Rating: 
Summary: From coca leaves to cocaine powder to freebase
Review: Streatfield treats us to a well-researched saga of a nondescript plant turned worldwide scourge.The harmless looking coca plant was a staple of native South American societies for millennia. The continent's natives chewed a compound based on coca leaves to increase their endurance during long, trans-mountain treks; the chewing of which also reduced the food they would need on these grueling voyages. Coca, when taken in this manner, would provide a prolonged, but mild effect, in comparison with the 'high' that comes from the more pure forms of the substance that have been produced by modern science, medicine, and 'criminal enteprise'. Streatfield explores the newfound interest in the plant occasioned by medical research in the late 19th century, when many doctors and scientists, during the course of studying this remarkable drug, almost invariably found themselves 'addicted' to it. (Whether cocaine can truly be called 'addictive' is still a subject of debate and controversy. Opponents of the appellation 'addictive' emphasizing that cocaine, unlike drugs such as heroine and alcohol, does not produce withdrawal symptoms in the user who ceases its intake. This is anoverblown debate, unfortunately, as, like many high-profile debates in society, the point of contention is not substantive but semantic.) Streatfield documents the decline of cocaine use in the early to mid 20th century, and tracks its subsequent rise on the heels of the blossoming drug culture of the 1960's. One interesting point involves the attempted duplication, by an American distributor, of the smoked variety he sampled in a South American labaratory. Unawarre of the crude nature of the mixture, he set a scientist upon the task; and the result was not the comparably weak cocaine smoked in the remote laboratories, but the first ever purification of cocaine into freebase. This massively more potent form, together with the relatively short nature of the high, were to revolutionize the drug culture in America, especially in the inner cities. Most impressive about Streatfield's work, however, are the steps he takes to get firsthand knowledge, not only of the drug, but of the persons involved in the violent trafficking thereof. He visits and interviews many persons- law enforcement agents, imprisoned dealers, and even the armed compounds of wanted Colombian kingpins- putting himself in predicaments that have been the death of many before him. This book provides a wonderful history of the plant itself, and a tremendous survey of the politics, crime, and fortunes that have arisen alongside it in the last 40 years. Fascinating.
Rating:
Summary: From coca leaves to cocaine powder to freebase
Review: Streatfield treats us to a well-researched saga of a nondescript plant turned worldwide scourge. The harmless looking coca plant was a staple of native South American societies for millennia. The continent's natives chewed a compound based on coca leaves to increase their endurance during long, trans-mountain treks; the chewing of which also reduced the food they would need on these grueling voyages. Coca, when taken in this manner, would provide a prolonged, but mild effect, in comparison with the 'high' that comes from the more pure forms of the substance that have been produced by modern science, medicine, and 'criminal enteprise'. Streatfield explores the newfound interest in the plant occasioned by medical research in the late 19th century, when many doctors and scientists, during the course of studying this remarkable drug, almost invariably found themselves 'addicted' to it. (Whether cocaine can truly be called 'addictive' is still a subject of debate and controversy. Opponents of the appellation 'addictive' emphasizing that cocaine, unlike drugs such as heroine and alcohol, does not produce withdrawal symptoms in the user who ceases its intake. This is anoverblown debate, unfortunately, as, like many high-profile debates in society, the point of contention is not substantive but semantic.) Streatfield documents the decline of cocaine use in the early to mid 20th century, and tracks its subsequent rise on the heels of the blossoming drug culture of the 1960's. One interesting point involves the attempted duplication, by an American distributor, of the smoked variety he sampled in a South American labaratory. Unawarre of the crude nature of the mixture, he set a scientist upon the task; and the result was not the comparably weak cocaine smoked in the remote laboratories, but the first ever purification of cocaine into freebase. This massively more potent form, together with the relatively short nature of the high, were to revolutionize the drug culture in America, especially in the inner cities. Most impressive about Streatfield's work, however, are the steps he takes to get firsthand knowledge, not only of the drug, but of the persons involved in the violent trafficking thereof. He visits and interviews many persons- law enforcement agents, imprisoned dealers, and even the armed compounds of wanted Colombian kingpins- putting himself in predicaments that have been the death of many before him. This book provides a wonderful history of the plant itself, and a tremendous survey of the politics, crime, and fortunes that have arisen alongside it in the last 40 years. Fascinating.
Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable!
Review: This is truly one of the finest books I have read in a long time. Streatfeild starts with the background of Cocaine, how it came in to existence in the western world, what it is, etc. For this he went to libraries and read books that haven't been read in decades about Cocaine. This part can be a little laborious, but very useful and helps you appreciate what cocaine is all about and how it is more complicated than a drug that is just evil. You use the background he gives when you get to the rest of the book where he goes in to how cocaine has basically shaped the entire political and economic part of Latin America. His stories about the smugglers kept me up all night, they were so interesting, informative and lively, even more so as they are true and really matter to millions of people. He actually talks to maney smugglers in America, Columbia, Bolivia and elsewhere. His research throughout is superb. He went to any length to get the real story. Great Job!
Rating: 
Summary: Thorough, Eye-Opening, and Rare
Review: When I originally picked up this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. Would this be another in a series of right- or left-wing infused prose that do very little speaking about the subject but, rather, speak more to a particular political agenda? I am pleased to report that the author did a very good job of playing the role of consumate researcher, and it shows on every page of this book, not political afficianado. From quote after quote, to Mr. Streatfeild's own "experimentation", he goes the extra step to complete this work and should be commended for it. It's always difficult to take a chance on not only reading but writing about a subject so taboo as cocaine, but the characters who provide the content for this book are well worth the read. While I feel that I came away from this book having learned a great deal, I still think the author should have touched a bit more on the involvement of the CIA and other government agencies in the cocaine trade. (Although they were mentioned in great detail regarding Iran Contra) Overall, the book read very slowly, but the end result was worth it--I'd recommend this book to people who want to learn about a topic they never thought much about, but, beware: Patience is a must!
Rating:
Summary: Thorough, Eye-Opening, and Rare
Review: When I originally picked up this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. Would this be another in a series of right- or left-wing infused prose that do very little speaking about the subject but, rather, speak more to a particular political agenda? I am pleased to report that the author did a very good job of playing the role of consumate researcher, and it shows on every page of this book, not political afficianado. From quote after quote, to Mr. Streatfeild's own "experimentation", he goes the extra step to complete this work and should be commended for it. It's always difficult to take a chance on not only reading but writing about a subject so taboo as cocaine, but the characters who provide the content for this book are well worth the read. While I feel that I came away from this book having learned a great deal, I still think the author should have touched a bit more on the involvement of the CIA and other government agencies in the cocaine trade. (Although they were mentioned in great detail regarding Iran Contra) Overall, the book read very slowly, but the end result was worth it--I'd recommend this book to people who want to learn about a topic they never thought much about, but, beware: Patience is a must!
Rating:
Summary: Addictive and informative, but not without its downside
Review: You'll let it disrupt your life and eat up your free time. You won't want to give it up. You may even try to foist it upon your friends.
"Cocaine" is just that type of book.
With an eye for detail and an ear for illumating quotes, Dominic Streatfeild chronicles the rise and rise of one of the most powerful drugs known to man. In describing the early uses of the coca plant, the process by which people began refining it to produce cocaine, and its early ascension to "wonder-drug" status (thanks to enthusiastic proponents and users like Sigmund Freud), Streatfeild gets the reader hooked on entertaining stories and fascinating quotes. His early chapters leave the reader with a visceral sense of the drug's power; later, he shows how, after a period of dormancy, it re-emerged in the Seventies and Eighties, tearing through North and South America, leaving a trail of corruption and ruin behind it. The stories of Columbia's efforts to clamp down on it and George Jung's efforts to widen its distribution make for compelling reading; one hopes someone will eventually make a better movie than "Blow" to dramatize this compelling tale.
Still, some of Streatfeild's annoying habits blunt the book's power. All too often, he inserts himself into the story, showing how his research unfolded, for instance, or describing his efforts to observe a real crack house on a typical day. Occasionally, this can be amusing, like when he comes to realize that so many of the drug's early chroniclers wrote so enthusiastically and so prodigiously because they were using it. More often, though, his personal interjections feel sloppy and self-indulgent.
More annoyingly, he uses much of the latter book as a platform to talk about drug legalization, and he buys the standard legalization arguments without giving enough consideration to their potential cost. While the current "war on drugs" may be far from ideal, cocaine is not just like any other commodity, and it's far from clear that legalization will ease society's problems with it; indeed, it may well be a problem that has no solution.
Still, this is an educational and worthwhile book for those seeking to understand this powerful drug. Streatfeild has done his homework, and you'll thank him for it. And you'll never look at Freud the same way again.
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