Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: If you finished Empire of Pain, read Dopesick, Dreamland, Say Nothing and Bad Blood. All reveal how greed, secrecy and power cause harm and how journalists expose them.
Patrick Radden Keefe's book tells the story of the Sackler family, owners of Purdue Pharma, and the OxyContin epidemic. The books below cover opioids, corporate scandals and powerful families. All are nonfiction, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dopesick | Beth Macy | Adult | the closest companion |
| Dreamland | Sam Quinones | Adult | how the epidemic spread |
| Say Nothing | Patrick Radden Keefe | Adult | more Keefe |
| Bad Blood | John Carreyrou | Adult | corporate fraud |
| Pain Killer | Barry Meier | Adult | early reporting |
| The Smartest Guys in the Room | Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind | Adult | corporate scandal |
| Billion Dollar Whale | Tom Wright and Bradley Hope | Adult | financial crimes |
| Chasing the Scream | Johann Hari | Adult | drug policy |
| Catch and Kill | Ronan Farrow | Adult | investigative reporting |
| The Big Short | Michael Lewis | Adult | financial crisis |
| Bad Pharma | Ben Goldacre | Adult | drug industry |
| Fentanyl, Inc. | Ben Westhoff | Adult | current drug crisis |
| Barbarians at the Gate | Bryan Burrough and John Helyar | Adult | business drama |
| Evicted | Matthew Desmond | Adult | poverty and housing |
| In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts | Gabor Maté | Adult | understanding addiction |
1. Dopesick by Beth Macy
A reporter follows opioid addiction through Appalachia. Human and angry, a great companion to Empire of Pain.
Best for: the closest companion.
2. Dreamland by Sam Quinones
Traces the rise of heroin and opioid pills across America. Narrative and wide-ranging.
Best for: how the epidemic spread.
3. Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
A murder in Northern Ireland opens a story of the Troubles. Another Keefe masterwork.
Best for: more Keefe.
4. Bad Blood by John Carreyrou
The collapse of Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes. A thriller of Silicon Valley fraud.
Best for: corporate fraud.
5. Pain Killer by Barry Meier
One of the first books to expose OxyContin's marketing. Short and direct.
Best for: early reporting.
6. The Smartest Guys in the Room by Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind
The rise and fall of Enron. Clear and detailed.
Best for: corporate scandal.
7. Billion Dollar Whale by Tom Wright and Bradley Hope
A Malaysian financier steals billions in the 1MDB scandal. Fast and astonishing.
Best for: financial crimes.
8. Chasing the Scream by Johann Hari
A journalist rethinks the war on drugs. Human and provocative.
Best for: drug policy.
9. Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow
A reporter pursues the story of Harvey Weinstein. Tense and revealing.
Best for: investigative reporting.
10. The Big Short by Michael Lewis
A few investors bet against the housing market. Clever and funny.
Best for: financial crisis.
11. Bad Pharma by Ben Goldacre
A doctor explains how drug companies bend research. Technical but readable.
Best for: drug industry.
12. Fentanyl, Inc. by Ben Westhoff
Traces how synthetic drugs spread from labs to streets. Fast-moving reporting.
Best for: current drug crisis.
13. Barbarians at the Gate by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar
The leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco. A classic business saga.
Best for: business drama.
14. Evicted by Matthew Desmond
Follows families facing eviction in Milwaukee. Sociology that reads like a novel.
Best for: poverty and housing.
15. In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Maté
A doctor looks at addiction with compassion. Heartfelt and detailed.
Best for: understanding addiction.
How to Choose
For the opioid story, Dopesick and Dreamland. For more Keefe, Say Nothing. For scandals, Bad Blood and Billion Dollar Whale. For compassionate science, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts. These books are heavy, so mix in lighter reads to avoid burnout. Investigative nonfiction can be draining. Alternate with lighter reading and give yourself time to absorb the facts. If you have family or friends affected by addiction, the books on this list may help you understand their experience, but they are not a substitute for professional support. Many public libraries have free resources on opioid recovery.
Related: 15 Best Books on the Persian Empire: Cyrus, Darius and the Great Kings · 15 Best Books on the Ottoman Empire: Sultans, Istanbul and the Empire’s End
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Empire of Pain about?
It follows three generations of the Sackler family and how Purdue Pharma marketed OxyContin.
Who wrote it?
Patrick Radden Keefe published it in 2021.
Is there a TV show?
Hulu's Dopesick covers a related story. Keefe's book is separate.
Is it a hard read?
It is long but gripping, and written like a thriller.
Which book is best for understanding opioids?
Dopesick and Dreamland are good places to start.
What happened to Purdue Pharma?
Purdue pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2020 and later went through bankruptcy proceedings and settlements.
Do the Sacklers appear in other books?
They are discussed in Dopesick and Dreamland, but Empire of Pain is the fullest portrait.
Is the book biased?
Keefe is thorough and sources claims, but the Sackler family disputes aspects of it.
Is Empire of Pain a long book?
Yes, about 550 pages, but it reads quickly.
What did the Sacklers do?
The book describes how the family and Purdue aggressively marketed OxyContin and downplayed its addiction risks.
Is there an audiobook?
Yes. An audiobook edition exists, which suits long commutes since the book is over 500 pages.
Has the Sackler family responded?
Members of the family have disputed parts of the book and have denied wrongdoing in court.
Is Empire of Pain only about the opioid crisis?
It also covers the Sacklers' philanthropy, their art donations and how their name was removed from museums.
Which book is better for a first-time reader of investigative nonfiction?
Dopesick is shorter and more personal, while Empire of Pain is broader.