The Empire of Pain is a riveting new book about the Sackler dynasty, their powerful family businessâendowed with one of the largest fortunes in historyâand the deadly consequences of their profligate ways. Written by renowned journalist Patrick Radden Keefe, this compelling work takes readers on a harrowing journey from Arthur Sacklerâs founding of modern advertising to the present day, chronicling how three generations of Sackers built an empire and became embroiled in controversy.
For who is this book for ?
The Empire of Pain is a riveting new book about the Sackler dynasty, their powerful family businessâendowed with one of the largest fortunes in historyâand the deadly consequences of their profligate ways. Written by renowned journalist Patrick Radden Keefe, this compelling work takes readers on a harrowing journey from Arthur Sacklerâs founding of modern advertising to Purdue Pharmaâs manufacture and marketing of OxyContin, chronicling how three generations of Sackers built an empire and became embroiled in controversy.
Pros :
- The Empire of Pain is a well-researched and well-written book about the Sackler dynasty.
- The book provides an in-depth look at the family business, their fortune, and the controversies surrounding them.
- Keefe has crafted a compelling narrative that grips readers from beginning to end.
Cons :
- It may be too dense for some readers.
- It is a very long read.
- Some of the content may be disturbing to some people.
Learn more about the author
Patrick Radden Keefe is a staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of two books, Chasing Ghosts: A Reporterâs Journey into the Secret World of America’s Drug War and Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland. His work has also appeared in The Atlantic, Harper’s Magazine, Granta, Slate, and other publications. He has received a National Magazine Award for his reporting from Afghanistan as well as awards from the Overseas Press Club and the George Polk Awards. The Sackler dynasty is one of America’s richest familiesâwith their name on museums across Europe but mostly unknown to outsiders until recent reports about their connection to the opioid crisis. In “Empire of Pain,” Patrick Radden Keefe tells their story in full for the first time. It spans three generations beginning with Arthur Sackler who founded modern advertising; moving on to his brothers Bob (the doctor who pioneered Oxycontin)and Mortimer (a brilliant medical researcher turned psychiatric pioneer), sons Richard (a top executive at Purdue Pharma) amd Raymond (founderof Rhodes Pharmaceuticals); finally reachingDr Skye MacLeod-Sackler daughter Malinda , wife Amanda Rotrosen husband Jeremy . Patricia Goldstein is an assistant professor of English at Hofstra University and the author of The Female Pulitzer: Gender,.
Reader Reviews
“Keefe has written a fascinating and damning family history…This is essential reading for anyone interested in modern medicine, the pharmaceutical industry or financial malfeasance.”
“An in-depth and damning expose of the Sackler dynasty… This book is downright necessary.”
“An absolutely stunning piece of investigative journalism. . .. [Keefe] has peeled back the curtain to expose the dark and sordid underbelly of one of America’s richest and most influential families.”
“This book is a masterpiece. It is the perfect mix of investigative journalism and family history.”
