A short life of the author
Beth Macy is an American journalist and author based in Virginia whose work focuses on marginalised communities and systemic failures in American life. She spent two decades as a reporter for The Roanoke Times before turning to long-form nonfiction.
Major Works
Truevine (2016, Little, Brown) tells the story of George and Willie Muse, two Black albino brothers from Virginia who were kidnapped and exhibited in circus sideshows in the early twentieth century — a story of exploitation, race, and the entertainment industry that Macy reported over a decade.
Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America (2018, Little, Brown) traces the opioid epidemic from its origins in Purdue Pharma’s marketing of OxyContin through its devastating impact on Appalachian communities. The book became a New York Times bestseller and was adapted into a critically acclaimed Hulu limited series (2021) starring Michael Keaton.
Raising Lazarus: Hope, Justice, and the Future of America’s Overdose Crisis (2022, Little, Brown) continues the story, documenting harm-reduction workers, bereaved families, and the legal battles against opioid manufacturers.
Collecting Macy
Dopesick (2018, Little, Brown) first editions are common but in fine condition bring $30–$80. Truevine (2016) first editions are also affordable. Signed copies are available through bookshop events. The Hulu adaptation has increased interest in Dopesick first editions.