get, and most people do indeed go for such chemistry of pleasure in some form. His contention that "absolute sobriety is not a natural or primary human state" is surprising and is inarguable, given the huge range of legal and illegal and temporarily legal drugs that humans have come up with. This will conflict with those who favor prohibition, and particularly with Americans whose brand of puritanism has always distrusted hedonism.The distrust of drug use _by others_ seems universal, but _Pursuit_ gives, in its monumental length, remarkable stories of use in specific instances. Such details as these make reading _Pursuit_, with all its bulk, a hugely entertaining and enjoyable activity (recommended to all hedonists). It is good to see that the use of drugs crosses all times and all cultures. Davenport-Hines also makes the reading easy because, although there is a definite point of view to the book, it is much more a history rather than a polemic. But he does demonstrate that virtually every attempt to enforce particular prohibitions has increased drug profits and drug use. A president of Columbia explained, "The only law the narcoterrorists don't break is the law of supply and demand." Prohibitionists can't break that one, either. Some of the specific tactics of the current war on drugs are shown to be silly and short-sighted. It would be different if these actions were making drugs unattractive, decreasing jail populations, and increasing the overall general health, but we do not see that happening.Davenport-Hines shows the advantages of the Dutch system. Making marijuana and hashish available in coffee shops, for instance, lowered use of the drug, and separated cannabis and heroin suppliers. Intravenous drug use is treated as a chronic, relapsing condition, and social and medical services are made available, such as needle-exchange programs and sale of syringes without a prescription. By such means, the heroin addict population is simply growing older and new recruits are not joining their ranks. It is, of course, not certain that such steps would work in the American atmosphere, and it is even less certain that American puritanism would allow anyt

Provocative, Educational and Entertaining

THE PURSUIT OF OBLIVION is a well-written, deeply researched history of drugs, their use, the emotional extremes drug use has created in individuals and cultures over the past 500 years, and the ineffective efforts to control it.Using drugs to induce euphoria, reduce anxiety, control pain, increase physical and mental energy, and alter perceptions are, according to the author, natural activities in human experience. Richard Davenport-Hines, a highly regarded historian claims prohibition of illicit substances is a bad idea. He argues that craving the drug is what drives users to criminal behavior and if the illegal supply of drugs was legalized and made available there would be no need for the expensive and ineffective strategies of enforced abstinence and the punitive treatment of users.Whether you agree with legalization or not, the history of drug-taking over the last 500 years is fascinating. His presentation of the material and the provocative argument against prohibition will create a variety of reactions. It will anger those who believe drug use is a moral plague attacking and destroying society. It will please those who require rationalization for legalization and are exhausted by the futility of the ineffective strategies in the War on Drugs and "Just Say No" campaign.Regardless of how you feel about legalization, if you wonder about drug use, its origins, its effects on individuals and societies, its manufacture, marketing, and distribution, you will be enthralled with THE PURSUIT OF OBLIVION. It is Highly Recommended.