Smoke And Ashes
Opium's Hidden Histories
Format:Hardback
Publisher:John Murray Press
Published:15th Feb '24
Should be back in stock very soon
Amitav Ghosh's Smoke and Ashes examines the historical significance of opium, revealing its influence on economies, cultures, and personal identities across the globe.
In Smoke and Ashes, Amitav Ghosh delves into the profound impact of opium on global history, economies, and cultures. His exploration is not just an academic study; it is also a personal journey that intertwines his own identity with the historical narrative of opium. Ghosh's meticulous research reveals how this seemingly innocuous plant has shaped the course of nations and influenced the lives of countless individuals over centuries.
The narrative unfolds as Ghosh recounts his discoveries while researching the Ibis Trilogy, where he was astonished to learn about the pivotal role of opium in the lives of 19th-century sailors and soldiers. This exploration leads him to uncover the extensive trade networks established by the British Empire, which exported Indian opium to China in a bid to balance trade deficits. The repercussions of this trade extended far beyond mere economics, intertwining with the very fabric of society and contributing to the rise of some of the world's most powerful corporations and families.
Smoke and Ashes is a compelling blend of travelogue, memoir, and history. Ghosh's narrative traverses the complex landscapes of horticultural histories, capitalism, and colonialism, revealing how the opium trade has left an indelible mark on our world. As he navigates these themes, Ghosh highlights the urgent need to understand the historical context of our current global challenges.
An acerbic, compelling and always accessible account of how opium corrupted the world * TLS *
Ghosh has reinvented himself as a superlative commodity historian. In his new role, he has surpassed many seasoned historians in his ability to synthesise a wealth of research with remarkable intellectual clarity and suggestive simplicity . . . There's a quietly subversive element to Smoke and Ashesfor which Ghosh deserves to be commended * The Times *
The book gave me a deeper chill than any of the TV series about the opioid crisis I had viewed before reading it . . . The writing is sublime, the research thorough, the eye for story superb, and there are splashes of personal back story that underscore the sincerity of the author's arguments * Sunday Telegraph *
A riveting new history of opium, a lucrative and destructive flower . . . Amitav Ghosh's sweeping, forcefully written Smoke and Ashes covers centuries in the life of the plant * Washington Post *
Globe-trotting and history-spanning . . . Experimental . . . ambitious . . . a literary medley . . . traces the story of the opium trade from past to present. * Standard *
A skilled storyteller, Ghosh triumphs in laying out the shame of the British empire's opium trade for all to see . . . [Smoke and Ashes is] a catalogue of colonial rapaciousness * Financial Times *
A unique blend of memoir, travel diary and sweeping historical account of one of the most precious and devastating commodities: opium . . . it reads like a page turning thriller at points. Taking Opium as the central strand, covering Britain, India and China, themes of power, politics, large corporations and familial dynasties, the impact of colonialism and the catastrophe of the global drug trade * Glamour *
An ambitious work of nonfiction documenting the devastating effects of a single commodity - the narcotic poppy - from the past to the present * Guardian *
A gripping, true tale of profits, power and powerlessness wrought by drugs . . . the history of the opium trade helps explain the modern world . . . an elegant history . . . [Ghosh] tells his intricate story with verve * The Economist *
What sets Smoke and Ashes apart is how Ghosh brings the past in conversation with the present * New Humanist *
A sweeping, and personal, account of the immense effect the opium trade has had on world history and how it continues to impact our lives today. * Financial Times *
ISBN: 9781529349245
Dimensions: 238mm x 162mm x 40mm
Weight: 680g
416 pages