• Dr. Feelgood

  • The Story of the Doctor Who Influenced History by Treating and Drugging Prominent Figures Including President Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, and Elvis Presley
  • By: Richard A. Lertzman, William J. Birnes
  • Narrated by: Don Azevedo
  • Length: 5 hrs and 15 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (299 ratings)

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Dr. Feelgood  By  cover art

Dr. Feelgood

By: Richard A. Lertzman, William J. Birnes
Narrated by: Don Azevedo
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Editorial reviews

An addictive listen about the controversial Dr. Max Jacobson and his high-society clientele of over 200 celebrity patients that he injected with an amphetamine cocktail from the 1940s through the 1970s. Richard A. Lertzman and William J. Birnes' scandalous exposé piles shock on top of shock, from the cover-ups of mysterious deaths and FBI raids to President John F. Kennedy running naked through the Carlyle Hotel.

Thorough research and collected interviews combine with Don Azevedo's easy pacing to produce chapters that fly by. Dr. Feelgood's web of shadowy influence is nothing short of astonishing, sure to thrill any listener interested in our recent history, the nature of celebrity, or the perils of addiction.

Publisher's summary

An historical exposé of the mysterious doctor who changed the course of the 20th century, with interviews by George Clooney, Yogi Berra, and others.

Doctor Max Jacobson, whom the Secret Service under President John F. Kennedy code-named “Dr. Feelgood,” developed a unique “energy formula” that altered the paths of some of the 20th century’s most iconic figures, including President and Jackie Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and Elvis. JFK received his first injection (a special mix of “vitamins and hormones,” according to Jacobson) just before his first debate with Vice President Richard Nixon. The shot into JFK’s throat not only cured his laryngitis, but also diminished the pain in his back, allowed him to stand up straighter, and invigorated the tired candidate. Kennedy demolished Nixon in that first debate and turned a tide of skepticism about Kennedy into an audience that appreciated his energy and crispness. What JFK didn’t know then was that the injections were actually powerful doses of a combination of highly addictive liquid methamphetamine and steroids.

Author and researcher Rick Lertzman and New York Times best-selling author Bill Birnes reveal heretofore unpublished material about the mysterious Dr. Feelgood. Through well-researched prose and interviews with celebrities including George Clooney, Jerry Lewis, Yogi Berra, and Sid Caesar, the authors reveal Jacobson’s vast influence on events such as the assassination of JFK, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Kennedy-Khrushchev Vienna Summit, the murder of Marilyn Monroe, the filming of the C. B. DeMille classic The Ten Commandments, and the work of many of the great artists of that era. Jacobson destroyed the lives of several famous patients in the entertainment industry and accidentally killed his own wife, Nina, with an overdose of his formula.

©2013 Richard A. Lertzman and William J. Birnes (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Dr. Feelgood

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tabloid drivel

I should have been more careful before I used a credit on this one. It's so poorly written that I couldn't get through the first half. The claims are unsubstantiated and salacious.
National Enquirer type story ...

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7 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Train Wreck--In a Good Way

As expected, this was easy to digest, shocking, well-researched information about world leaders and celebs in the sixties and seventies completely high on speed for huge chunks of history. It "read" like a documentary on the History Channel, and that's what I was in the mood for. I just wish it had been a bit more detailed and longer.

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6 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A Fun Summer Read

An entertaining story. Well narrated. I like to know the back-story of the main character and this book does not disappoint. The conspiracy theories about JFK and Nixon are a wee farfetched, but it only adds to the allure of Dr. Feelgood. Just sit back and let the sun warm you, this is a great listen.

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Exciting, compelling, disturbing, fascinating!

Superbly written and the superb narration enhanced the writing. The ONLY part of the book I will take issue with is opening up yet another conspiracy theory touting more than one gunman for JFK's assassination. I will admit that the book does give a fascinating motivation for killing Jack Kennedy, one that I had not thought of nor have ever read in any other of the thousands of books and various accounts over the decades. I guess in some ways, the authors of this book had to address the issue given the good doctor's rare proximity and relationship to JFK, so I guess I have to forgive its conclusions. I salute the book for exposing the "good ol' days" as not at all so good. So many celebrities, so drug affected. Many might blame the doctor, forget that. Personal responsibility is something that has always plagued human beings from the dawn of time. Take some responsibility for yourself, stop blaming others and man up, cowards!! Anyway, this is a book that should not be missed by those who love the micro-history of the past.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The 60's rich, famous and drugged

Would you consider the audio edition of Dr. Feelgood to be better than the print version?

As I listen to a lot of audio books due to being time constrained, the audio version got to the heart of the story very quickly and allowed me to get through the book a lot quicker than if I had read in print.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dr. Feelgood?

The JFK revelations.

What about Don Azevedo’s performance did you like?

pace and modulation

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

This was a great book and revealed a lot about what was actually going on in that era.

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    5 out of 5 stars

I just can't believe it! crazy!

Quite mind blowing to know all those people were on meth! scary. so much power.

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Fascinating account of the drug dealer 2 the stars

The most disturbing aspect of this book is President JFK's addiction to the doctor's "miracle elixir." If, in fact, half of what is written is true, it is scary how modern history was influenced, if not written, by a doctor pushing amphetamine-laced dtugs. Full of anecdotes and accounts that are well documented, it is hard not to believe this book is an accurate account of several decades of the last century.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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Hard to swallow parts of this story.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No, although it is a fascinating subject but also full of what I consider irresponsible speculation.

Any additional comments?

The authors stretch the bounds of credibility when they veer off into wild speculation as to the Kennedy assassination and the good doctor's blame for it. I half expected them to place Jacobson on the grassy knoll with a rifle.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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May very well answer why JFK was assassinated

After reading the preview, I didn't think anything else in the book would surprise me. Boy was I wrong! This book reveals one of the skeletons in America's closet and may be one of the most important contributions to the collection of evidence as to why JFK was assassinated (I won't spoil the experience by giving anything away here). In this reader's opinion, this book is one of the most important historical books of the United States in the 20th century. It reads like fiction, the narration is seamless and doesn't get in the way of enjoying a great story. The book was over before I knew it, a sure sign of its ability to hold the reader's attention. My wife also greatly enjoyed it. I highly recommend it to anyone, I believe most readers will appreciate this story.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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JFK murdered by CIA because of Meth?

If this story is true then that’s a pretty big cover up. Enjoyed finding out that powerful people and celebrities are also human with addiction problems. And Hilarious to find out that JFK was tweaking during some of the most important moments of the early 60’s. Shoutout to Motley Crew😳💉🍸🥃😬

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