Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of addiction.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Patrick Radden Keefe, author of Rogues and Say Nothing, presents the Sackler family’s history as a blend of ambition, innovation, and ethical failure. What were your overall impressions of the book’s portrayal of the family? Did it challenge or reinforce your views on corporate responsibility in the pharmaceutical industry?

2. Empire of Pain combines investigative journalism, family biography, and legal history to explore the opioid crisis. How did Keefe’s storytelling approach affect your reading experience? Did the mix of personal and systemic perspectives make the issue feel more immediate? 

3. The book details how the Sacklers used philanthropy to shape their public image while avoiding scrutiny over the source of their wealth. Were you surprised by how long they were able to maintain their reputation? Do you think institutions that benefited from the Sackler donations handled the controversy appropriately?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Empire of Pain explores how ambition, when unchecked by ethics, can lead to disastrous consequences.