Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to review. A mix of history and memoir, When Crack Was King explores the crack epidemic in the United States. Carefully researched, Ramsey weaves together stories of how policies shaped the idea of crack and its users- treatment vs policing and punishment. The personal stories of former users, dealers, and a politician made it more than just a history of policy or people sharing their story, helping to show how policy and culture shaped the crack epidemic. The end of the book seemed a little repetitive.