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Empire of Pain cover art

Empire of Pain

By: Patrick Radden Keefe
Narrated by: Patrick Radden Keefe
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Publisher's Summary

The gripping and shocking story of three generations of the Sackler family and their roles in the stories of Valium, OxyContin and the opioid crisis. The inspiration behind the Netflix series Painkiller, starring Uzo Aduba and Matthew Broderick. Read by the author, Patrick Radden Keefe.

Winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction

A BBC Radio 4 'Book of the Week'

Shortlisted for the Financial Times/McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award

Shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction

One of Barack Obama’s Favorite Books

The Sackler name adorns the walls of many storied institutions – Harvard; the Metropolitan Museum of Art; Oxford; the Louvre. They are one of the richest families in the world, known for their lavish donations in the arts and the sciences. The source of the family fortune was vague, however, until it emerged that the Sacklers were responsible for making and marketing Oxycontin, a blockbuster painkiller that was a catalyst for the opioid crisis – an international epidemic of drug addiction which has killed nearly half a million people.

In this masterpiece of narrative reporting and writing, award-winning journalist and host of the Wind of Change podcast Patrick Radden Keefe exhaustively documents the jaw-dropping and ferociously compelling reality. Empire of Pain is the story of a dynasty: a parable of twenty-first-century greed.

©2021 Patrick Radden Keefe (P)2021 Penguin Randomhouse LLC

Critic Reviews

"Put simply, this book will make your blood boil...Keefe...paints a devastating portrait of a family consumed by greed and unwilling to take the slightest responsibility or show the least sympathy for what it wrought." (John Carreyrou, author of Bad Blood, in the New York Times)

"Jaw-dropping.... Beggars belief." (Sunday Times)

"You feel almost guilty for enjoying it so much." (The Times)

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Fascinating and impressive

Careful and meticulous reporting makes this story of corporate greed and personal indifference to suffering both fascinating and horrifying. Very impressive.

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Fantastic book

Fascinating read, meticulously researched and shines a light on the shameful legacy of the Sackler family. The author does a great job narrating as well. Highly reccomended!

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astute and relevant

Recommended by John Oliver and I absolutely loved it. Just the right balance of personal stories and facts. So very relevant in the current political climate. The author is an excellent narrator. His tone and cadence adds weight and solemnity to the topic without adding hysteria or derision.

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Money Buys Entitlement and Judgements

A truly amazingly detailed explanation of the growth of corruption in the guise of innovation and science via one family dynasty in our modern day. The loss of human life due to the consequences of idol pursuit: money, fame, power and honour are surreal but true. This book is a page turner of truth and vindication for all those who lost dear ones via the Sackler win at all cost life game.

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Great story telling while making sure everything is fact checked

It’s not easy to write such an intriguing story on a difficult subject like this. I also liked the angle the author took, to focus on the history of the family and the steps which led to the crisis. Highly recommended!

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A great audiobook!!

I have over 100 books in my library, but this is one of the best. It kept me riveted in my seat. It was well written and wonderfully read. A fantastic piece of investigative journalism. Thank you.

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A story that made me angry

Patrick Radden Keefe does an amazing job in researching, writing and reading this story.

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No legacy is so rich as honesty - Shakespeare.

A fantastic listen, this book is beautifully written, read and researched.
Thought provoking, highly recommended.

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Pulitzer material

This is a fabulous work of journalism and a thrilling story. It's as well written and gripping as it is thoroughly researched, nuanced and breathtaking for what it reveals about power, greed, and the failure of institutions.

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Great Story

Very impressive As a pharmacist I have witnessed the OxyContin impact firsthand Congratulations to all involved

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