Smoking under the Tsars: A History of Tobacco in Imperial Russia

Approaching tobacco from the perspective of users, producers, and objectors, Smoking under the Tsars provides an unparalleled view of Russia's early adoption of smoking. Tricia Starks introduces us to the addictive, nicotine-soaked Russian version of the cigarette—the papirosa—and the sensory, medical, social, cultural, and gendered consequences of this unique style of tobacco use.

Starting with the papirosa's introduction in the nineteenth century and its foundation as a cultural and imperi...