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Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe
142 reviews
thelaundrybin's review against another edition
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Minor: Suicide
angelina41's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Drug abuse
cestnicka's review against another edition
dark
informative
slow-paced
5.0
Wow. This is an amazing eye opening read. It took me a bit to read through it as it is honestly a difficult read because of the subject matter and the length. I liked that I could read it as "background" book to my other books and I never felt like I had forgotten what had happened already.
This book is about the opioid crisis, but it really focuses on the family behind OxyContin and the inner workings of the family and the business.
It was mind blowing to read info that felt like a behind the scenes all access pass into the life and minds of a family blinded by greed and money. The family is so disassociated with reality it's hard to believe the story is real, but you know it is as it's happening in front of our eyes right now.
The things he talks about in this book are very emotional. Its unbelievably sad to think a generation of lives have been lost to a drug epidemic that this family basically created and pioneered and don't seem to care at all about the consequences.
It's an amazing read and would recommend but note it may be triggering for an addict, an addict in recovery or if you have lost someone to opioid abuse.
This book is about the opioid crisis, but it really focuses on the family behind OxyContin and the inner workings of the family and the business.
It was mind blowing to read info that felt like a behind the scenes all access pass into the life and minds of a family blinded by greed and money. The family is so disassociated with reality it's hard to believe the story is real, but you know it is as it's happening in front of our eyes right now.
The things he talks about in this book are very emotional. Its unbelievably sad to think a generation of lives have been lost to a drug epidemic that this family basically created and pioneered and don't seem to care at all about the consequences.
It's an amazing read and would recommend but note it may be triggering for an addict, an addict in recovery or if you have lost someone to opioid abuse.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse
paulrichard's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse
butlerebecca's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
4.25
sad that succession was only mentioned once, 13 hours in
I want to rate this a four but I’m giving it more because I think it has to do with the fact that I have already watched Dopesick and prefer the pace and arc of that, but recognize the point of this book is more Sackler and less first-hand addiction experience
I want to rate this a four but I’m giving it more because I think it has to do with the fact that I have already watched Dopesick and prefer the pace and arc of that, but recognize the point of this book is more Sackler and less first-hand addiction experience
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Grief, and Suicide
Moderate: Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
nadia's review
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
My second Patrick Radden Keefe of the year — after Say Nothing — and he didn't disappoint.
What I love about Radden Keefe's books is how they read like fiction at times but are packed with so much detail. You can see that he cuts no corners with his research.
I knew nothing about the Sacklers going into this, which added to the intrigue. However, I do think the fact that I could only pick up the book in small bursts, and often when I was feeling tired, impacted my enjoyment. I found it harder to stay focused.
A fantastic book to read if you want to know more about the opioid crisis or the Sackler family, or if you're into narrative nonfiction books that feature multiple generations of one family or themes of corporate fraud/corruption or medicine/pharmaceuticals.
What I love about Radden Keefe's books is how they read like fiction at times but are packed with so much detail. You can see that he cuts no corners with his research.
I knew nothing about the Sacklers going into this, which added to the intrigue. However, I do think the fact that I could only pick up the book in small bursts, and often when I was feeling tired, impacted my enjoyment. I found it harder to stay focused.
A fantastic book to read if you want to know more about the opioid crisis or the Sackler family, or if you're into narrative nonfiction books that feature multiple generations of one family or themes of corporate fraud/corruption or medicine/pharmaceuticals.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use
Moderate: Suicide
rheagoveas's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse and Addiction
mondovertigo's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Death
rosa_inverno's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.75
Would you like to feel angry? Or perhaps deeply frustrated?
Would you like to stare at a page in utter disbelief at the callousness of your fellow human beings toward other fellow human beings?
Would you like to be so angered so much by something you read that you slam a book shut and have to walk away for awhile before you finish reading?
Would you like to feel sympathy and then a hundred pages later feel so guilty for feeling that sympathy that you are forced to confront the complexities of reality and the true nature of good and evil?
Well then do I have a book for you!
I truly believe this to be a must read when it comes to understanding the last quarter century, the story of which is heavily entwined with the opioid crisis. That said, it is not a easy read. That is not because of Keefe's writing, which is thoughtful and engaging, but because the subject at hand is a gut punch.
Would you like to stare at a page in utter disbelief at the callousness of your fellow human beings toward other fellow human beings?
Would you like to be so angered so much by something you read that you slam a book shut and have to walk away for awhile before you finish reading?
Would you like to feel sympathy and then a hundred pages later feel so guilty for feeling that sympathy that you are forced to confront the complexities of reality and the true nature of good and evil?
Well then do I have a book for you!
I truly believe this to be a must read when it comes to understanding the last quarter century, the story of which is heavily entwined with the opioid crisis. That said, it is not a easy read. That is not because of Keefe's writing, which is thoughtful and engaging, but because the subject at hand is a gut punch.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Drug abuse
Moderate: Suicide
dancingdugongs's review against another edition
dark
informative
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Addiction, and Drug use
Minor: Antisemitism and Suicide