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Opium Fiend: A 21st Century Slave To A 19th Century Addiction (2012)

by Steven Martin(Favorite Author)

4.03 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0345517830 (ISBN13: 9780345517838)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Villard

review 1: The description of the book covers the contents very well. I found it a rather upsetting book in what one person believes he can do drugs with out a penalty, and ends up failing. It also shows why Opium got such a bad reputation, and why it is so controlled in every country in the world. If you would like to learn about collecting Asian antiques, as well as drug addiction, this is a good book. However it is also an upsetting book because of the fraud in antiques going on, and the drug use discussed, as well as other vices pointed out at times. I am not sorry I read it, but don't recomend it to family members or friends as it has no redeeming qualities except knowledge.
review 2: This book is really interesting -- maybe really 4.5 stars. It offers a vivid, even-... morehanded portrayal of collecting obsession, opium addiction, withdrawal, and the psychological aftermath. Author Steven Martin also draws interesting snapshots of Vientiane (Laos) and Bangkok. Occasionally, Martin lets his collector's obsession with opium antiques take over -- which reminded me of other types of collectors and object obsessives (e.g., for books or violins). This book would be a good resource too for someone writing historical crime fiction. less

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