The Pursuit of Pleasure: Drugs and Stimulants in Iranian History, 1500-1900
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.95 (504 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0691144443 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 368 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-03-10 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
He is the author of "The Politics of Trade in Safavid Iran: Silk for Silver, 1600-1730" . Rudi Matthee is Professor of History at the University of Delaware
By tracing their historical trajectory and the role they played in early modern Iranian society (1500-1900), Rudi Matthee takes a major step in extending contemporary debates on the role of drugs and stimulants in shaping the modern West.At once panoramic and richly detailed, The Pursuit of Pleasure examines both the intoxicants known since ancient times--wine and opiates--and the stimulants introduced later--tobacco, coffee, and tea--from multiple angles. Faced with reality, Iran's Shi`i ulama turned a blind eye to drug use as long as it stayed indoors and did not threaten the social order. It brings together production, commerce, and consumption to reveal the forces behind the spread and popularity of these consumables, showing how Iranians adapted them to their own needs and tastes and integrated them into their everyday lives.Matthee further employs psychoact
Fred Geoola said Five Stars. Good book to read.. Great Historiographic Work Much of what is written about Iran is still concerned with political history. The fact is that the historiography of Iran is still well behind that of Europe. Things that are now common when looking at European history are still unknown in the Iranian one. Annale School methods and other modern historiographic methods are virtually unknown.Prof. Matthee's work, however, uses these methods very well. He uses the theme of narcotics and drinks to provide a picture of the Iranian hitory in the pre-modern era. He explains the role of the drinks such as coffee and tea in forming social insti. "A study of the consumption of wine, distillates, coffee, tea, tobacco, cannabis and opium in Persia 1500-1900" according to JML from Spain. The book is a good introduction to the subject. Well written and quite easy and entertaining to read, it is nonetheless a Universitary study on the subject. The topic is interesting, since beyond the mere facts of what stimulant beverages or drugs might have been consumed in Safavid and Qajar Persia, there is an interesting reflexion about the contradictions of such behaviours in a Shia Muslim country and about the evolution of the behaviours and their perception from 1500 to 1900.
This is a very rich and readable book. Winner of the 2006 Albert Hourani Book AwardWinner of the 2006 Saidi-Sirjani Award, International Society of Iranian Studies"This is an extremely successful foray into the social history of Iran in the early modern period. It is especially good at showing the wider significance of the pursuit of pleasure."--Michael Pearson, Itinerario"As a work of social and economic history, this book sets a high standard. Bulliet, American Historical Review. Most readers will be more than satisfied by this lucid, precise, and information-packed volume."--Richard W