Reviews tagging 'Pandemic/Epidemic'

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

7 reviews

abigail_lo's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad medium-paced

5.0

the only reason it took me so long to read this book is how goddamn infuriating it is. multiple times, i had to close the book before i became overpowered by sheer rage at the fucking nerve of the sacklers + everyone else they bought off. in terms of my takeaways: immense wealth and nepotism will be the literal death of our society. when corporations are allowed to buy their way through all the regulations in place in what amounts to a caricature of free-market capitalism, real people will always suffer. like he says in the afterword: while pain management is a very complex question and opioids are helpful to many people, my heart aches for those who lost their lives due to big pharma's (and specifically purdue's) lust for money. fuck capitalism -- eat the rich <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Drug abuse, Addiction, and Drug use

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Mental illness

Minor: Cancer, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Chronic illness

linneak's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

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

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

eelizard's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Pandemic/Epidemic, Addiction, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, and Medical content

radmartigan's review

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Pandemic/Epidemic, Drug abuse, and Addiction

tiernanhunter's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Drug use, Ableism, Mental illness, Addiction, Gaslighting, Medical content, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Cancer, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, and Pandemic/Epidemic

luckyone's review against another edition

challenging informative medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

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

matildak28's review

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