Tobacco

By: Iain Gately

Narrated by: Christopher Grove

Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's Summary

Tobacco was first cultivated and enjoyed by the indigenous inhabitants of the Americas, who used it for medicinal, religious, and social purposes long before the arrival of Columbus. But when Europeans began to colonize the American continents, it became something else entirely - a cultural touchstone of pleasure and success and a coveted commodity that would transform the world economy forever. Iain Gately's Tobacco tells the epic story of an unusual plant and its unique relationship with the history of humanity, from its obscure ancient beginnings through its rise to global prominence to its current embattled state today. In a lively narrative, Gately makes the case for the tobacco trade being the driving force behind the growth of the American colonies, the foundation of Dutch trading empire, the underpinning cause of the African slave trade, and the financial basis for our victory in the American Revolution. Informed and erudite, Tobacco is a vivid and provocative look into the complex history of this precious plant.

©2001 Iain Gately. Recorded by arrangement with Grove Atlantic, Inc. (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Comprehensive, entertaining and informative.

This presentation was fun to listen. The author displayed nice organization and the narrator did a fine job.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

interesting

I've never had much interest in cigarettes or tobacco until listening to this book. The history of this plant is beyond anything I would have thought of. a must read. narrated very well.

4 of 6 people found this review helpful

Great anthropological hypothesis of tobacco

Goes deep into the plant, it's biology, and it's cultivation and spread. From pre-european expansion/colonialism to WWI to modern times, this book goes into it all! Makes you wonder what would happen if tobacco never existed (or coffee for that instance).

Baseball, Apple Pie and Tobacco

Where does Tobacco rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Tobacco ranks as high as any history book I have ever listened to on Audible. I usually listen to anything by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard, among others.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Tobacco?

The author does a fascinating job of explaining how the American economy has been interwoven with tobacco from the start.

Which scene was your favorite?

It was interesting to learn about Native American traditions involving tobacco.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This book is very detailed and should be enjoyed in intervals.

Any additional comments?

A lot of research must have gone into this historical account, and it is a great lesson in history, as well as entertaining. The narrator did a wonderful job, as well. The book is a pleasure to listen to.

Your gonna know something about Tobacco!

This a quality history book on the topic of tobacco.

It covers the original use to Pre Columbian American people. How the plant became popular and then a valuable product.

The laws and economic impact of tobacco are fascinating and this book will entertain a history reader, it entertained me for sure

Quality work

Great history about tobacco.

Great book, I enjoyed a lot, the only pitfall it focus to much in England tobacco history

Informative

Although I'm not a smoker, I do know a lot of smokers who would appreciate this book for different reasons than I would. In general, this audiobook explores the addiction to tobacco in all its varieties and its use in the past in rituals and as hallucinogenics. Overall an interesting read, but do not give it to your smoker friends if you want them to quit.