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Reviews tagging 'Suicide'
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe
111 reviews
nifty_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
tense
slow-paced
5.0
The author does an amazing job illustrating the Sackler dynasty and the horrors they inflicted on America through the opioid crisis
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Minor: Suicide
siobhanward's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
4.0
NYT Notable Books 2021: 22/100
Patrick Radden Keefe is an absolute gift to the world of nonfiction. He takes topics that are challenging to read about, both in terms of heaviness and complexity, and manages to make them accessible and interesting. While I didn't love this as much as <i> Say Nothing </i> I think that had more to do with my interest in the topic than the quality of the book. I knew very little about the Sacklers and Purdue and oh man this was a wild ride. This was hard to read at times, especially when the Sacklers kept repeatedly denying they had anything to do with everything and were shocked by facing consequences. This was a wild ride.
Patrick Radden Keefe is an absolute gift to the world of nonfiction. He takes topics that are challenging to read about, both in terms of heaviness and complexity, and manages to make them accessible and interesting. While I didn't love this as much as <i> Say Nothing </i> I think that had more to do with my interest in the topic than the quality of the book. I knew very little about the Sacklers and Purdue and oh man this was a wild ride. This was hard to read at times, especially when the Sacklers kept repeatedly denying they had anything to do with everything and were shocked by facing consequences. This was a wild ride.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, and Suicide
hollydyer328's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
5.0
This was phenomenal, even despite its length. Patrick Radden Keefe uncovers the massively corrupt and greedy history of the Sackler family, who owned and ran the pharmaceutical company that invented OxyContin and played a big hand in the opioid crisis. I certainly learned a lot about the role of opioids and how it led to widespread abuse and addiction, but also the role of the pharmaceutical industry and medical advertising in perpetuating the crisis. There are so many “ick” moments that also make you reflect on the power and influence of wealth in American capitalism, and it shows philanthropy in a new light. This was incredibly well-researched and reported. I’m so impressed with the documents that he was able to get that showed clearly incriminating information. The Afterward and Note on Sources really put it all into perspective and essentially plants him as a character into the Sackler saga. Keefe narrates the audio and I was impressed with his narration; he brought a sense of undercover reporting to the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Suicide
kathrynshields's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
5.0
My spooky season reading started a little early with this absolute horror story. I was familiar with the Sackler family’s connection to the opioid epidemic, but Patrick Radden Keefe expertly untangles a complex and complicated history spanning three generations. The material is dense at times, but the story is captivating. This is an important work of journalism and storytelling that everyone, directly or indirectly affected by opioids, should read.
*Extra points to the author for a consistently correct pronunciation of “Appalachia” in the audiobook.
*Extra points to the author for a consistently correct pronunciation of “Appalachia” in the audiobook.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Suicide, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Medical trauma and Classism
Minor: Cancer
kimby213's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Patrick Radden Keefe has done it again! 👏
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Suicide
dilani's review against another edition
dark
informative
medium-paced
5.0
wow, just wow. very eye-opening for me as i never knew about the origins of the opioid epidemic. the greed and the lengths the Sackler family are willing to go through to protect themselves is infuriating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Death and Suicide
leontyna's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
4.0
The book was really dry but at the same time very informative and well structured. What it lacked in my opinion was a longer piece about the drug, I finished the book not knowing whether there are any legit uses for OxyContin or safe ways to use it. Advocating for people suffering chronic pain was only used as Sackler's excuse and not explored further.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse
Minor: Death and Suicide
bibliomich's review against another edition
dark
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Patrick Radden Keefe is an author who has been on my radar for a long time, and I'm glad that I finally decided to listen to Empire of Pain.
First of all, I want to note that Keefe narrates his own audiobook, and he is an excellent narrator, so I highly recommend the audiobook, should you enjoy/prefer listening to your books.
The core thesis of this book is that the decisions of several generations of one single family shaped the pharmaceutical industry of today, as well as significantly contributed to the current opioid crisis. Keefe's research is thorough, substantial, and tremendously convincing. The story is compelling, devastating, and infuriating.
I highly recommend Empire of Pain and personally intend to read Keefe's other books soon.
First of all, I want to note that Keefe narrates his own audiobook, and he is an excellent narrator, so I highly recommend the audiobook, should you enjoy/prefer listening to your books.
The core thesis of this book is that the decisions of several generations of one single family shaped the pharmaceutical industry of today, as well as significantly contributed to the current opioid crisis. Keefe's research is thorough, substantial, and tremendously convincing. The story is compelling, devastating, and infuriating.
I highly recommend Empire of Pain and personally intend to read Keefe's other books soon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, and Medical content
Minor: Cancer and Antisemitism
Patrick Radden Keefe is an author who has been on my radar for a long time, and I'm glad that I finally decided to listen to Empire of Pain. First of all, I want to note that Keefe narrates his own audiobook, and he is an excellent narrator, so I highly recommend the audiobook, should you enjoy/prefer listening to your books. The core thesis of this book is that the decisions of several generations of one single family shaped the pharmaceutical industry of today, as well as significantly contributed to the current opioid crisis. Keefe's research is thorough, substantial, and tremendously convincing. The story is compelling, devastating, and infuriating. I highly recommend Empire of Pain and personally intend to read Keefe's other books soon.smaber23's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
5.0
This is required reading for everyone, but especially those of us who work in healthcare, social work, education, and public health.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, and Suicide
annikathereader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Grief, and Medical trauma