Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Low Life : Lures and Snares of Old New York by Luc Sante ISBN: 0-374-52899-3 Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux Pub. Date: 24 November, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.65 (26 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: New York City's 19th century underclass
Comment: Luc Santé has written this wonderful book about the social history of New York City from the 1840s to WWI, with a particular emphasis on the very late 1800s. The author is interested in the 'low life' of the book's title, by which he means the working poor, the unemployed, and especially, the criminal element. Interwoven with this social history is a discussion of the physical environment of New York City (tenement architecture, the street grid, the elevated trains), as well as the literature of the era. The chapters, which are arranged by topic, include such things as tenement life, famous theatrical acts of the era, infamous saloons (the worst of which were merely fronts for mugging customers), the role of narcotics, gambling rackets, prostitution, the life of the typical policeman, and the first instance of neighborhood gentrification (Greenwich Village). Throughout it all, Santé enables the reader to imagine being there. The end result is a delight to read, giving the reader vivid insights into New York history that are overlooked in most history books.
Rating: 3
Summary: In the right hands this book would have been brilliant
Comment: The subject matter is fascinating. The real old New York bears little resemblance to how most people imagine it. It's a filthy, violent, crime-ridden place filled with political chicanery. That said, the book should have been gripping. Unfortunately, Mr. Sante covers the subject in such a dry, text book fashion that there is no sense of atmosphere. It is a book that you have to "get through," not one that calls to you.
Please don't misunderstand - the history itself is great, but it falls prey to the old Style vs. Substance question. The answer is - ya gotta have some of both. It's a shame, really. It could have been such a good book.
Rating: 5
Summary: REALLY cool
Comment: Its just a cool book about old new york. All the sleeze and scum and drugs and prostitution and raw sewage of society is here to learn about. Learn about this amazing city before it became the glorious place with million dollar condo's and uppedy stores on 57th Street.
 |
Title: The Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the Underworld by Herbert Asbury, Jorge Luis Borges ISBN: 1560252758 Publisher: Thunder's Mouth Press Pub. Date: 10 October, 2001 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
 |
Title: Five Points: The 19th Century New York City Neighborhood That Invented Tap Dance, Stole Elections, and Became the World's Most Notorious Slum by Tyler Anbinder ISBN: 0452283612 Publisher: Plume Pub. Date: October, 2002 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
 |
Title: How the Other Half Lives: Studies Among the Tenements of New York (Penguin Classics) by Jacob A. Riis, Luc Sante ISBN: 0140436790 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: November, 1997 List Price(USD): $9.95 |
 |
Title: Banished Children of Eve, A Novel of Civil War New York by Peter Quinn ISBN: 0140230033 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: March, 1995 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
 |
Title: The Five Points : by Rocco Dormarunno ISBN: 0595204465 Publisher: Writers Club Press Pub. Date: 12 November, 2001 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
