"Empire of Pain" delves deep into the enigmatic world of the Sackler family, a name synonymous with philanthropy, whose legacy is darkened by its ties to a crisis ravaging the globe. Patrick Radden Keefe, with his meticulous research and compelling narrative style, peels back layers of secrecy to reveal the origin of the family's immense wealth: the aggressive marketing of OxyContin. This blockbuster painkiller, hailed as a medical breakthrough, became a catalyst for an opioid epidemic that has claimed countless lives. Through the saga of three generations, Keefe exposes the complexities of ambition, the weight of legacy, and the moral ambiguities of capitalism. In this gripping account, "Empire of Pain" stands as a testament to investigative journalism, weaving a tale that is as profound as it is unsettling. Keefe's narrative is a journey through the corridors of power, art, and science, where the pursuit of success blurs with ethical boundaries. This story is not just about the rise of a pharmaceutical empire and its role in a public health catastrophe; it is a reflection on the price of progress and the cost of silence in the face of wrongdoing. Keefe challenges readers to confront the uncomfortable truths behind a family's empire built on pain, making it a critical and timely exploration of greed, power, and the human cost of corporate ambition.