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

Kluger has written an encyclopedia documenting nearly every mover-and-shaker in the history of Phillip Morris and RJ Reynolds, as well as legions of anti-smoking activists trying to hold them accountable. The book starts in workmanlike prose, but gains momentum as Kluger examines the 1960s onward. Interesting details--the mechanization of cigarette rolling, the reasoning behind the classic ad jingles.... But you will feel frustration as you learn of the industry's slippery lies and their seeming immunity to all consequences.

A well-written, though long, book about the tobacco industry and the ways in which they have misled the American public, and continue to engage in questionable business practices. Relatively easy to read, but gets a bit bogged down in minutae.

3246. Ashes to Ashes America's Hundred Year Cigarette War, the Public Health, and the Unabashed Triumph of Philip Morris, by Richard Kluger (read 29 Sept 1999). This won the 1997 General Non-fiction Pulitzer prize, and since I am sort of "doing" those I decided to read it, tho its subject had no special interest for me. It is well-constructed, with workmanlike Wall Street Journal-like prose. The book is never dull and highly informative, and made me marvel anew that so many would let their health be affected by a weed. I thought this well worthwhile reading .

This book alternates between being extremely fascinating and extremely tedious. I only wish it were a little newer, and thus more relevant.

nonfiction (history/business/politics/science). These rat bastards strike me as alarmingly similar to the businesses and industries who continue to claim global warming is not a real, proven thing, bribing Congress to loosen environmental sanctions so that they can continue to amass millions/billions in profits at the cost of public health and well-being. And for everyone's sake, I hope that marijuana is as safe as its users believe it to be (they really haven't done enough studies to know for sure at this point) so that we don't find ourselves in the same situation with THAT multi-billion-dollar industry 50 years from now (you know, in addition to all the climate problems). I would sigh now, but I think I'm too worried.