Smoke and Ashes is a book that explores the history of the opium plant and its impact on global trade, as well as how it shaped capitalism and globalization. The author Amitav Ghosh, through a decade of archival research, offers us a travelogue and mnemonic description of the impact of the opium trade on Britain, India, and China.

Ghosh's research highlights how the British Empire developed the opium trade, exporting Indian opium for sale in China in order to reverse the trade imbalance. Although the plant seems innocent, its history is filled with profits and power. Based on in-depth research, the book examines the connections of this trade with some of America's largest companies and most powerful families.

Through his exploration, Ghosh reveals the role that this small plant has played in shaping the modern world, which is now at a critical juncture. Pages: 416, Year of Publication: 0213, Dimensions: 15.2x15.2cm.