Ten Drugs

How Plants, Powders, and Pills Have Shaped the History of Medicine

By: Thomas Hager

Narrated by: Angelo Di Loreto

Length: 8 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Behind every landmark drug is a story. It could be an oddball researcher’s genius insight, a catalyzing moment in geopolitical history, a new breakthrough technology, or an unexpected but welcome side effect discovered during clinical trials. Piece together these stories, as Thomas Hager does in this remarkable, century-spanning history, and you can trace the evolution of our culture and the practice of medicine.

Beginning with opium, the “joy plant,” which has been used for 10,000 years, Hager tells a captivating story of medicine. His subjects include the largely forgotten female pioneer who introduced smallpox inoculation to Britain, the infamous knockout drops, the first antibiotic, which saved countless lives, the first antipsychotic, which helped empty public mental hospitals, Viagra, statins, and the new frontier of monoclonal antibodies. This is a deep, wide-ranging, and wildly entertaining book.

©2019 Thomas Hager (P)2019 Audible, Inc.

Very enlightening and entertaining

I know nothing about chemistry/biology/drugs etc but you don’t need to to enjoy this book. Lots of incredible insight on how drugs work with the body and constantly kept me entertained. Finished in like 2 days!

Fascinating from start to end!

This book caught my full and undivided attention chapter after chapter! I will most likely go back and listen to it again, there was just so much in every chapter. The book is full of fascinating facts, stories, and never gets any less interesting. I kept thinking, "That's gonna be hard to top" and then BOOM!! Mind F-ing blown!! I spent a whole night reading about smallpox alone!
I could have listened to more no problem, I feel like I learn a lot, and am more aware of the entire subject matter.

Hats of to Thomas Hager for a wonderful and fascinating book.

And whoever decided on Angelo Di Loreto to narrate deserves a raise. It was like having Dr. House (Hugh Laurie) read to you. Incredible voice actor, I had to go look up what else he narrated.

Riveting stories about drugs we take for granted

Above all it's a book full of entertaining and informative stories about the people who discover drugs and their impact on social development. The author manages to avoid simplistic conclusions about "big pharma" and other controversies in the drug industry. Viewpoints were well-balanced and facts well-presented. An audiobook which I could listen to many more times because it's so full of interesting information.

Interesting and draws you in

Fascinating stories and a great voice actor. Scientist and regular people alike will find this enjoyable.

Accessible and Interesting

The author took what might have been a dry and tedious academic topic and made it accessible to the amateur. I would have liked more detailed suggestions for public policy around the abuses of Big Pharma but that preference does not detract from the book.

Professionals can gain something

Packed with novel drug knowledge and clinical pearls, i plan on trying out his other books

Interesting.

This book had some interesting historical summaries. It was quite dry, so I’m not sure how much the “General” listener will enjoy it. Great summaries of the statin controversies!

History of pharmaceuticals

Narration....clear articulation, deep, sonorous voice, varied speech patterns make for delightful listening.

Content: fascinating accounts of how drugs are discovered, their refinement, effects—both good and bad—and cautionary tales.

Highly recommended.

very interesting

another good and informative book. learned a lot about political, greed, and drugs. It's amazing how greed and capitalism comes into play in almost every, perhaps every, aspect of life. It makes me wonder if there re is any hope for humanity? there is hope for individuals, as there are always individuals who care more for others than themselves and are not greedy but what about humanity as a whole.

A good book with the wrong narrator

I enjoyed the book and found it very informative, but the narrator was a poor fit for the subject matter. The entire time I was listening to the audiobook, I felt as if I was supposed to be listening to Raymond Chandler PI mystery or a novel about a CIA agent investigating rogue agents in foreign countries.