Perhaps you remember the "thalidomide babies" of the 1960s, their arms or legs shortened into small stumps or flippers. Dark Remedy, by Rock Brynner and Trent Stephens, tells the story of how the drug thalidomide was developed and marketed, leading to the worldwide eruption of not only catastrophic birth defects but nerve damage and other adverse effects in adults as well.

Brynner, a historian and novelist, and Stephens, a professor of anatomy and embryology, follow the trail of thalidomide from its creation to its present-day therapeutic uses. Other than the dense section on immunology, the book is a compelling read and a very interesting story. You'll be shocked at the negligent (some say criminal) way thalidomide was handed out to unsuspecting patients. You'll cheer for the scientists whose work takes the drug off the market. And you'll cry to hear the stories of the "thalidomiders," those people most severely affected by it.