A good review; not very competent reader

The book is a fascinating blend of chemistry, biology, and psychology, with some dollops of social history of drugs, and science history.

The reader was problematic. I'm tired of science books being recorded by readers who know how to adopt an authoritative tone, but can't be bothered to find out how even moderately technical words are pronounced. Not the worst I've heard, but it's very disruptive.

16 people found this helpful

Refreshingly in-depth

This is by far the most scientific audiobook I've found so far. If you're into medicinal chemistry or drug action, this is for you. It can get a bit technical at times, especially when describing chemical structures, which really require a visual. Otherwise, this had a great balance of historical anecdotes and scientific discovery. There were a few mispronunciations here or there but the narration was good overall and fit the context of the book

9 people found this helpful

Interesting reading but heavy on the biochemistry

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I enjoyed this audiobook but have a background in the field. The author takes us throughout each of the various classes of mind and mood altering drugs, both prescription and illegal, offering a brief history of each, their uses, effects, efficacy etc. Most, if not all the drugs covered here will be familiar to most readers and there is lots of interesting details, trivia, and factoids. This isn't a book for anyone searching for the right "med" - rather, is more of a history of man's flirtation with and apparent need for, mind altering experiences. I was captivated throughout. My only criticism was that the author tends to delve a little too deep into the biochemistry of each drug which tends to overwhelm the reader at times. As well, I got the sense the title was the publisher's ploy to make this rather academic book more appealing to the lay reader. Still, for anyone with an interest in the history and science behind many of our modern drugs of choice to either treat or self-medicate psychiatric illnesses, this is the book for you.

What does Roger Clark bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

No complaints about the narration. Could have been dry given the subject matter but to the credit of Clark.

17 people found this helpful

Large amounts of information- well presented

Overall I really enjoyed this and learned a good bit. For those interested in neuroscience / psychiatry this is a very up to date text. There are great parts, interesting stories with history of drug development- but the total can be disjointed.

4 people found this helpful

Heavy and technical

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Anyone with a background in biology or a lot of knowledge in neurochemistry would get far more out of this book than a layman, which I am.

Any additional comments?

The author used the term "however" so many painful times I feel my blood pressure rise when I hear it now.

6 people found this helpful

interesting perspective

In this book, various illness and the drugs used to treat them are examined through scopes of the very large (personal relationships and societal attitudes) and the very small (deliciously awesome biochemistry). IMO, the section on schizophrenia was the best part of the book.

2 people found this helpful

Mind bending through chemistry

Would you consider the audio edition of Drugged: The Science and Culture Behind Psychotropic Drugs to be better than the print version?

Suspect for someone not versed in chemical structure of drugs, the diagrams would be useful.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Drugged: The Science and Culture Behind Psychotropic Drugs?

the tying together of the anyline dye industry with the beginnings of psychotropic research

Would you listen to another book narrated by Roger Clark?

No

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No

Any additional comments?

I gave the performance a "3" due to the, for me, disconcerting British pronunciations of the many scientific names. By the time I figured out what that chemical was in American English, I was a sentence behind the curve.

2 people found this helpful

A fascinating survey of science and history

Fascinating and dry in equal measures, be prepared for engrossing storytelling mixed with a healthy dose of textbook-dense chemistry and the biological implications. Definitely enjoyed it, but those looking for a narrative journey should be prepared for the heavy lectures interspersed within.

2 people found this helpful

Good book

Would you consider the audio edition of Drugged: The Science and Culture Behind Psychotropic Drugs to be better than the print version?

No I found certain aspects of the audio difficult

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

I enjoyed the book it was informative and well researched, and it was generally well read. Unfortunately the English accent with Americanisms eg pronunciation of for example, beta, due, new and many other words made it distracting for me. There was mispronunciation of many medical terms, which could easily have been avoided, and which as a medical professional I found quite distracting and reduced credibility.

4 people found this helpful

Buy the actual book, not the audiobook

Terrible pronunciation throughout, would have been a really book book otherwise. Actually read the thing.

1 person found this helpful