Under the influence

the long version

"Under the Influence offers classic selections from fiction, memoirs, and essays by authors such as Tolstoy, Cheever, Parker, and Poe. Also included are topical gems that illuminate changing public perceptions about people consumed by excessive use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco over the past two centuries. Recent provocative works by Abraham Verghese, the Barthelme brothers, Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, and others expand and modernize the definition of addiction to include sex, gambling, and food, Together, these incomparable writings give shape and meaning to the raw experience of uncontrollable urges."--BOOK JACKET.