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A review by nothingforpomegranted
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
This book has absolutely everything I like, and it was done so well. Well-developed characters with complex relationships in a comprehensively researched, utterly compelling narrative nonfiction story spanning decades. A Jewish immigrant family in New York with connections to Columbia University and, of course, a critical look at the opioid crisis and the many contributors to its horrors.
I was fascinated by every element of this book (though the introduction of Arthur Sackler and the family history developed in Part 1 was my favorite section), and it was one of those audiobooks that had me seeking out more household chores in order to keep listening. Patrick Radden Keefe narrates his own writing fabulously, and he wrote an absolutely incredibly piece of investigative journalism that never bothered me with its length or detail.
I was fascinated by every element of this book (though the introduction of Arthur Sackler and the family history developed in Part 1 was my favorite section), and it was one of those audiobooks that had me seeking out more household chores in order to keep listening. Patrick Radden Keefe narrates his own writing fabulously, and he wrote an absolutely incredibly piece of investigative journalism that never bothered me with its length or detail.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical trauma, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt