Jan 7th, 2009 · In Sea of Poppies, a British trading ship carrying an eclectic group of passengers sets sail on the eve of the First Opium War. The novel, the sixth from Amitav Ghosh, was shortlisted for the 2008 Booker Prize.
Nov 9th, 2008 · Amitav Ghosh's epic novel tells the stories of a disparate group of seafarers aboard a former slave ship that has been retrofitted for the opium trade and its human cargo.
Jul 16th, 2008 · Almost every word of Chris Hannan's debut novel is a toothy treat. The rollicking tale of Dol McQueen is so festooned with 1862-era Wildly Western jargon it's tempting to read the whole thing aloud — in a brogue.
Feb 25th, 2008 · Frustrated by government raids on opium poppy crops, more and more Afghan farmers are turning to a lucrative alternative that's just as illegal: cannabis, the source of marijuana and hashish. The new crop has taken hold in Kandahar province.
Dec 31st, 2007 · William Wood, U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, evaluates U.S. operations in Afghanistan, increasing public support for the Taliban, and poppy eradication. His assessment comes after the discovery of stocks of opium worth $500 million.
Dec 9th, 2007 · Joel Hafvenstein spent a year in Afghanistan trying to lure opium-poppy farmers to give up what he calls "the perfect crop." He discusses his book, "Opium Season: A Year on the Afghan Frontier," which documents the tragic turn that the project took.
Aug 31st, 2007 · The cultivation of opium poppies in Afghanistan is at an all-time high. The United Nations says the country is expected to produce nearly 9,000 tons of opium this year -- nearly all of the world's supply. But some anti-drug teams have been successful in reducing the amount planted.
Aug 27th, 2007 · A U.N. report says 95 percent of the world's opium comes from Afghan fields and much more is on the way. Poppy production there is expected to top all records this year.