The history of the war on drugs is getting to be more commonly known, but some of the background on how Christian nationalism played a part is still unknown to a lot of people. This is a highly fascinating, if sometimes dry, book on the subject.

the license expired and I can't finish this but I am really fascinated with this topic and I can't wait until it comes back so I can read more!

This was really informative and educational. Easy to read and understand. Definitely important in today’s American society. I will be recommending this to others and will be purchasing my own copy

A thorough, deeply researched academic work on the US war on drugs and its deep roots in American Protestantism. Challenging, thought-provoking, and absolutely vital -- this should be required reading for anyone with a personal or professional interest in reformation of the way we make laws and policies regarding drugs and drug treatment programs.

Andrew Monteith has masterfully written a book with an audience that strategically walks the line between the academic and the layperson. He explores religious and American history, tracing the connections between racism, Christianity, conservatism, and more, all while introducing other concepts relevant to the conversation such as biomoralism and postmillennialism. This book is impeccably researched and laid out, leading the reader who finishes the journey to have eyes wide open to the historical context of the War on Drugs. Highly recommended.

An in depth and interesting look at mostly religious ideas about drug use before “war on drugs.” These ideas were mainly racist and punishing of people who needed help rather than punishment (or just wanted to recreationally use drugs). I learned about biomoralism and postmillennialism, which I did not know about before. Reading on my phone was unpleasant.

This is a well-written but an often dense book. At times I was so enthralled with the history and writing I couldn't put it down, but at others, I struggled to get through the section. The material is not light-hearted or uplifting by any means, but it is information everyone needs to read. If you are confused about the history of Christian Nationalism and don't know how to learn, react, or interact with them this book will be helpful.

Unable to read due to incredible small font size. Since the document is a PDF it's unable to be adjusted on my e-reader. In the future please consider EPUB formats for accessibility.

Sinto muito, mas um livro em versão PDF não pode ser lido no kindle e o app do Netgalley não funciona em meu android. Isso me impossibilitou de ler o livro.

This book contributes to the growing historiography around the War on Drugs, which, now that the 1980s has passed into further history, seems to be a growing area of study.

Monteith's main assertion was that the War on Drugs didn't being with Nixon and Reagan, it really began during the reform movements of the late 1800s and early 20th century. He traces how Christian reform and Prohibition laid the groundwork for a larger movement towards physical purity. We often associate the War on Drugs with the War on Crime, but the book makes the case that we should really be associating it with a war for spiritual and physical cleanliness. Of course, one cannot talk about Christian nationalism without bringing up the ideas of American exceptionalism, and the concept is woven throughout Monteith's writing. In order to be the greatest democracy and people we can be, clarity of thought and conscience should be at the forefront of our minds (clarity, of which, is grounded in Christian theology).

Monteith does a wonderful job making us reconsider how we should think about the events of the 20th century, and where their antecedents lay. The fact that the book, except for the last few pages, ends in the 1930s is significant. Although it would have been interesting to see how this dialogue continued during the second World War and shortly after (taking into account the return of soldiers and the relevance of PTSD), it pushes the narrative back several decades from where it usually begins.

Thank you for the opportunity however since this ARC is only available on the NetGalley app and without option to adjust the font it is incredibly tedious to read on a phone/kindle and I will not be reading it.