Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler DynastyEmpire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
What it's about
The Sackler family's name was once on museum wings and university buildings around the world. Patrick Radden Keefe tells the story of three generations of the family: Arthur Sackler, who pioneered modern drug advertising with Valium, and his brothers' descendants, whose company Purdue Pharma created OxyContin and marketed it aggressively while downplaying its addictiveness, helping start the opioid crisis that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans, and the long fight to hold them accountable.
Why it's worth reading
It's a gripping, meticulously reported story of greed and consequence that reads like a novel and makes you furious. It won the Baillie Gifford Prize and is the essential book on how the opioid crisis began.
You'll love it if you liked
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
Demon Copperhead
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American CityGood to know
The first third covers the family's history in medicine and advertising before OxyContin appears; it all pays off. Over 500 pages.
By the numbers
- Readers98 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics65 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller60 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz23 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #3 of the 85 self-help and business books we rank
- #11 of the 481 new books we rank
- #49 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Gripping, Dark
More by Patrick Radden Keefe
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
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Self-help and business booksTop 25 · 85 ranked
New booksTop 25 · 481 rankedBooks of the 2020sTop 25 · 555 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedQuick answers
Is Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty worth reading?
Yes. It's a gripping, meticulously reported story of greed and consequence that reads like a novel and makes you furious. It ranks #49 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 89.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty about?
The Sackler family's name was once on museum wings and university buildings around the world. Patrick Radden Keefe tells the story of three generations of the family: Arthur Sackler, who pioneered modern drug advertising with Valium, and his brothers' descendants, whose company Purdue Pharma created OxyContin and marketed it aggressively while downplaying its addictiveness, helping start the opioid crisis that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans, and the long fight to hold them accountable.
How long does it take to read Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty?
About 14 hours (560 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty won?
Baillie Gifford Prize winner (2021); Goodreads Choice (history biography) winner (2021).
What should I read after Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty?
If you liked it, try Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe, Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver or Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond.