Ten Drugs by Thomas Hager Summary
Overview of Ten Drugs
Ten Drugs reveals how opium, antibiotics, and other medicines transformed society. Did you know heroin was once available by mail order? Hager's captivating journey through pharmaceutical history shows how these substances saved millions - and sparked crises that still shape our world today.
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Key takeaways
A Lifetime of Pills on a Table
Walk into the British Museum and you'll find something unsettling: a 46-foot table covered with 14,000 pills-every prescription drug an average Briton swallows in a lifetime. Americans? We consume closer to 50,000. We are less than 5% of the world's population yet devour over half of all pharmaceutical spending globally. We've become *Homo pharmacum*-the People of the Pill. These tiny capsules have rewritten human existence: they've added decades to our lives, liberated women from biological destiny, and even sparked wars. But here's the uncomfortable truth we rarely confront: no drug is purely good or purely evil. Every effective medicine is a bargain with consequences, a trade-off between miraculous healing and potentially dangerous side effects. Understanding how we arrived at this moment requires tracing the stories of ten drugs that fundamentally altered civilization-stories filled with accidental discoveries, ethical catastrophes, corporate greed, and genuine heroism.
The Ancient Remedy That Started Wars and America's First Addiction Crisis
Humanity's Greatest Victory and the Courage That Made It Possible
Creating Medicines Nature Never Imagined and the Red Dye That Saved Millions
The Drug That Made Patients Not Care and Emptied Mental Hospitals
The Revolution You Can Swallow and the Blockbuster That Changed Everything
When the Cure Becomes the Crisis: America's Opioid Epidemic and the Future of Medicine
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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