The Social History of Smoking


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(1.9 stars; 5 reviews)

This work tells the history of smoking in England from the social point of view. Thus it does not deal with the history of tobacco growing or tobacco related manufacture, but is rather the story of how smoking has fitted in with the fashions and customs throughout the ages, and the changes in the attitude of society towards smoking. (Summary by Maikki) (7 hr 3 min)

Chapters

Preface 3:36 Read by Maire Rhode
The First Pipes of Tobacco Smoked in England 27:11 Read by Maire Rhode
Tobacco Triumphant: Smoking Fashionable and Universal 27:46 Read by Maire Rhode
Tobacco Triumphant (continued) Sellers of Tobacco and Professors of the Art of … 29:17 Read by Anna Roberts
Cavalier and Roundhead Smokers 20:30 Read by TriciaG
Smoking in the Restoration Era 22:08 Read by manicolaus
Smoking Under King William III and Queen Anne 29:06 Read by Roger Melin
Smoking Unfashionable: Early Georgian Days 39:00 Read by Maire Rhode
Smoking Unfashionable (Continued) 29:13 Read by TriciaG
Signs of Revival 35:27 Read by John W. Michaels
Early Victorian Days 47:09 Read by WangHaojie
Later Victorian Days 22:11 Read by TriciaG
Smoking In The Twentieth Century 19:34 Read by Mark Penfold
Smoking by Women 28:20 Read by MixieArmadillo
Smoking in Church 16:59 Read by Ian Hatley
Tobacconists’ Signs 26:11 Read by Jason Mayoff

Reviews

A mixture of good and bad parts


(2 stars)

I enjoyed large sections of this recording, but there are some problems with a few chapters, most notably that the final chapter is cut off. It only loses about three paragraphs from the original text, but its always irritating when you are reading a book and some villain has torn out the last two pages. The rating would be higher if you are particularly well read in terms of English literature, so that the smoking habits of various writers are more captiviating.

Truncated last chapter


(0 stars)

Noted, and will get the last paragraphs re-recorded and added. January 11, 2012 - final chapter now has the missing text added.

Interesting book indeed.


(0.5 stars)

Yet I cannot stand to listen to female readers.