Firebrand

More about the book

This tell-all book about the tobacco industry offers a gripping behind-the-scenes look at moral ambiguity, law, public policy, and big tobacco. Set in the early 2000s, a young lawyer joins a multinational company, only to discover its controversial product: cigarettes. Despite being seductive, addictive, and deadly, cigarettes remain a legal mass-market product. Over the next decade, the lawyer travels the globe as legal counsel, helping to market cigarettes in various countries. The narrative explores the paradoxes of capitalism, revealing how cigarette companies, despite facing intense anti-smoking campaigns and regulations, continue to thrive in the 21st century, profiting from over a billion smokers worldwide. Like Mad Men, this account delves into the morally dubious world of big tobacco, presenting an engaging story filled with character-driven humor. The lawyer's journey takes him from manufacturing sites to corner stores in the UK, and from tacky resorts in Spain to luxury hotels across Europe and Asia. This contemporary tale captures the complexities of globalization and corporate culture, wrapped in an engrossing narrative that raises age-old questions about morality and legality. With compelling characters and a page-turning style, it offers a wry observation of our ambiguous times.