A General History of the Tobacco Plant; Intended as an Authoritative Reference to its Discovery, Dissemination, and Reception as a Luxury was written in 1836 and published by Pattison and Ross. It contains what the author claims to be the most significant account of the history of tobacco at the time it was written.
Early in the book, the theory that tobacco was known and used in parts of Asia prior to its introduction from the Americas is put forward. This idea has been thoroughly debunked, though it’s interesting to read about.
The stories of Columbus’ and Cortez’s expeditions are recounted as the European discovery of tobacco. The story of tobacco’s spread across Europe is told in what now seems to be a standard way: medical claims pushed it forward, and influential people spread it as a social custom. Other influential people, often in high positions of government, denounced tobacco. Many specific stories are told, and the history is both brief and reasonably well-written.
Overall, this is a short, easy to read, and generally good history of tobacco’s introduction throughout Europe and Asia, assuming you skip the first part about how it had been in Asia before its discovery in North America.
A General History of the Tobacco Plant is in the public domain and can be read for free on Google Books.