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Do you ever pick a book up because the title is just so outrageous that you need to be able to say that you read it, if the situation ever arises? That’s what I did when I saw Big Vape on a new releases list.
So feeling bold with an impulse to read, I downloaded the audiobook to listen to while I worked, and I was pleasantly surprised. Big Vape reads like a long-form article that you’d spend a whole morning pouring over, uncovering just how deep the conspiracies and crimes go. It’s fast-paced, but never overwhelming when it comes to names and events. Thanks to regular reminders of who and what everything is, it’s something that you could absolutely marathon reading (like I did) or take your sweet time on, without feeling hopelessly lost.
Big Vape follows the whirlwind success of Juul, the skyrocketing popularity of vaping, and the dramatic business deals, health crises, and legal cases that were left in its wake. If you’re a fan of John Carreyrou’s Bad Blood or Dr. Death, I would absolutely read this book.
Big Vape: The Incendiary Rise of Juul
by Jamie Ducharme
🌟: 4 / 5
📚: Two grad students with a Silicon Valley startup seek to change the way smokers quit ignite a new epidemic of addiction and change the face of the tobacco industry.
💭: For a book that I got exclusively because of the title, this book was surprisingly, genuinely good. It’s what I would describe as Bad Blood, with a marketing spin and a millennial focus. There’s a perfect storm of ID bros setting out to “disrupt the industry,” too-good-to-be-true marketing, and the controversy and legal scandal that it all ignites that makes this nonfiction read like a thriller.
For those who are wary of book-length long form reporting, I totally see the hesitation that would come with this book. I really picked it up as a joke, and based on the summary, I probably wouldn’t have read it, if I’m being completely honest. However, this book is paced super well and often gently reminds you what had happened previously and who the big players are, so it never truly felt too much like a “too long; didn’t read” article. It’s engrossing in a way that a lot of long form articles about scandals are, and I found myself thinking “wow, I hate that I’m really loving a book about vaping” more than once.
If you’re in the market for an audiobook that’s both interesting enough to keep you from getting bored but not wild enough to make you distracted from doing other things, I would definitely recommend this one. The narration is excellent, and I had a hard time putting it down.