What to read if… You want to learn more about the Opioid Epidemic
Uplifting… I know. The Opioid Epidemic continues to be timely news and is truly a tragedy in America. I have spent a lot of time reading about it because I am fascinated by addiction/mental health and I also want to learn more about capitalism and Big Pharma’s role in it. I think it is human nature to want to think of addicts as criminals, but this is why we should read more! I have changed my perspective on addiction through reading and understanding the humanity and tragedy of the crisis. In addition to bettering yourself, the books I list below are very good and well written, so you will enjoy your time learning!
Below is not an exhaustive list, just a few that have kept me well informed and well read.
Source: Penguin Random House
Dopesick by Beth Macy
Macy is a journalist based in Roanoke, Virginia, a city very much impacted by the crisis.
Macy writes about the background of the epidemic and follows addicts as they struggle
Was made into a Hulu series - I haven’t watched, but heard good things
Buy it here: Dope Sick - McNally Jackson
Long Bright River by Liz Moore
Long Bright River is a novel that scratches the surface
Excellent read - entertaining, mystery set in Kensington - an Opioid capital in Philadelphia, PA.
Buy it here: Long Bright River - McNally Jackson
Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance
A view into the rust belt and a population devastated
Vance is from Appalachia, which has similar troubles as Roanoke
I know Vance is in politics now, this book is from before he became a public figure and while it is lightly politically charged, it is not overwhelmingly so
Buy it here: Hillbilly Elegy - McNally Jackson
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe
I saved the best for last - this book is the best book I read in 2021 by far
The research and details that Keefe goes into are incredible. It reads like a tale of New York society - because it partly is!
The Sackler Family (Purdue (Oxycotin) Pharmaceuticals) is a soap opera and the way Keefe weaves the tale is captivating.
He also goes into Purdue Pharmaceuticals and the lawsuits that you have probably seen in news headlines.
Buy it here: Empire of Pain - McNally Jackson
