Nicotine

By: Gregor Hens, Will Self, Jen Calleja

Narrated by: Liam Gerrard

Written with the passion of an obsessive, Nicotine addresses a lifelong addiction, from the thrill of the first drag to the perennial last cigarette. Reflecting on his experiences as a smoker from a young age, Gregor Hens investigates the irreversible effects of nicotine on thought and patterns of behavior. He extends the conversation with other smokers to meditations on Mark Twain and Italo Svevo, the nature of habit, and the validity of hypnosis. With comic insight and meticulous precision, Hens deconstructs every facet of dependency, offering a brilliant analysis of the psychopathology of addiction. This is a book about the physical, emotional, and psychological power of nicotine as not only an addictive drug, but also a gateway to memory, a long trail of streetlights in the rearview mirror of a smoker's life. Cigarettes are sometimes a solace, sometimes a weakness, but always a witness and companion. This is a meditation, an ode, and a eulogy, one that will be passed hand-to-hand between close friends.

©2011 Gregor Hens; translation copyright 2015 by Jen Calleja (P)2017 Tantor

I think this is for a very specific group

Would you consider the audio edition of Nicotine to be better than the print version?

Yes, because I wouldn't have been able to finish a print version

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Thinking about how relationships affect smoking and vica versa

What about Liam Gerrard’s performance did you like?

He gave momentum to an otherwise very slow, dry story line.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not really, although I did want to finsih it

Any additional comments?

Because I am trying to quit smoking, a hobby I once adored, I related to Gregor Hens. However, if you're not/have never been a smoker, I think this would be boring for you.