Cigarette: A Political History

The book "The Cigarette: The Rise and Fall of the American Empire" is a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, winner of the Willie Lee Rose Prize, winner of the PROSE Award in United States History, Hagley Prize in Business History, and Smithsonian Best History Book of the Year. It explores how tobacco has powered America's economy and shaped its most enduring myths, and how a movement for nonsmokers' rights turned the tide.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 400 pages
\n Publication date: 12 November 2021
\n Publisher: Harvard University Press
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The Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist, the Willie Lee Rose Prize Winner, the PROSE Award in United States History, the Hagley Prize in Business History Finalist, and the Smithsonian's Best History Book of the Year are just a few of the prestigious accolades bestowed upon Sarah Milov's groundbreaking work, The Cigarette. This comprehensive study delves into the intricate relationship between tobacco and government, tracing its historical significance from the early days of Jamestown to the rise of the Marlboro Man. While the narrative of tobacco's ascent and decline may appear straightforward, the truth is far more complex.

Following the Great Depression, government officials and tobacco farmers collaborated to ensure that regulation was employed to promote tobacco rather than safeguard consumers. As evidence of the link between cigarettes and cancer mounted, scientists grappled with securing federal regulation in the name of public health. However, what ultimately shifted the tide was a new political movement advocating for nonsmokers' rights. Activists took to the courts, streets, city councils, and boardrooms, advocating for smoke-free workplaces and partnering with scientists to lobby elected officials.

The Cigarette reclaims the centrality of politics in the rise and fall of tobacco, vividly depicting the battles over corporate influence, individual choice, government regulation, and science. Milov's nuanced and ultimately devastating indictment of government complicity with the worst excesses of American capitalism is a testament to her scholarship and research.

Reviewers have hailed The Cigarette as an impressive work of scholarship, evincing years of diligent spadework. The book is a well-told story that captivates readers, providing a window into the smoke-filled rooms of midcentury America. Whether one is interested in history, business, or public health, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the complex and often controversial relationship between tobacco and government.

\n Weight: 458g\n
Dimension: 237 x 155 x 30 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780674260313\n \n