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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
Fascinating story that expertly weaves together all the factors that led us to our current state of crisis. I learned so much and recommend this to any one interested in understanding this topic.
Fascinating look at where the opiate epidemic began. Quinones is a compelling writer who focuses on personal stories to illuminate larger themes. One star taken off because several times it was alluded to that being overweight was just as terrible as being addicted to morphine? An interesting perspective that took me out of the narrative each time.
Interesting story about a particular Mexican group of heroin dealers with an interesting drug delivery service that became wildly popular, but the stories and writing became exceedingly repetitive and had to put this book down eventually.
Bardzo dobre przygotowanie merytoryczne autora i niesamowicie ciekawy temat. I niestety na tym kończą się zalety tej publikacji. Sam Quinones wiedział o czym chce napisać, ale wyszedł mu paskudny "patchwork literacki", a nie reportaż. Najgorsze, że w tej słownej obstrukcji (ilość powtórzeń dosłownie całych akapitów jest zatrważająca) na którą cierpi autor, kryje się naprawdę dobra i warta opowiedzenia historia.
Tej książce przydałby się kompetentny redaktor, który nie bałby się wywalić jakieś 50% tekstu z wersji ostatecznej, a pozostałej części nadać po prostu odpowiednią strukturę.
W źródłach sam Quinones pisze, że "książka ta opiera się przede wszystkim na wywiadach, które przeprowadziłem w ciągu pięciu lat" i według mnie trzeba było wydać po prostu zbiór wywiadów, a nie reportaż.
Tej książce przydałby się kompetentny redaktor, który nie bałby się wywalić jakieś 50% tekstu z wersji ostatecznej, a pozostałej części nadać po prostu odpowiednią strukturę.
W źródłach sam Quinones pisze, że "książka ta opiera się przede wszystkim na wywiadach, które przeprowadziłem w ciągu pięciu lat" i według mnie trzeba było wydać po prostu zbiór wywiadów, a nie reportaż.
Good for people who are busy but want to dive into something complex and meaty. The chapters are very short, so it’s an easy book to put down and come back to later. I also feel like that helped to frame a complicated topic in a way that is easier to understand.
challenging
emotional
informative
slow-paced
totally fascinating. quinones brought an already dramatic and horrifying issue to life with the individual stories of the people; pill mill doctors, black tar heroin dealers, cheerleaders, investigators, DAs, pharmaceutical CEOs. and the story of Dreamland immediately hooked me.
Outstanding and riveting book, especially as a Columbus resident.
An in depth account of the opioid epidemic that has hit "white middle class/rural" America.
The book hits every main player: pharmaceutical companies; doctors; pharmacists; lawyers; low level dealers; drug bosses; victims; and the family members who had to pick up the pieces - and their place in the epidemic.
We were taught about the dangers of opioids in medical school, however just a few years before they were teaching the opposite of what we know now. Pharmaceutical companies were pushing false or not well researched findings into medical clinics and schools. Insurance companies refused non-medical pain treatment methods. The Mexican rancheros were trying to achieve the American dream by selling drugs. The stigma behind it prevented families from seeking help. It was the perfect setup for the epidemic we have before us.
I did think the bouncing between all the different situations got a bit tedious. And some of it did get a bit repetitive.
However it is well researched and informative.
4 stars.
The book hits every main player: pharmaceutical companies; doctors; pharmacists; lawyers; low level dealers; drug bosses; victims; and the family members who had to pick up the pieces - and their place in the epidemic.
We were taught about the dangers of opioids in medical school, however just a few years before they were teaching the opposite of what we know now. Pharmaceutical companies were pushing false or not well researched findings into medical clinics and schools. Insurance companies refused non-medical pain treatment methods. The Mexican rancheros were trying to achieve the American dream by selling drugs. The stigma behind it prevented families from seeking help. It was the perfect setup for the epidemic we have before us.
I did think the bouncing between all the different situations got a bit tedious. And some of it did get a bit repetitive.
However it is well researched and informative.
4 stars.
A well researched book about how poverty pushed a Mexican state to bring black tar heroin to the US and how greed pushed US pharmaceutical companies to market OxyContin and opioids to the American public. Sad and infuriating.