Download or read book The Pursuit of Oblivion written by Richard Davenport-Hines and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2003-11-10 with total page 596 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this uniquely comprehensive history of drugs and their role in society, award-winning historian Davenport-Hines examines how illicit medicines developed into a huge illegal business. Drawing on evidence from five centuries, "The Pursuit of Oblivion" is considered the standard work on this subject of global importance.