At times brutal, at times strangely and sublimely elegant, Crackin' Up by The SwankMaster is a story of struggle, despair and, ultimately, hope. Set on the dark streets of the inner city, this gripping and timely novel demystifies a feared, despised, and maligned faction of society; it serves as an evocative portrait of a crack addict. Written in street vernacular, the grit and grind of life as an addict is epitomized as the author follows the trails and trials of three crack-heads. Not without a macabre humor at times, readers watch as Keela, Shank, and B-rye tumble headlong into a world of petty crime and hustling. It doesn't take long before confrontations with the police ensue. Shedding light on a dark corner of society, the author not only gives a voice to its people but also shows its reasons and politics.