Are you an addict? I am. One look at this offering in a list of reads, and my reach could not be denied. I needed to see what this author has to say . . . .

Profound. Carl Erik Fisher hit the nail on the head chapter after chapter, telling two stories. First, he shows how we humans come to recognize addiction through historical references and documents, from the Gambler's Lament in the rig veda and the ancient Greeks right through to Biden's presidency. Then, he begins to interweave his own experience as a human with an Urge - and big career goals - from AA meetings to patients rising and falling (as we all do), and finally his compassionate epiphany about what addiction is . . and what it isn't.

This was eye-opening and a compelling read for me. I started reading with a chip on my shoulder, pretty sure I would be untouched by a message I was just as certain sure would miss the mark. I couldn't have been more mistaken. That last chapter? Deeply hopeful. That last paragraph? Exquisitely stated.

A Sincere Thank You to Carl Erik Fisher, Penguin Group, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review. #TheUrge #NetGalley

If you're interested in a rich and detailed history of addiction, elaborative discussions on its underpinnings and a personal account of the author's struggles with it, pick this up. You won't regret it.

This is a decade-long work and in every page it is clear how much effort Fisher put into this. Its not an easy feat to create something that is fact-laden, thought-provoking and still readable. And its not *just* a collation of what we have thought and discovered about addiction over the years, its not merely a painting of futility. Fisher also leaves us with hope and an understanding that despite addiction seemingly being a feature of humanity, it is survivable as long as we remember that compassion is the way forward.

5 stars

I am grateful to PENGUIN GROUP The Penguin Press, Penguin Press for sending me an advanced copy of this book for review.

This nonfiction book turned out to be better than I ever expected. When I requested this book, I knew it would touch on the psychology of addiction and how it has been viewed in society throughout history. However, what I didn't realize was that the author was going to basically give us a timeline of addiction, how it has appeared throughout history, how the attitudes of society has changed overtime, and then mirror that with his own personal experiences as an addict.

Going chronologically through the history of addiction and the ways in which society viewed/handled addiction as well as the people who were considered to be addicts based on their races and socio-economic statuses was fascinating. Also very interesting, was how the author presented the weaponizing of addiction to segregate and discriminate against people in modern day.

One thing I truly appreciated about this author was that while he was giving his story about his personal experiences with addiction , he did point out the privileges that he benefits from. After laying out the circumstances that surround addiction in America, he uses himself as an example to compare how people are treated based on their racial background and their socio-economic status. It was interesting for me to see how people are conditioned to associate addiction with a certain type of person , but that has fluctuated over time. He also comments on the healthcare system in the US and how it constantly fails addicts from the policy level down to the attitudes of healthcare providers.

I found this book to be educational . I found it to be fascinating and I'm very happy that I decided to read about this topic with this particular book. If you are someone who has read much about addiction prior to this one, I do not know how much new information you are going to find, but I do believe that the way in which this book is structured makes it a great reading experience. I recommend this to people who are interested in history, mental health and addiction, and people who may have some specific interest in the psychology of addiction.

Especially during a pandemic, addictions run wild in our society. This book put a very interesting spin on the troubles that many experience by navigating the history of substances and addictions. Easier to read than I had anticipated, this was very interesting and thought-provoking overall. I would recommend this book to anyone who struggles with substances, knows/loves someone who does and also anyone who is just curious about why and how our society came to rely so heavily on certain substances.

Thank you to the author and publishers for the advance copy!

I wrote a review that has been self-published:

https://greatbutunknownperformances.wordpress.com/2022/01/20/the-urge-our-history-of-addiction-by-carl-erik-fisher/

Read and enjoy. :)

DOUG

We think of addiction as a modern problem or behavior, but different societies dealt with the concept in very different ways. It's fascinating to read a history of this topic, and the author does a great job at making everything interesting and informative. A great fit for a general collection, and for those interested in general science.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. It's a really challenging topic to write about in a way that is inclusive and lacking judgments. Fisher really succeeds in making a throughly fascinating read.

The Urge is a truly wonderful and unique way of enjoying the history of addiction whether you are new to the topic or rather familiar with it. Weaving personal stories from his patients with examples from literature, popular culture, and intimate pieces of his own reality as well.

Perfectly laid out this book is a welcome gem to the genre of addiction literature and the brilliance of Carl Erik Fisher shines once again.

Thank you so much to netgalley and publishers for providing an e-copy for me to read and leave my honest opinion. This is a subject that has always fascinated me and I am happy to say this book did not disappoint! Don't forget to pick up your copy as soon as possible!

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Press for the ebook. This book is a unique take on addiction and recovery because it takes on the subject from so many angles. The author talk about addiction through the ages and all the way to America today. He weaves in addiction through literature, with De Quincey, Burroughs etc. He also tells the stories of his addicted patients as he moves through becoming a doctor and later working at a university. And, most startlingly, he lets us into his own addictions with alcohol, Adderall and others and his denial and eventual recovery. A beautiful and honest account.

This is a great book on the history of drug use. I found it informative and illuminating. Well this book is non-fiction is extremely easy to read.