... deeply reported and illuminating ... This is not a short book, nor an easy read; so many characters, details and side-trips are packed into its over 400 pages that it overwhelms at times. Still, there is a rich narrative that rewards patience. The story of Juul’s rise and fall teaches us something about greed, capitalism, policy failure and a particular cycle in American business that seems destined to repeat itself.
Writing with an objective clarity and dishing like an insider-hipster, Etter offers a powerful indictment of both sides of the same corrupt coin, delivering an eye-opening account of an industry shamelessly gaslighting customers, employees, investors, and government regulators in pursuit of profits over principles. Encyclopedic in scope yet intimate in appeal, Etter’s timely exposé uncovers the Machiavellian intrigue, greed, and arrogance at the core of one of America’s most lethal industries.
A well-told business story showing the unsurprising result when noble motives collide with corporate reality and the specter of large amounts of money.
In this comprehensive scrutiny of the vaping craze and the business behind it...Etter seamlessly infuses this story with that of tech wunderkind ... The author diligently chronicles the numerous redesigns of their nicotine liquid vaporizing invention, the Juul, as well as the dogged attention from tobacco executives ... Etter illuminates the crucial missteps that can occur when greed and poor leadership obscure the vision of an enterprising product. Armed with an immense body of research and insider interview material, the author digs deep into the controversial industry ... Riveting journalism that probes the triple threat of vaping, nicotine addiction, and corporate greed.
