Reviews tagging 'Grief'

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

24 reviews

chloe2709's review against another edition

dark informative sad medium-paced

5.0

A stunning account of capitalist greed pushed to the extreme. I couldn’t hold back a sob at the description of the families who, still awaiting a true day of reckoning for the loss of their loved ones to the opioid crisis, and looking for any way their voices could be heard, tried to speak at the bankruptcy hearing in memory of their family members. 

The juxtaposition between their sincerity and sorrow, and the response of the judge who represents a world where money can buy you anything, even justice, was insanely powerful.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Grief, and Medical trauma

annikathereader's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Grief, and Medical trauma

linneak's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Minor: Cursing, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, Grief, Stalking, and Alcohol

_meeg's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Death

laurenleigh's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

I am telling everyone to read this, especially when read alongside Demon Copperhead!! This was exactly what I want out of nonfiction. I want to learn, but while being engaged in a cohesive narrative. The amount of research Keefe has done is staggering, but he has communicated his findings so clearly. I was so hooked the whole time, even when I was enraged. (Greed is one hell of a drug.) After reading this and Kingsolver’s aforementioned novel, I feel so much more informed on the opioid crisis. It’s terrifying, depressing, and fascinating to see the similarities between the pharmaceutical, tobacco, and firearms industries. Radden doesn’t necessarily make his stance on the subject a secret, but he also doesn’t throw it constantly in your face.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use

Moderate: Suicide, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, and Classism

luckyone's review against another edition

challenging informative medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Ableism, Chronic illness, Suicide, Antisemitism, and Stalking

dannythestreet's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Suicide, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Classism

ksuazo94's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative tense medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, and Grief

Minor: Medical trauma

matildak28's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

this is an incredible piece of non fiction writing — Patrick Redden Keefe is sharp and reflective, presents the facts through a deeply engaging narrative and I literally couldn’t stop listening - I listened to this non stop over the course of 3 days. This may be one of the most precise, excellent non fiction books I’ve ever read. I’ve watched a lot of documentaries about the opioid crisis in America (I’m from the UK and have no personal connection), and all of them have very limited details about the family — I feel like I have learned a lot despite already knowing a fair deal. 

Quite simply, this is incredible and this writer is nothing short of brilliant. I will be seeking out his other works immediately. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

katiecentabar's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Grief

Moderate: Suicide