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Books like The Pursuit of Oblivion by Richard Davenport-Hines


In *The Pursuit of Oblivion*, award‑winning historian Richard Davenport‑Hines explores the social, political, and cultural history of drugs. He argues that intoxication has long been a human experience, examining how substances once freely available became controlled or prohibited in the early twentieth century and how the illicit drug trade today generates as much revenue as the oil industry. Davenport‑Hines blends archival research with analysis of societal attitudes, illustrating that the shift from licit medicine to illicit commodity has shaped modern drug policy and global economies. Readers will gain a comprehensive understanding of the historical forces that have driven drug use, control, and trafficking, and how these dynamics influence contemporary public health and international relations.
First publish date: 2001
Genre: History/Modern History
Authors: Richard Davenport-Hines
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The Pursuit of Oblivion by Richard Davenport-Hines

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