Human History on Drugs: An Utterly Scandalous but Entirely Truthful Look at History Under the Influence...

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Sam Kelly

Human History on Drugs

An Utterly Scandalous but Entirely Truthful Look at History Under the Influence

Sam Kelly

$42.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Icon Books
17 July 2025

Social & cultural history; Popular culture; Drug & substance abuse: social aspects

A lively, hilarious, and entirely truthful look at the druggie side of history's most famous figures, including Shakespeare, Queen Victoria, and the Beatles, from debut author (and viral historical TikToker with nearly 100K followers) Sam Kelly.

Did you know that Alexander the Great was a sloppy drunk, William Shakespeare was a stoner, and George Washington drank a spoonful of opium every night to staunch the pain from his fake teeth? Or how about the fact that China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, ingested liquid mercury in an (ironic) attempt to live forever, or that Alexander Shulgin, inventor of no less than 230 new psychedelic drugs, was an employee of the DEA?

In Human History on Drugs, historian Sam Kelly introduces us to the history we weren't taught in school, offering up irreverent and hysterical commentary as he sheds light on some truly shocking aspects of the historical characters we only thought we knew. With chapters spanning from Ancient Greece (""The Oracle of Delphi Was Huffing Fumes"") and the Victorian Era (""Vincent van Gogh Ate Yellow Paint"") to Hollywood's Golden Age (""Judy Garland Was Drugged by Grown-Ups"") and modern times (""Carl Sagan Got Astronomically High""), Kelly's research spans all manner of eras, places, and, of course, drugs.

History is rife with drug use and drug users, and Human History on Drugs takes us through those highs (pun intended) and lows on a wittily entertaining ride that uncovers their seriously unexpected impact on our past.

AUTHOR: Sam Kelly, a history grad from Stanford University, is on the autism spectrum and his interest and passion for history has become an almost physical compulsion. He loves to dig up forgotten and weird stories from the past and spends hours uncovering every last stubborn detail. As a deep believer that history can be as exciting as any Marvel movie, Sam aims to-whether on TikTok or through a book-make history both engaging and accessible to all. Human History on Drugs is his first book.

By: Sam Kelly
Imprint: Icon Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 153mm,
ISBN: 9781837733095
ISBN 10: 1837733090
Pages: 400
Publication Date: 17 July 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Sam Kelly, a history grad from Stanford University, is on the autism spectrum and his interest and passion for history has become an almost physical compulsion. He loves to dig up forgotten and weird stories from the past and spends hours uncovering every last stubborn detail. As a deep believer that history can be as exciting as any Marvel movie, Sam aims to - whether on TikTok or through a book - make history both engaging and accessible to all. Human History on Drugs is his first book.

Reviews for Human History on Drugs: An Utterly Scandalous but Entirely Truthful Look at History Under the Influence

Human History on Drugs brings famous historical figures and eras to life in a way we've never seen them before. You'll never look at history the same way again. * Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author * Entertaining time travel through the doors of perception. * Kirkus Reviews *