Mother of Methadone

“Physician Glenn melds memoir, history, and ‘speculative nonfiction’ in this artful debut on addiction treatment . . . An equal parts informative and empathetic study of a pressing issue.”
—Publishers Weekly

“An absorbing blend of memoir, history, and fiction that explores the story of addiction treatment for a kinder path ahead.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“This thought-provoking tale of two women and a big problem should promote debate.”
—Booklist

“In this captivating, deeply researched book, Dr. Glenn delivers a gripping dual narrative that unfolds like an adventure story, all the while offering profoundly useful insights about addiction treatment. Mother of Methadone is an important chronicle of how stigma, inertia, and ignorance hamper our mental health system—a vital read for understanding both the history and the future of addiction care at a pivotal moment for our nation’s health.”
—Carl Erik Fisher, MD, author of The Urge: Our Story of Addiction

“It is precisely what Dr. Glenn sought and found in the story of Dr. Marie Nyswander that she generously offers to the reader: affirmation, companionship, and reclamation. As she honors the contributions that carved the path for her, it was a thrill to follow Glenn’s relentless pursuit of truth and belonging, not only for herself and Dr. Nyswander but also for people who are in pain, people in recovery, and people who use drugs.”
—Jessica Hoppe, author of First in the Family: A Story of Survival, Recovery, and the American Dream

“How exciting to discover a new hero! Dr. Marie Nyswander was a renegade with a blazing focus on how to ease suffering. Dr. Glenn intertwines Dr. Nyswander’s story with her own journey of discovery, producing a manifesto for compassionate, efficacious treatment of patients at their most vulnerable.”
—Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD, author of What Doctors Feel: How Emotions Affect the Practice of Medicine

“Mother of Methadone takes a sweeping, narrative approach to a question that has plagued modern medicine and society: When people become addicted to drugs, how can we help them? Through exhaustive historical research, Dr. Glenn trains her diagnostician’s eye on the problem, offering a bold model for readers to confront their own assumptions. Her work will guide us to a new paradigm for care.”
—Margo Steines, author of Brutalities: A Love Story

“A fascinating, hidden story of the woman behind the medication that, even now, is the best treatment we have for opioid addiction—and why, despite the fact that this drug cuts the death rate by 50 percent or more, it is still so difficult to get.”
—Maia Szalavitz, author of Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction