Customer Reviews

Ashes to Ashes: America's Hundred-Year Cigarette War, the Public Health, and the Unabashed Triumph of Philip Morris

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I purchased this book to do some research for a project I was working on. It was my intention to skim through the first three-quarters and then to pull what I needed from the last quarter. I ended up reading every word. You would think that a book this large (it's even larger than you think-the print and margins are really small) wouldn't be able to hold your interest, but the author does a wonderful job of relating people and events, while keeping the narrative moving ever forward. The reader comes away with the thought that the history of tobacco is so intertwined with the history of America that it is often difficult to tell them apart. From Jamestown, to the world wars, to the recent lawsuits that have plagued the industry, we see the triumphs and failures of capitalism and freedom, and begin to understand how they can be so wonderful and dangerous at the same time.

There is no question but that the book was exhaustively researched and tells you everything you might want to know about the tobacco industry over the past 100 years. Often it was compelling reading as well. But it seems to me it could have been a good deal shorter and still have gotten the main points across--say under 450 pages rather than 750 pages. It seems that every fact Kluger ever uncovered went into this book. As a general matter, I also found the book much more interesting when it was talking about the "bad guys" (i.e. the tobacco industry and particularly their advertisers), rather than the efforts of the various anti-tobacco groups to show the harmful effects of smoking. I found those sections comparatively tedious. No question that the book is quite an accomplishment though and I would certainly recommend it although I didn't find it necessary to digest every word

Just about every great society has one crop whose presence is intertwined throughout its history, effecting the history, culture, and economics of the nation. For China it would be rice, potatoes for Ireland, coca for Columbia, and most likely tobacco for America. This Pulitzer-Prize winning book shows how and why tobacco is so important to America's history. Specifically, the book traces and examines the economic role of tobacco and the economic policies of the tobacco companies (growers, traders, sellers, etc...) from the 1800s on through the 1990s.

Subjects that are covered in this tome include tobacco farming, the making of cigarettes, advertising in papers, radio, TV and billboards, lobbying of govt officials to reduce regulation, PR wars with health advocates, promotion of overseas sales, and of course, the court cases fought between Big Tobacco (RJR,Philip Morris, Brown & Williamson, etc...) and various consumers, consumer groups, government agencies, and governments. The book puts all of this together in a chronological history of tobacco with an emphasis on the role of big corporations like Philip Morris. The author has put this book together using a wide variety of sources both primary and secondary, including a lot of interviews with former and current employees at tobacco companies.

By reading this book, one learns a lot about various aspects of American law, culture, economics, and history. These include consumer relations, agro-business, medical research, lobbying, and advertising. OVerall, this is a great book, and I highly recommend it for anyone to read.

This is not a book for a quick casual read. Kluger offers a comprehensive, thoroughly researched, and exhaustive history of the cigarette industry in this country. I was fascinated to learn of the backgrounds of the major players, and the data leaves no question that they deliberately set out to addict customers with full knowledge of the consequences. You'll never look at a cigarette ad or display the same way again.

This book is a masterpiece by Dick Kluger. It covers every aspect of the tobacco industry. FromNewport to the Native-Americans. It was enjoyable, well written, informative and objective. Despite the current climate of anti-smoking, Kluger takes a neutral; he wasn't a shill for Philip Morris and he wasn't a shill form Willaim Novilli and the rest of the anti-tobacco crazys. After you read this book, you will know everything that there is to know about tobacco and cigarettes. He fulfils everything that was promised in the sub-title: Americas hundred year cigarette war - check. The Public Health- check. The unabashed trimph of Philip Morris double-check. I couldn't put this book down. You think that this book is only a few pages- despite it's 800 pages. It is fast reading. And it will be one of the best books you'll ever read!

I'm not a smoker (fortunately my parents totally discouraged me from it, and I had enough smarts to avoid it anyway) but I found this history of the cigarette industry to be quite interesting--especially the facts about the early years.

It got a little dry towards the end, and the whole indictment of the industry has gotten a bit repetitious; I suspect at the time the book was published the message was new, but the message has gotten old fast. (Yes, it's clear that they knew about the health issues, and yes, they did very little about it.)

Overall it's a good read, especially the first half. If you're at all curious about how the cigarette industry came to be, the book does a great job of describing the companies and personalities involved.

I purchased this book to do some research for a project I was working on. It was my intention to skim through the first three-quarters and then to pull what I needed from the last quarter. I ended up reading every word. You would think that a book this large (it's even larger than you think-the print and margins are really small) wouldn't be able to hold your interest, but the author does a wonderful job of relating people and events, while keeping the narrative moving ever forward. The reader comes away with the thought that the history of tobacco is so intertwined with the history of America that it is often difficult to tell them apart. From Jamestown, to the world wars, to the recent lawsuits that have plagued the industry, we see the triumphs and failures of capitalism and freedom, and begin to understand how they can be so wonderful and dangerous at the same time.

I highly recommend Ashes to Ashes, by Richard Kluger, to anyone who wants to know more about the tobacco industry. Kluger provides a comprehensive history, beginning with the temperance of the tobacco leaf and the physical labor involved in producing marketable tobacco, and ending with the struggles the tobacco industry now faces with public health groups and government regulations. Kluger's narrative style makes this thick, fact packed book easy to read. Rich in history, critical, and thought provoking, Ashes to Ashes is a worthwhile read.

It amazes me just how twisted our society is. How we can't seem to learn from previous mistakes and have to keep trying to infringe on the rights of others just because we don't agree on something. That is the basics of freedom, that you don't have to agree so long as you don't take away the rights of others.

"Ashes to Ashes" examines the volatile history of the big tobacco companies during the twentieth century. This book is somewhat lengthy, but it is full of information and historical trivia.

The tobacco giants have endured more challanges than any other business in history. Bad press, lawsuits, slander, moral questions, etc., have all threatened to bring an end to this icon of American business, but the tobacco companies have managed to survive. Through the use of clever advertising, deceptive health claims, manipulation of facts, and gifts to political allies, the U.S. tobacco industry has managed to dodge all of the stones hurled in its direction.

Should the tobacco industry be held liable for the millions of deaths resulting from consumption of its products? Is the consumer solely responsible for the effects of what he/she ingests or inhales? Should both sides share the responsibility? In the early part of the 1900's, there were many question marks regarding tobacco and little information available to the public. But in the last forty years or so there have been many indisputable health studies linking tobacco use to several diseases. So, I do not see how any reasonable person nowadays can blame the cigarette manufacturers if the consumer succombs to ill health. Anyone who decides to smoke knows the possible consequences and therefore has no one to blame but himself if he falls victim to smoking related disease. Author Richard Kluger seems to have the opposite opinion: that the tobacco industry should be held liable. Kluger displays an obvious bias against the tobacco industry throughout the book, although he does manage to avoid excessive name- calling.

What the future holds for tobacco is uncertain. Phillip Morris and R.J. Reynolds have both diversified their businessess through massive acquisitions of food companies which will no doubt help to soften the financial blow if government continues to intervene and regulate, but it may not be enough.

The book ends with a presentation of alternatives that the tobacco industry may be forced to adopt if it hopes to survive. One thing is certain: the controversy is far from over.