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Reviews
Confessions of an English Opium-Eater and Other Writings by Barry Milligan, Thomas De Quincey
iillianne's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Def worth the read for anyone who is questioning their relationship w their own vices. & for any history nerds lol
spectracommunist's review against another edition
3.0
Penguin Great Ideas: 7/100, Series Four: 1/10
The part which I felt captivating and interesting was the Pains of Opium as the last sections. Most of this book is filled with English Gossips and Victorian babbling with greek quotes. What I expected was either some kind of spirituality on one end or the loathing of the other end but that was so lacking and incoherent. It's like a newspaper article and was actually made for that, there are events and facts and less to ponder about.
The part which I felt captivating and interesting was the Pains of Opium as the last sections. Most of this book is filled with English Gossips and Victorian babbling with greek quotes. What I expected was either some kind of spirituality on one end or the loathing of the other end but that was so lacking and incoherent. It's like a newspaper article and was actually made for that, there are events and facts and less to ponder about.
snarf137's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Drug abuse
smartinez9's review against another edition
4.0
Five stars for being fascinating and written like nothing else, but the orientalism is w i l d
ruby03's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
casparb's review against another edition
3.0
ever feel like you’ve been kissed with cancerous kisses by a crocodile?
alexandrabree's review against another edition
3.0
Clearly slightly self absorbed, we are given a glimpse into the overall life of our author. The privileges and hardships of his youth and early age that lead him into using opium. Initially for ailments and eventually for pleasure. This is a clearly a romanticization of opium use and poverty in England and the surrounding country. The split between positives and negatives is skewed towards positives and in the writings it seems like Thomas misses his opium use. Although there is a negative opinion expressed of any opium user who is not “of English stock” (pretty typical of the 1800s in a middle class white educated man).
He also mentions how wide spread the use of opium is by everyone from the poor to the rich.
He also mentions how wide spread the use of opium is by everyone from the poor to the rich.