Thomas Dormandy (1926–2013)

This is a comprehensive look at the fight against pain. It goes back to ancient times, and talks about philosophical ideas about pain and pain management as well as discoveries in pain relief and anesthesia. It's a long book, and I found parts of it riveting, parts less so and some aspects confusing. I didn't like the way the author used footnotes -- they often interrupted the flow of the writing while providing little of importance. So, a mixed bag but comprehensive and well researched.

This isn't the lightest of history books, but it makes up for it by being absolutely fascinating. It's incredible to think how one humble substance from one humble flower has literally shaped our entire history, from medicine to literature, and continues to have an enormous effect on world economics, politics and health. The modern chapters were perhaps the most jaw-dropping (about heroin, obviously), because I had NO IDEA of the sheer scale of the heroin trade.

A good, at times very rewarding look at opiates, and their effect through history. Illuminating in terms of the historical circumstances of the trade & the political & criminal connotations of the drug. Interesting but probably only going to be loved by the dedicated rather than the idly curious.