Booksmart: How Did We Get Here?

Whether you are struggling to understand what led to over 107,000 deadly overdoses in the year ending November 2021, a recovery ally trying to do more, or a family member who wants to know more, we have a wide selection of books about the crisis that may give you a clearer understanding. They cover a range of topics from basic primers on substance use disorder, to Big Pharma and prescription opioids, and personal stories of how it affects both families and communities. These books can also spark a deeper conversation whether it’s with friends, your kids, your own book club, or your entire community.

Some may provide you with answers to your questions, or perhaps raise more questions about why we are where we are today. Here are a few that may be worth considering:

Book Recommendations

THE URGE: Our History of Addiction — Carl Erik Fisher (2023)
As a psychiatrist in training fresh from medical school, Carl Erik Fisher found himself face-to-face with an addiction crisis that nearly cost him everything. Desperate to make sense of his condition, he turned to the history of addiction, learning that our society’s current quagmire is only part of a centuries-old struggle to treat addictive behavior.

THE MYTH OF NORMAL — Dr. Gabor Maté (2022)
In The Myth of Normal, renowned physician Gabor Maté eloquently dissects how Western countries that pride themselves on their healthcare systems are actually seeing an upsurge in chronic illness and general ill health. Prescription drug usage, high blood pressure, mental illness, and so many other troubling issues are on the rise.

SCATTERED PINK: A DIARY OF A WOMAN IN RECOVERY — Honesty Liller (2022)
Have trouble understanding why or how people get addicted to substances? Or why can’t they “just quit”? Honesty Liller is CEO of McShin Foundation, an established and respected recovery foundation. Her autobiography feels like sitting down with a friend in recovery and having a completely candid conversation. Liller pulls no punches, taking you on her journey from childhood trauma, to addiction, and to recovery. She also addresses both shame and guilt — her own — and how she found her way to a fulfilling life in recovery. It’s a very personal story that may help readers find hope during tough times and perhaps find their own way.

UNDOING DRUGS — Maia Szalavitz (2021)
“I had no intention of quitting.” Those are the first six words by author Maia Szalavitz and a woman in long-term recovery. Szalavitz offers the first history of harm reduction interwoven with her personal story and of those who helped build the movement. It was during the AIDS crisis when she was first introduced to harm reduction by sheer luck: Szalavitz was a person who injected drugs and was shown how to disinfect her needles before using them. Harm reduction programs have evolved into remarkably different programs from abstinence-only models, offering a wide array of services, plus access to social services and health care. If harm reduction is an issue in your community or something a family member is considering, this is a remarkable resource.

IN PAIN: A Bioethicist’s Personal Struggle with Opioids — Travis Rieder (2019)
A bioethicist’s eloquent and riveting memoir of opioid dependence and withdrawal—a harrowing personal reckoning and clarion call for change not only for government but medicine itself, revealing the lack of crucial resources and structures to handle this insidious nationwide epidemic.

HIGH: Everything You Want to Know About Drugs, Alcohol, and Addiction — Nic Sheff, David Sheff (2019)
From the son & father behind Beautiful Boy, this is intended for a teen audience, but it’s a great tool to use as a conversation starter for parents, educators, counselors, and teens.

DOPESICK: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America — Beth Macy (2018)
With a ground-level focus on how the epidemic hit her own community, longtime journalist Beth Macy tells the story through the eyes of those fighting the disease of substance use disorder, their families, first responders, and the community ravaged by this epidemic.

AMERICAN FIX: Inside The Opioid Addiction Crisis – And How To End It — Ryan Hampton (2018)
From the perspective of a recovery advocate, this is not just another guide to what’s needed to solve the crisis. Hampton explores the growing social movement focused on the millions of Americans in recovery from substance use disorder plus their families, friends, and other stakeholders – and what’s needed to support long-term recovery in our communities.

DREAMLAND: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic — Sam Quinones (2015)
Quinones investigates and tells the story about the perfect storm that led up to the opioid epidemic: Purdue Pharma’s release of OxyContin and how we got where we are today.

Community Events

Where to start:

1. For a large community event, ask your library to consider partnering to create a community discussion. We recommend using the American Library Association’s “One Book” planning resource to plan out a large event.
2. Select one that resonates with your community. Alternatively, you can provide several options and have the community vote.
3. Your local library generally purchases new releases of popular books, especially best sellers. For a community book read, you may need to work with them in advance for extra print copies. Include digital or audio versions  as well.  

Discussion Starters for Book Club or Community Event

Discussion Starters:

1. What surprised you in this book?
2. Was there a section that affected your perception of what leads to substance use disorder? In what way?
3. Were there any parts of the book that were particularly thought-provoking or disturbing?
4. Much of the stigma directed at people with substance use disorder is that it’s their personal choice, and demonstrates a moral failing. Research and science show it’s a disease – just like diabetes or heart disease. After reading this book, how does this affect your belief about people who use any substances?
5. For the personal stories that were shared in the book, did it change your opinion of those people with substance use disorder? Why or why not?
6. Where do you see gaps in our own community in how we are responding to addiction?
7. What else could (name of town/county/state) be doing?
8. The author outlined some possible solutions or changes that need to happen. Which ones do you feel could address the issue you see in our community?
9. Need more conversation starters? Check out the publisher’s and/or author’s website where you will often find curated questions specific to that book.
10. Check out SAFE Project’s resources for trusted information on substance use disorder, mental health challenges, recovery, and more.

Community Event Tips:

1. For a large community event, ask your library to consider partnering to create a community discussion. We recommend using the American Library Association’s “One Book” planning resource to plan out a large event.
2. Select one that resonates with your community. Alternatively, you can provide several options and have the community vote.
3. Your local library generally purchases new releases of popular books, especially best sellers. For a community book read, you may need to work with them in advance for extra print copies. Include digital or audio versions as well.