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A review by amyvl93
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe
challenging
informative
medium-paced
4.5
An excellent narrative non-fiction look at the Sackler family, their rise and purchase of Purdue pharmaceuticals, extensive donations, and the invention of oxycontin, leading to a rapid rise and fall as the drug becomes a leading culprit for the opiod crisis in the United States.
Reading this in the same year as Demon Copperhead has really given me further understanding of the opiod crisis, and this made me absolutely rage. You can understand how the Sacklers captured something of the American vibe during their rise - Arthur, Raymond and Mortimer were children of migrants to the USA who lost most of their wealth during the 1929 Wall Street crash and were able (particularly led by the frightingly singular Arthur) to gain huge wealth, power and influence which then enabled them and their children to avoid being held accountable for their actions for years, and who per a recent court judgement, will never face criminal charges for what they did.
Reading this in the same year as Demon Copperhead has really given me further understanding of the opiod crisis, and this made me absolutely rage. You can understand how the Sacklers captured something of the American vibe during their rise - Arthur, Raymond and Mortimer were children of migrants to the USA who lost most of their wealth during the 1929 Wall Street crash and were able (particularly led by the frightingly singular Arthur) to gain huge wealth, power and influence which then enabled them and their children to avoid being held accountable for their actions for years, and who per a recent court judgement, will never face criminal charges for what they did.
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Infidelity