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

dark informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

This provides an excellent history and background to the Sackler family, the owners of the privately owned drug company Purdue Pharma. The book takes a narrative chronological approach to the events that display the Sackler's connection to the current opioid crisis in the United States. We are given a glimpse into each pertinent Sackler family member's life. We are shown how they came from humble beginnings only to eventually become notorious for their role in the opioid crisis. The author progressively shows how the Sacklers used Purdue Pharma and the aggressive marketing of Oxycontin to build their wealth on the addiction of a nation to opioids (specifically their opioid, Oxycontin). Additionally, they used the company name to gain immunity from legal prosecution. It was incredible to see how greed drove a family to knowingly push the sale of a drug that was destroying thousands of lives. It emphasizes the human susceptibility to corruption regardless of initial well-meaning intentions. It allows the narrative to take on an eerie tone as it progresses without obscuring the facts. The narrator of the audiobook is the author himself and his voice is serious but immersive. This made every important point in the book stand out and remain engaging. I learned a lot through my journey with this book and I highly recommend the audio book for this one because it is excellent. Might be one of the best non fictions of the year for me.
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