Charles Piller

Being one person, no matter how influential some of my work might be, and fortunately, at times, it is influential. I think the book, for example, Doctored, has turned a lot of heads, and that's great. But you have to understand that the world's complicated. My goal really is to be one of the many people who's trying to do something beneficial in the world.

And because I feel deeply about it, it also means that I really enjoy what I'm doing. I really enjoy digging. I really enjoy getting to the bottom of puzzles. And that's an integral part of being an investigative journalist, is figuring out how mysteries end, what the steps are to learn what the root causes of problems are, and how someone might try to correct them.

And because I feel deeply about it, it also means that I really enjoy what I'm doing. I really enjoy digging. I really enjoy getting to the bottom of puzzles. And that's an integral part of being an investigative journalist, is figuring out how mysteries end, what the steps are to learn what the root causes of problems are, and how someone might try to correct them.

Yeah, honestly, I've had that a number of times. And it's not with every story because sometimes in this business, you drill a lot of holes and some of them are dry holes. But when you hit a gusher, you know this is something potentially important and interesting.

Yeah, honestly, I've had that a number of times. And it's not with every story because sometimes in this business, you drill a lot of holes and some of them are dry holes. But when you hit a gusher, you know this is something potentially important and interesting.

And that's really critical to remember because it doesn't do much good to do a lot of digging and find out information that is beneficial to the public if you can't make it something the public really is interested in and wants to learn about. And so, you know, what I look for in the, as you say, the sort of most exciting moment is when I have

And that's really critical to remember because it doesn't do much good to do a lot of digging and find out information that is beneficial to the public if you can't make it something the public really is interested in and wants to learn about. And so, you know, what I look for in the, as you say, the sort of most exciting moment is when I have

both an interesting story and compelling story of some importance, but also a compelling way to tell it. And that's usually through the eyes of the people who have lived it. And that's what I'm about.

both an interesting story and compelling story of some importance, but also a compelling way to tell it. And that's usually through the eyes of the people who have lived it. And that's what I'm about.

I'm about trying to find ways to tell stories that are interesting, that are compelling, that have a kind of arc that anyone could read and understand and kind of understand the relevance of it to their own lives. And that involves, for example, really, really getting to know people and getting them to trust you enough to tell their stories.

I'm about trying to find ways to tell stories that are interesting, that are compelling, that have a kind of arc that anyone could read and understand and kind of understand the relevance of it to their own lives. And that involves, for example, really, really getting to know people and getting them to trust you enough to tell their stories.

Sure. It's a good question, Dylan. Honestly, it's mostly the latter. It's just things that I get clued into and become deeply interested in over the course of it. I have to say the Alzheimer's situation is a little bit different for me. It is more personal in that, like Millions of Americans. I have personally experienced Alzheimer's disease in my family. So my mom passed away a few years ago.

Sure. It's a good question, Dylan. Honestly, it's mostly the latter. It's just things that I get clued into and become deeply interested in over the course of it. I have to say the Alzheimer's situation is a little bit different for me. It is more personal in that, like Millions of Americans. I have personally experienced Alzheimer's disease in my family. So my mom passed away a few years ago.

She died with Alzheimer's disease and had terrible dementia towards the end of her life. My dad did not have Alzheimer's. He had a different dementia. one called Lewy Body Syndrome. It's something that is associated with Parkinson's disease.

She died with Alzheimer's disease and had terrible dementia towards the end of her life. My dad did not have Alzheimer's. He had a different dementia. one called Lewy Body Syndrome. It's something that is associated with Parkinson's disease.

So yes, for me, this book, this pursuit, this effort to try to expand knowledge about Alzheimer's disease is definitely personal for me and something that I feel that I owe to my family and to myself.

So yes, for me, this book, this pursuit, this effort to try to expand knowledge about Alzheimer's disease is definitely personal for me and something that I feel that I owe to my family and to myself.

Well, my background initially was not in journalism. I studied psychology in school. And I very quickly realized that that was not going to be a profession for me, that I was... You know, as much as I respect and honor people who want to have a one-to-one relationship with patients and clients and help them work through their issues, I realized that that just, you know, that wasn't me.

Well, my background initially was not in journalism. I studied psychology in school. And I very quickly realized that that was not going to be a profession for me, that I was... You know, as much as I respect and honor people who want to have a one-to-one relationship with patients and clients and help them work through their issues, I realized that that just, you know, that wasn't me.

That wasn't my personality. And my grandfather was a quite accomplished psychology researcher back in the day. And he, in a way, inspired me. But then I realized I had to be honest and true to my own interests and talents. And so... What happened was out of college, I went ahead and experimented with freelance writing.