First published 2021
The Sackler dynasty built a vast pharmaceutical empire on the backs of OxyContin, a highly addictive opioid painkiller. "Empire of Pain" chronicles the family's ruthless marketing, their evasion of responsibility, and the human toll left in their wake. Keefe peels back the layers of this American tragedy, from board rooms to courtrooms, tracing the Sacklers' path to staggering wealth and power. In the end, this expose of greed and denial lays bare the price of the family's legacy.
Genres: addiction, business, crime, history-of-medicine, 21st-century, current-affairs
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: expose, investigative-journalism
Setting: United States
640 pages · Paperback · Vintage
Content warnings: addiction, drug-use