America, the author says, has become a nation of pill poppers, and anti-anxiety drugs are a billion dollar business for that reason. Tone (social history of medicine, McGill U., Canada) draws on a variety of sources, from manufacturers' files and FDA documents, to physicians and patients and more to provide a history of the country's tranquilizer culture and how it evolved. She also addresses the downside of dependence on the chemical approach to dealing with personal anxiety. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)