WHEN TOBACCO WAS KING: A HISTORY OF TOBACCO IN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES - A SOUTHERNER'S GLOBAL JOURNEY

E. D. Allen was my Grandfather. I had the fortune to know and love Grandpa till his passing in 1988. My Dad, the Author, Paul E. Allen and my Mother would send me to The Farm in Brownsville, Ontario to spend my Summers with Grandma & Grandpa Allen. Here is where I learned to fish, play cards, ride a horse, have patience and respect for my elders and of course Grandpa would always share his knowledge of Tobacco & Business. As we rode along those Southwestern Ontario roads Grandpa would point and ask me what type of tobacco was in that field. He taught me well, as I became a teenager, I could recognize the different leaves of Burley & Bright Leaf. I knew the terms, "flu-cured", "hogshead" & the names of the Companies that were the largest processors of tobacco in the world. Grandpa, it seemed, knew everyone in town and they him. A routine trip to the market for Grandma would frequently turn into several hours as Grandpa would take time for those he knew with conversation and a coffee. I was always thrilled to be in his company. I thank my Dad, Paul E. Allen for his commitment to the process, for sleepless nights and his dedication to bringing this story to life. Many years have passed since my last summer with my Grandfather, most often it was a lifetime ago, but sometimes a memory comes rushing back and I am riding horseback along side him in the fields of Brownsville, just the two of us, my ears open and a smile on my face. I was fortunate for that time and this book has sparked my memories and filled in the gaps for my knowledge of a Man and a Business that we will never see again. When Tobacco Was King is a clear and concise story that will take you on a trip from field to boardroom. Cross the Atlantic, visit post WWII Britain, see South Africa and allow your imagination to hear Senator John F. Kennedy deliver a speech at The Greenbrier. Then after all the travels and business dealings, when it was time for E. D. Allen to step aside and allow the younger generation to take up the Leaf, there was my Grandpa whom always had time for his Grandson. Enjoy the book. Cheers, D. V. E. Allen

I am sure that this would be an interesting book to some. It is obviously well researched and the author is proud of his family heritage. The numerous formatting errors, confusing sentence structure, misuse of words and downright folksiness of the writing put me off early. There is something strange starting with the table of contents formatting problems that signalled this book is in need of a good editor. The passage about Doris Duke ends with computer mishaps to the final sentences. The use of the words "right away" meaning "right of way" is an example of sloppiness or ignorance of the language. Sorry, I wanted to like this book but 10% of the way into it I threw in the towel!

This well written and researched book gives a fascinating look at the tobacco industry in U.S.A. and Canada. As I was born and raised in the 1940's and 50's in the Canadian tobacco area it was particularly interesting to me but will be an enjoyable eye opener for anyone interested in history.

This book is well researched and very well written. Lots of good information about a topic not frequently discussed. It provides an interesting insight into a culture which was widely acceptable years ago, but less so now.I enjoyed reading it very much.

I enjoyed readng about the early tobacco business in North Carolina.

awesome book

Great book about the tobacco industry

This well written book by Paul Allen was the realization of a dream. A dream of a life and times that once was.It will appeal to history buffs that like stories and facts about fabled companies and characters in the tobacco industry both in Canada and the eastern USA.Paul fills in a lot of historical indigenous use of the tobacco plant, which was prized by the early native peoples like the Iroquois and Huron tribes. This was extremely interesting to me because it clarified the history I had never before explored.The book is full of interesting anecdotes and personal tales of the founders of great companies and include Paul’s own father who was a well-respected member of the hierarchy of the tobacco magnates, builders and entrepreneurs.With so much negative articles and lawsuits surrounding the industry today we do not appreciate the enormous philanthropy of this once huge powerful industry. There are hundreds of universities and institutions in this era, which owe their origins and financial underpinnings to the generosity, and support of the tobacco elite.The warm childhood memories from Paul and his relatives clearly come through and make the reader feel part of the extended personal history of the Allen family.

I very well written account of the industry in Canada, but also giving insight to events in USA, UK and the rest of Europe and Africa, particularly Rhodesia.A great read.

This is quite simply a very good book. It’s a story that tells of the growth of the tobacco business in Canada and the United States which I found fascinating. But, not only is it a good history story but it’s also filled with interesting people. I had no idea of the contributions of men like Sir William Macdonald, Sir Mortimer Davis, or the extent of Buck Duke’s generosity. You won’t be disappointed to buy this book.

I ordered from Amazon, received in timely manner, and enjoyed Paul Allen’s book on the tobacco industry. The book is well written, factual and above all very interesting. A good read!