This companion book to the HBO documentary of the same name sheds light on the hidden American epidemic of addiction. Blending compelling personal narratives with statistics and expert opinion, all gleaned from over two years of research and reporting, Addiction offers a comprehensive and provocative look at the impact of chemical dependency on addicts, their loved ones, society, and the economy.

“I fully expect that this exceptionally well-written, reader-friendly book will become the standard resource for patients with Alzheimer disease and their loved ones.”—JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association)

"A heroic work of journalism on what must rank as one of the foremost catastrophes of modern history."—The New York Times

"'What does it take to be good at something, when failure is so easy?' asks writer/physician Gawande . . . Diligence, ingenuity and 'doing right' . . . Gawande illustrates each of these qualities with stories from his own experience, [and] his observations of and conversations with other physicians . . . For young doctors . . . Gawande suggests five strategies: Ask unscripted questions, don't complain, 'count something' (be a scientist as well as a doctor), write something (to make yourself part of a larger world) and change in response to new ideas. A must-read for medical professionals-and a discerning, humanizing portrait of doctors at work for the rest of us."—Kirkus Reviews

"In the name of research, Ms. George waded through sewers and checked out latrines all over the globe. On paper, she glides with rueful and articulate poise through the biology, ecology, physiology, psychology and basic hydraulics of her subject, always articulate and persuasive. Even if you are inclined to think health-care dollars should be put into titanium rather than porcelain, you will be hard pressed to put this extraordinary book down."—Abigail Zuger, M.D., The New York Times

“This important book will make it impossible to ignore the inconvenient truths about products we use everyday.  Be prepared to be amazed at what is known and not known about thousands of chemicals that are used in our clothes, our homes, our pizza boxes, and just about everything else.”—Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D., President, National Research Center for Women & Families

“Few medical writers working today can transmit the gore-drenched terror of an operation that suddenly goes wrong—a terror that has a special resonance when it is Dr. Gawande himself who makes the initial horrifying mistake. And few can make it as clear as he can what exactly is at stake in the effort to minimize calamities.”—The New York Times

"Emotions are what 'make life livable,' writes psychologist Ekman . . . His 40-odd years of research have led him to the conclusion . . . that emotions, and their 10,000 facial expressions, are largely universal . . . Ekman addresses in detail the 'cascade of changes' that occur physiologically in an individual in the throes of one of five salient emotional categories . . . in his engaging style, he asks his readers to conjure these emotions by studying photographs, meditating upon their own experiences."—Publishers Weekly