Meet Money Rock. He’s young. He’s charismatic. He’s one of Charlotte’s most successful cocaine dealers, and that’s what first prompted veteran reporter Pam Kelley to craft this social history of a striving African American family, swept up and transformed by the 1980s cocaine epidemic.
...[a] gripping tale ... Using interviews with key players that are skillfully placed in historical context, she shows how the vestiges of Jim Crow and the launch of the War on Drugs transformed three generations of Platt’s family ... It’s often difficult to see how decisions made by legislators in Washington DC and in capitals around the country affect the lives of ordinary individuals. In Pam Kelley’s telling of Belton Platt’s story that connection is too clear to ignore.
...a novel-style case study ... This book would pair well with Richard Rothstein's The Color of Law as a study of the effects of segregated housing ... An incisive take on uncovering causal analysis into the often overlooked criminal headlines. Highly recommended for those interested in urban or black studies.
...[an] in-depth report ... The author’s debut encompasses many aspects of Platt’s plight and creates a unique, engrossing reading experience. A fascinating and hard-hitting story about drugs, crime, faith, and retribution.
