About three hours ago, @Jamie_Ducharme's BIG VAPE arrived in my mailbox. Excluding the notes section, it's just 260 pages, so it made for a quicker read than the substantially thicker DEVIL'S PLAYBOOK (by @lauren_etter).
It exceeded my expectations.
SHORT THREAD 👇
It exceeded my expectations.
SHORT THREAD 👇
Ducharme and Etter were both concurrently writing books about the same overarching topic, but took different approaches.
BIG VAPE is very much the story of Juul; not the stories of Juul, Altria, and angry rich white parents like Etter's book. They complement each other well.
BIG VAPE is very much the story of Juul; not the stories of Juul, Altria, and angry rich white parents like Etter's book. They complement each other well.
Whereas Etter often comes off as overly sympathetic to the prohibitionists, Ducharme generally finds the right mix. Antis, as well as harm reduction advocates like David Abrams, Ray Niaura, Cheryl Healton, @Clive_Bates, @mbsiegel, @JustJulie_MO, @Hello_Alex and myself are quoted.
Bloomberg likely gets brought up more in Ducharme's book than Etter. Ducharme discusses how his funding would have made it a big leap for anti-tobacco groups to embrace vaping even if they wanted to.
This quote from Bloomberg Philanthropy's @drkellyhenning on adults is notable.
This quote from Bloomberg Philanthropy's @drkellyhenning on adults is notable.
Their writing styles are different as well. Etter tries to paint vivid imagery -- what the weather was like on the day of a meeting, for instance.
Ducharme is more straightforward and directly quotes named and unnamed sources much more often. That's more of how I write.
Ducharme is more straightforward and directly quotes named and unnamed sources much more often. That's more of how I write.
Even though it's shorter, there are stories that Ducharme dug up that aren't in the competing book -- Cheryl Healton trying to talk Juul out of doing youth education, @AGIowa's advisory board, and the angry mother who showed up at Juul's offices demanding to talk to Kevin Burns.
Ducharme also does a substantially better job covering EVALI. She actually talks about the public misperceptions that it caused. She discusses accusations that the CDC intentionally obfuscated what products were to blame without dismissing them as if she knows the full truth.
I not only like to hear myself talk, I like to read myself talk, so here is my quoted contribution.
There is not much for me to complain about. Juul made mistakes that they, vapers, and smokers are paying for to this day (except the founders & investors who got rich). It's a largely honest retelling of a sad story.
For better or worse, the story is the story. I enjoyed it.
For better or worse, the story is the story. I enjoyed it.
For those who missed it, my Twitter thread on THE DEVIL'S PLAYBOOK is here --
FIN
https://twitter.com/GregTHR/status/1432095765967609865
FIN
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