Holy Smoke

This fascinating book presents a whirling, free-associating history of the cigar, beginning with the discovery of America by Columbus in 1492. Columbus sent Rodrigo de Xeres inland to prospect for gold; he came back with tales of men who think they are chimneys: men who smoke, using a brown tube burning on one end. Here Guillermo Cabrera Infante describes the history of cigars in the Caribbean & the process of making cigars by hand in Cuba; & the history, customs & popularity of cigar-smoking in America & Europe. He also includes poems & passages from literary works that describe cigar smoking by famous authors, such as Rudyard Kipling, James Joyce, Colette, & John O'Hara. Originally published in 1985.