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= = =//__Steroid Nation__//=



PLOT:
The entire book is based on different people, athletes, drug dealers, ect. who make most of their living selling different kinds of steroids. The book goes back and forth from different people and tell their journey on how and what they are doing with steroids. Sometimes the people they are telling the journey about is a steroid seller, sometimes a user, and other times people who are working to try and stop these steroid sellers and bring them to justice. The characters usually have a reason behind taking steroids because of things like sports, goals, pride, and even woman. Also, they may randomly jump to some character never talked about before and may only talk about them once or twice throughout the rest of the story. In the end, a lot of the main characters like Dan Duchaine end up getting really sick because of the steroids and also run into a lot of trouble with the law.

Author's Goal:
The author's main goal in the story is trying to expose or uncover Steroids and how bad they affect people mentally, physically, and socially. The author shows that steroids are very harmful, and although it looks like they give you good results, they are really just going to hurt you in the end if you continue to abuse them. He also shows you that not only taking steroids is bad, but selling them can be bad as well. Selling steroids is considered selling drugs like cocaine, heroine, and other illegal drugs. Just like selling drugs, they may make you a lot of money, but they may also give you a lot of trouble. The author wants everyone to understand the dangers of steroids, and is warning all of the readers to not be affiliated in any way with steroids, because they are an addiction, and once started it is hard to stop, and the results may be fatal.

ANALYSIS/PREDICTION:

 * Chapter 1:** A drug dealer named Dennis Degan heard about one of his fellow steroid dealers Tony Fitton was arrested for having Dianabol in his car at the Mexican border. Also, Dan Duchaine comes with an idea to make a business off of steroids, saying that no one goes to jail for a long time for selling steroids. While selling them, they almost had a close call with the FDA, but managed not to get caught. Lastly, Dillon, a fellow drug dealer of Duchain, got arrested for selling steroids. I think in the next chapter, there will be something having to do with codes, and maybe France.


 * Chapter 2:** Don Catlin, a doctor, took urine samples for the athletes who participated in the 1984 Olympic games. He then lost some codes for some the urine samples, which would make it impossible for them to tell if those urine samples were drug positive or not. John Ziegler, another doctor started to experiment with testosterone and different weird hormonal combinations to try and make a super steroid. Also, Charlie Francis and Ben Johnson became partners in taking steroids, and Ben started to win gold medals one after the other. Unfortunately, Don Catlin discovered Ben was using steroids, and America won the gold medals. In the next chapter, I think Ziegler is going to make more steroids, and Dan Duchaine will continue his business.


 * Chapter 3:** Duchaine ends up getting busted out of jail by his friend, Mike Zumpano, but then Duchaine gets arrested again for steroid selling. The bail goes to 2.5 million, so he can't help him. Luckily, he talked his Aunt into baling him out. Lastly, at the end of the chapter it shows a meeting about steroids with the government, and if action should be taken against them. Joe Biden to make a final desicion to not ban steroids, but allow people to benefit by steroids, only without penalty. I think in the next chapter, it will be about runners and them taking steroids.


 * Chapter 4:** Lyle Alzaldo, a retired NFL defensive player, is introduced and it talks about him wanting to become a football player again, and how he is taking steroids to help him do it. Later, Duchaine is released from prison, and it talks about him introducing a type of steroid to his friend, John Romano called Nubain. Lastly, Alzaldo is taking steroids, and ends up getting into a serious relasionship with a girl named Kris, and wants to marry her, but experiences roid rage, and almost kills her. Then, feeling sorry for himself, goes to his second wife Cindy, and just as they are getting ice cream, passes out, and starts bleeding his nose. I think in the next chapter, Duchaine will deal more steroids and Alzaldo might get really hurt.


 * Chapter 5:** Duchaine goes to his main gym and meets the girl of his dreams, Shelly Harvey, and they become very close. Later, Alzaldo, after recovering from his injury, he goes on a honeymoon with his fiance, Kathy Davis. As they are on their honeymoon, Alzaldo complains how he feels sick, and can't control his hands. They then fly to California where his doctor, Robert Huizenga, diagnosis him with cancer. He started to become very weak, and he started to look like a scrawny kid again. I think in the next chapter, Dan Duchaine might get busted for something, because the next chapter hints to it.


 * Chapter 6:** In the beginning, Duchaine is arrested in his house because of his usual steroid dealing. The man who busted him, was an undercover FDA agent who pretended to be a customer. His name was Bill Sands. Later, Shelley Smith, a writer for sports illustrated went to interview Alzaldo, who was getting increasingly worse. Also, Dan Duchaine started to have a mild stroke, and made him not being able to speak as well. Later, Duchaine and his girlfriend Harvey went on a motorcycle ride, when they both fell off. Duchaine got some broken bones, while Shelley went into a coma. I think in the next chapter, Duchaine might become very sick, and Alzaldo might pass away.


 * Chapter 7:** In this short chapter, Duchaine went to court and was found guilty, once again for selling steroids. Also, Lyle Alzaldo passed away from cancer, and now the world was shown that steroids can kill. I think in the next chapter, they might introduce a new character, due to the fact one is dead, and Duchaine is jailed.


 * Chapter 8:** In the beginning, a man named Loren Israelsen's door was kicked open at his office. They found steroids, and confirmed he was making them. Also, Duchaine and Shelley got married, and as soon as they were done, he was sentenced to jail. I think the next chapter is going to have to do something with Baseball, because the title is baseball related.


 * Chapter 9:** Bill Philips, a bodybuilder came up with a new idea for a steroid called Met-Rx, which was starting to become increasingly popular. Jose Canseco, a player for the Texas Rangers, was a part in their sixth loss in a row. He decided to take steroids to help him out, and they did, hitting 31 home runs. I predict in the next chapter, Duchaine might be released from prison.


 * Chapter 10:** Dan Duchaine was released from jail, and his health was rapidly declining. He started having more strokes, kidney problems, and he was looking very skinny and pale. Later Anthoney Almada, a baseball player became addicted to Creatine, a powerful steroid that hold protein in your muscles after a workout. While at work, he got a fax from Phillips saying he would give him $7 million if he left the company and moved elsewhere. He accepted. I think in the next chapter, something bad might happen to Duchaine.


 * Chapter 11:** In the beginning of the chapter, Don Catlin is examining urine samples at the 1996 Olympics when a terrorist bombs it and kills a bystander and eleven other people. Later, Dan Duchaine slowly started his business again making $350 an hour by giving advice over the phone about how to get a better body. Later he fell in love with Mary Lou, and wanted to have kids with her. He asked her to marry her, and found it very hard to say yes, because he can be somewhat mean to her at times. He told her to get calf implants, and in the middle of the night, one of her calf implants became infected, and they had to saw off her leg. In the next chapter, I think Duchaine might die because the next chapter refers to an important person dying.


 * Chapter 12:** At the beginning, Duchaine started insulting his wife, telling her she is not hot anymore because of her prostetic leg. With Duchaines dream of having children once again crushed, he went and found another girl, Shelley Hominuk, but she told them that they can only be friends. Dan started to become more and more weaker, and with all of his girlfriends done with him he was a mess. When his friend Shelley arrived at his house, she found his body, dead, in his room. I think in the next chapter, more people will start taking steroids.


 * Chapter 13:** Victor Conte, a steroid user, who created a new kind of steroid called Super Andro which was a gel like steroid that migrated to the liver, and made the blood full of the steroid travel to the muscles faster. He started selling it to people and made a big profit off of it. Conte also scored high in the Olympics. I think in the next chapter, Conte might get in trouble.


 * Chapter 14:** Terrence Madden, head of the Anti-Doping Agency, who processed urine test and samples for things like the Olympics, and other sports. Bruce Kneller, who received an E-Mail about THG, and he was one of the only guys that can synthesize it. Later, Mark McGwire gave Barry Bonds a steroid that can help him hit better, because he is in a slump. I think in the next chapter, Catlin might bust some steroid sellers.

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 * Chapter 15:** Don Catlin finds a breakthrough drug called EPO, that can help cancer patients fight back after chemo so they aren't as sick as they would be. He also found a urine sample from a very fast woman athlete that had abnormally low testosterone levels. He thinks she is using Norethandrolone, which is a very rare steroid. He then confirmed that this lady had that steroid in her. I think in the next chapter, there will be two main guys doing steroids, because the chapter hints to it.
 * Chapter 16:** Wesley Walls, a pro Football player for the Panthers was heading toward the end of his career. He came to Jame Shortt for help, because he was walking on two surgically repaired knees, and he wanted some steroids. Shortt prescribed him DHEA, which naturally produced testosterone. Later, Victor Conte was arrested by seven FDA agents outside of his car,and he refused to show them. Eventually, he decided to show them. I think in the next chapter, he Walls might be back on the Panthers.
 * Chapter 17:** At the beginning at this chapter, the President announced his thoughts on steroids, and how he thought they were an unfair advantage in sports, and not fair to the people who actually practiced to get to their goal. Throughout the chapter, many IRS agents and FDA agents tried to eliminate as much steroids as possible. People like Jack MacGregor, Jeff Novitzky, and Terry Madden eradicated Mexican steroids and some American. I think in the next chapter, there will be a huge war between the FDA and the Steroid users/Sellers.


 * Chapter 18:** In this chapter, Jack MacGregor and Don Catlin said that they would join forces and try to take out the steroids. Kneller was driving a car in china with his wife, until he sped out of control, and his car exploded, but he and his wife just got out in time. When he woke up, he found out the doctors have to amputate his arm. He told his wife that they need to go. Although most steroid dealers have been locked up, Victor Conte is still out and trying to sell as much as he can, and avoiding the IRS. I think in the next chapter, the steroid dealers and agents will continue fighting.


 * Chapter 19:** When Kneller returned to the U.S., he went to the post office to mail some steroids. Little did he know, there was a surveilance camera that was spying on him the whole time, and the IRS discovered 242060 capsules and 4578 grams of white powder. Barry Bonds was also found to have steroids, and his career had come to an end. I think in the next chapter, the battle will finally end.


 * Chapter 20:** In this chapter, Don Catlin and many other steroid investigators take out a lot of steroid users like Victor Conte and Kneller. In the end, they finally admit to the public what steroids can really do, and how bad they really are.

Muckraking:
The author uses the techniques of showing people concealed information by sharing stories from other peoples views and how they researched it and found it out. For example, Don Catlin at the end of the book explains the effect of steroids and how bad they can mess somebody up. The author also uses examples of people like Lyle Alzaldo, who ended up dying of cancer due to steroids, and was the first example of steroids being a danger to society. Another example was Dan Duchaine, who used and sold Steroids all of his life, and he depended on them to make a living, but in the end, they were his own demise. The author uncovers information like steroids can kill, they can be addicting which will lead to overuse, and people sell them like drugs on the road, and they are very profitable but illegal to sell.