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war operates as a tool of oppression in communities of color as biased arrest, convictions, sentences, and jail terms place a disproportionate number of Blacks and Hispanics/Latinos in confinement. He argues that the drug war damages neighborhoods already made vulnerable by austerity and anti-drug rhetoric and politics contributed to the emergence of a drug war industry, deepening the inequality gap as wealthy prison and defense corporations make a profit while the poor are imprisoned. Goldsmith recommends harm reduction, decriminalization, and legalization with regulation as central policy approaches to adequately addressing the drug issues in American cities. He argues that drug use will only decrease with the comprehensive rehabilitation of city neighborhoods, and that rehabilitation requires federal and state support. Goldsmith’s historical analysis of policies around austerity, schools, food, and drugs seamlessly threaded together by themes of power and inequality provides the reader with a solid understanding of the issues. However, this book does not offer the “progressive plan” promised in the title. I believe that Goldsmith’s recommendations lack the complexity necessary to provide a robust framework for national policy objectives. American has a unique history of dispossession, colonialism, slavery, and oppression deeply embedded in present-day political, social, and economic structures and cultures. The election of President Donald Trump, a few months after the publication of this book, illuminated how entrenched these structures and cultures are in U.S. society as we have seen national leadership that vehemently opposes to any progressive urban policy. Goldsmith’s recommendations seem to lack a critical consideration of this culture of America and little efforts connect policy improvements to structural and cultural changes. For example, in the U.S. context, focusing on equality, and looking to Finland as a model, is not a sufficient solution to saving our cities, because of this distinct oppressive history. Developing equality in policies will not address generational gaps in health, wealth, and prosperity caused by intentional and strategic tactics to maintain white privilege gained in colonialism. Thus, inequality will persist. One way to remedy this is to consider reparations for past harm, and Goldsmith fails to adequately include these topics in his policy approaches. While his advocacy for planners and policymakers to consider each topic in a comprehensive approach to improving American cities is motivating, I wished that Goldsmith would have engaged planning more in his analysis and recommendations. He does not clearly situate planning in the context of the school or drug conversations. Even though these are new topics in the field, it would be helpful to provide some examples of how planners could engage in these policy areas in meaningful ways. Even with these minor frustrations, Saving Our Cities provides an insightful analysis of austerity, schools, food, and drug as central policy areas afflicting American cities. While this book does not provide a progressive plan that fits the current political context, it can inspire planners to develop national policy frameworks for improving U.S. cities.