Tobacco

Tobacco is American, first published in 1950, is a well-researched, fascinating look at the history of Native American use of tobacco and its introduction into European cultures. As one reviewer stated, "nothing is so American as tobacco," and the Mayans and North and South American tribes used the plant in rituals and healing ceremonies for centuries. Included are chapters on the origins of smoking, pipes, the word 'tobacco,' botanical considerations of the several Nicotiana species, and medicinal and ritualistic uses. Included are 21 pages of maps and illustrations. Author Herbert Spinden was curator of American Indian art and primitive culture at the Brooklyn Museum.