Motor City

Jefferson, an attorney and advocate against child exploitation and sex slavery as well as an author, successfully sheds light on the inefficacy of America’s “war on drugs.” Jefferson uses protagonists David (D-Money) and Solomon (Cali) Johnson, two boys struggling against poverty in 1960s Detroit, as the vehicles for her message. Their story is set against a backdrop that deftly combines historical facts, quotations, and observations, through which Jefferson dynamically paints America’s ever-changing sociopolitical and cultural landscape. Though the story of the Johnson brothers provides some thread for Jefferson’s message, their story and details are so generalized and sparsely scattered throughout the narrative that they are lost in the shuffle. This is especially true toward the end of the book, in which Jefferson explains the process and ramifications of the Johnson brothers’ ineffective counsel, blurring the line between fact and fiction. Although Jefferson’s language is straightforward and her views are compelling regarding the politics of the war on drugs and how it has led to discrimination and victimization of certain ethnic groups, at times, her oversimplified and sweeping claims detract from the strength of her argument. But the book delivers its message, especially with the suggested discussion topics at the end of the book. (BookLife)