COKE: THE BIOGRAPHY

Cocaine's not addictive, darling. I should know, I've been taking for years.' That airy disclaimer uttered by Tallulah Bankhead echoes ironically today. No longer the taste only of a fashionable elite, the White Lady has a presence discreet or not so at many, perhaps most, social gatherings. Welcome or not, she's a guest at the party. The coca plant was named the Tree of Life. Cocaine, first extracted in 1860, was greeted by the world as a wonder drug. Sigmund Freud embraced it as a remedy for almost every ailment; some believed it a cure for the human condition itself. By 1900 cocaine formed the basis to several hundred brands of patent medicines and was the preferred pick-me-up of the Belle Époque. This book is a history of the drug since its first appearance. But it is also the personality-led stories of its more notorious users and its antagonists in government and the law. Rich in anecdote, often tragic, but sometimes grotesque and even hilarious, Coke is neither judgemental nor condoning. Along with informing, the book's prime intention is to be an amusing and entertaining fast-paced read. A light, entertaining and slightly irreverent romp through the history of the drug. The first in a dazzling new series reflecting on the subculture of drugs. Explores the chemical composition of cocaine and includes statistics and key facts about its make-up and use, alongside lively and entertaining character profiles of some of its more celebrated and notorious users. Written by Jeremy Scott, author of The Irresistible Mr Wrong 9781849541992 and Fast and Louche: Confessions of a flagrant sinner 9781861976666 • ‘Mr Scott is a breath of shocking air in these dull times.' The Independent Review of Books JEREMY SCOTT is the acclaimed author of Fast and Louche, Show Me A Hero and The Irresistible Mr Wrong. NATALIA NAISH was born in Los Angeles to English parents and came to London after graduating from Harvard. She has a master's degree from UCL and now works in the arts. Coke is her first book.