{"product_id":"opium-realitys-dark-dream-9780300175325","title":"Opium: Reality's Dark Dream","description":"\u003cp\u003eIs opium a vile curse on society  a blessed medicine from God  or possibly both? This fresh history offers surprising new insights.  Opium and its derivatives morphine and heroin have destroyed  corrupted  and killed individuals  families  communities  and even whole nations. And yet  for most of its long history  opium has also been humanitys most effective means of alleviating physical and mental pain. This extraordinary book encompasses the entire history of the worlds most fascinating drug  from the first evidence of poppy cultivation by stone-age man to the present-day opium trade in Afghanistan. Dr. Thomas Dormandy tells the story with verve and insight  uncovering the strange power of opiates to motivate major conflicts yet also inspire great art and medical breakthroughs  to trigger the rise of global criminal networks yet also revolutionize attitudes toward well-being. Opium: Realitys Dark Dream traverses the globe and the centuries  exploring opiums role in colonialism  the Chinese Opium Wars  laudanum-inspired sublime Romantic poetry  American \"Yellow Peril\" fears  the rise of the Mafia and the black market  1960s counterculture  and more. Dr. Dormandy also recounts exotic or sad stories of individual addiction. Throughout the book the author emphasizes opiums complex  valuable relationship with developments in medicine  health  and disease  highlighting the perplexing dual nature of the drug as both the cause and relief of great suffering in widely diverse civilizations.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45648043376693,"sku":"ByrdShop_0300175329","price":37.31,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780300175325.jpg?v=1781707549","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/opium-realitys-dark-dream-9780300175325","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}