Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe

111 reviews

takesatraintocry's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

5.0

almost too unbelievable (and infuriating and devastating) to be true - gripping!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction and Suicide

blondeg1rl_'s review against another edition

informative sad slow-paced

3.0

This was very clearly well researched and the author did well laying out the time line of the family but it was quite long. Sometimes it felt like the point of the book (opioid addiction because of the drug created) got a little lost but it was very informative & wild.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical trauma, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Suicide

yoliesbookdates's review against another edition

challenging informative tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Suicide, and Classism

wyabook234's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad medium-paced

5.0

Pattrick Radden Keef provides an intriguing introspect into how the product of a single dynasty can cause so much irreparable damage throughout North America in the Empire of Pain. This impairment is placed at the mid-point of telling this dynasty's harmful legacy as he also brings an insight into Sackler's entrance into the pharmaceutical industry and their later dysfunctionality as a family that operates inside and outside of being a business. A business that Keef makes a case against, based on their negligence and impact that what they are doing is considered a "crime" and he is successful in communicating and winning this case if he was ever in a courtroom. This case isn't built upon the accounts of the Sacklers as the family has already conveyed displeasure about being made the villains in the story; which is a portrayal that could be justified. However, Keef's research is based on interviews with related persons, resurfaced communications, and the inclusion of other documents responsible for an engaging three-act structure with a beginning, middle, and end. An end that was heroically led by Nan Goldin and Maura Healy to get what could be considered satisfactory for resolving the opioid crisis as the court dealings are still active. 

Keef's book is a very detailed and impressive novel concerning corruption and the pain left in the wake. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Medical content

Minor: Chronic illness and Antisemitism

nila's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective tense slow-paced

4.5

Such a well-organised and well-researched book. I usually struggle with these kinds of deep-dive documentaries, but the audiobook was easy to follow and very engaging. It's a disturbing read; Keefe weaves us through the history of the Sackler family that spans decades and how their family roots are twined through so many industries and aspects of our everyday lives. A very eye-opening listen/read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Suicide, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Racism

stephen_g's review against another edition

dark informative sad slow-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Suicide

dangereux's review against another edition

dark informative reflective slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, and Suicide

aziraphale2002's review against another edition

dark informative sad slow-paced

3.75

This book is about one of the most despicable families in America. While the origins, personalities, and practices were interesting in the beginning, they very quickly become insufferable,  which made reading to the end harder. Not the author's fault, but reading how these horrible people slime their way out of punishment...ugh.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Suicide

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Medical content

Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, Suicide, Stalking, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Racism

medical racism

wayward's review against another edition

dark informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Suicide