The basis of Martin Scorcese's acclaimed 2003 film; The Gangs of New York is a dramatic and entertaining glimpse at a city's dark past.Focusing on the saloon halls; gambling dens; and winding alleys of the Bowery and the notorious Five Points district; The Gangs of New York dramatically evokes the destitution and shocking violence of a turbulent era; when colorfully named criminals like Dandy John Dolan; Bill the Butcher; and Hell-Cat Maggie lurked in the shadows; and infamous gangs like the Plug Uglies; the Dead Rabbits; and the Bowery Boys ruled the streets. A rogues' gallery of prostitutes; pimps; poisoners; pickpockets; murderers; and thieves; Herbert Asbury's whirlwind tour through the low life of nineteenth-century New York has become an indispensible classic of urban history.
#9127 in Books Vintage 2012-07-24 2012-07-24Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.96 x 1.37 x 5.19l; 1.47 #File Name: 0307278247720 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Rise of the HomogenoceneBy Thomas J. ElpelAfter his best-selling book; 1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus; Charles Mann wrote a sequel; 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created.1491 reconstructs what North and South America were like before European contact; showing that the Americas were among the most densely populated regions of the world. Some of the cities in Mesoamerica and South America were bigger and more sophisticated than Europe’s most advanced cities at the time.1493 chronicles global changes resulting from the interaction between continents; what Mann calls the Homogenocene; rewriting global ecosystems through the transportation of immigrants; slaves; new crop plants; livestock; pests; and diseases. Mann shows how malaria imported from Africa shaped colonies and influenced slavery in the New World; and how African colonization was often a bigger force in reshaping the Americas than European colonization. He shows how exploited riches of gold and silver sparked global trade networks and enriched some; but also flooded the markets with such vast wealth as to devalue precious metals and cause economic collapse instead of prosperity. Mann follows the trail of American crops that were introduced to the rest of the world; such as potatoes; tomatoes; maize; sweet potatoes; and rubber; showing how American foods helped stabilize and grow European populations; fueling global empire-building; and of course; crashes such as the Irish potato famine. From Asia to the Americas to Europe; Mann demonstrates how the discovery of the Americas reshaped the entire world; for better or worse; into a more homogenous mix of people; crops; and pests. It is a great read for understanding world history and the roots of globalization.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. This book is best suited for history buffs in that it contained somewhat ...By DocThis book is best suited for history buffs in that it contained somewhat more detail than I was interested in. (I have a PhD; but not in history; so I am reasonably well educated and am curious by nature.) It is; nonetheless; well written and generally engaging.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. 1493 Uses Latest Research to Update Our View of the New WorldBy Hammarhead1493 uses latest findings to highlight a more up to date of what the lands Columbus others "discovered" was in reality much different then taught in schools. The book reveals some surprising conclusions; such as the role the meeting of how Chinese Spanish explorers interacted in the Pacific. Fascinating what we thought was far different from what actually was when different cultures interacted.
