The Cigarette Century: The Rise, Fall, and Deadly Persistence of the Product That Defined America,   ISBN:9780465070480

Customer Rating: 

Yeah, I know smoking cigarettes [in excess] is not the best health choice an individual can make. That's why I smoke cigars, which have, unfortuantely, been lumped into the axis of evil by the prevailing anti-smoking sentiment now prevelent in our society even though the medical hazards simply do not manifest themselves in cigar smokers (or pipe for all that matters) as they do in cigarette smokers.

I purchased this book to gain a better perspective on the current witch-hunt against tobacco and its users.

Very well written and informative although somewhat repetitive.

I will be donating my copy to the local cigar store that I frequent and I am quite sure many other [cigar/pipe] smokers will find it a worthwhile read.

Customer Rating: 

What an insightful read. If you have any interest in the corruption and politics (oops, I repeat myself) in the cigarette industry, you will get a lot out of this book. My title says it all.

I bogged down just a little in the first chapters but then I could hardly put it down.

Customer Rating: 

This is a very thorough book as the author has gone to great lengths to research and document everything you ever wanted to know about the history of cigarettes in America. The first section was especially good talking about smoking's impact on our culture/society and vice versa. How did cigarettes become and stay so popular for so long? What role did industrialization and mass marketing have on the cigarettes industry? Why is it that a couple smoking in bed implies just-finished sex? Etc.

Whether or not you like this book will depend on how detailed you are. If you want to know every facet on the topic this one is for you. If you want something briefer and to the point, as I did, then you might be frustrated by the book's length.

Overall great job by the author as our society needs this type of work. My only complaint is I wish this one was 20-25% shorter.

Thanks.

Customer Rating: 

Smoking has become a part of American culture, affecting daily life, legal; matters and policies alike. THE CIGARETTE CENTURY offers a history of how the product came to permeate the culture, offering medical history that crosses over well into general social history. Both high school and college-level libraries strong in medical and social history will find THE CIGARETTE CENTURY an excellent pick, perfect for classroom discussion.

Customer Rating: 

Today, it is hard to imagine that people once considered cigarette smoking glamorous. It's equally hard to find an adult in the U.S. who has not experienced the devastating affects of smoking, either losing a loved one or battling cancer. The rise of the cigarette left nothing untouched. As it burned through American culture, smoking changed the way industry, government, science and health organizations operate and interact. In this comprehensive, scholarly work, Harvard professor Allan M. Brandt impressively presents a thorough, well-researched, soundly documented exposé about the impact of cigarettes on American life. His user-friendly book is well laid out and easy to understand. Surprisingly, it's also captivating and emotional. Even cynics will feel outraged at big tobacco's manipulations, deceit and lies, though Brandt's evenhanded reporting lets the facts speak for themselves. getAbstract recommends this illuminating work to researchers, public health officials, business historians and laymen alike.