"Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Family"

The 2021 Summer Speaker Series presented by The Community Library and the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference welcomes author Patrick Radden Keefe.

They are one of the richest families in the world, known for their lavish donations in the arts and the sciences. The source of the Sackler fortune was vague, however, until it emerged that they were responsible for making and marketing Oxycontin, a blockbuster painkiller that was a catalyst for the opioid crisis – an international epidemic of drug addiction which has killed nearly half a million people.  As he demonstrated so brilliantly in his award-winning book Say Nothing, PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE is a master of the art of deep narrative reportage.  In his new book Empire of Pain, he trains his sights on the jaw-dropping and ferociously compelling reality of a family, its wealth, and the terrible consequences.  Join him for a dynastic story that is also a parable of  21st century greed.

This free event will be held in Ketchum's Forest Service and is festival-style. Please bring your own low-back chairs or blankets to set up beginning at 6:00 p.m. The conversation will run from 7:00-8:00 and be followed by a half-hour book signing.

The event will also be available to stream on the Library's Livestream. Click here to watch the live stream, which will be available for a limited time. (You do not need to register if you only plan to join virtually.)