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Black Opium
Hardcover
General FictionHistorical FictionLiterary Fiction
ISBN13: 9781025305790
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 288
Weight: 1.28
Height: 0.69 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Black Opium is a haunting and evocative exploration of the seductive and destructive world of opium addiction during the height of the colonial era. Set against the lush and often mysterious backdrops of East Asia, Claude Farrère's masterpiece delves into the sensory experiences and psychological depths of those ensnared by the black smoke. Through a series of interconnected sketches and narratives, the work captures the atmosphere of early 20th-century Indochina, painting a vivid picture of expatriate life, local customs, and the pervasive influence of the drug.
Farrère provides a nuanced perspective on the allure of the Orient and the moral decay that often accompanied the pursuit of exotic pleasures. The prose is rich with imagery, transporting the reader to the dim, smoke-filled dens where time stands still and reality dissolves into dreams. Beyond its depiction of substance use, the book serves as a significant literary document of its time, reflecting the complexities of colonial identity and the cultural intersections between East and West. Black Opium remains a compelling study of human desire, escapism, and the enduring power of a substance that promised paradise but often delivered ruin.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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