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Bezig met laden... The Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the Underworld (origineel 1928; editie 2008)door Herbert Asbury (Auteur)
Informatie over het werkThe Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the Underworld door Herbert Asbury (1928)
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Meld je aan bij LibraryThing om erachter te komen of je dit boek goed zult vinden. Op dit moment geen Discussie gesprekken over dit boek. Really needs an overall narrative or sociological argument/insight to tie everything together. As it is, a series of repetitive anecdotes with very few having the sort of interesting detail to make them stand out. ( ) I love to read about the squalid splendor of old New York, of the Five Points, the Bowery, of its sexology and night life. Alas and alack, those topics left their cards but didn't stay in this account of gangland during a century ending about 1925. Concentrations here include street fighting, assassins, and turf wars, topics which are tangential at best to my reading interests. Further descent came from a chapter mostly devoted to the tools and techniques one might need to enter a bank vault and two longish chapters narrating the 1863 draft riots, an event which the author admits has almost no nexus with the gangs, save that many of the participants were members of gangs. The author occasionally deploys a tongue-in-cheek whimsy to good effect, but overall his style is competent but plodding. The book details the rise and fall of 19th century gangs in New York City, prior to the domination of the Italian-American Mafia during Prohibition in the 1920s. Focusing on the saloon halls, gambling dens, and winding alleys of the Bowery and the Five Points district of Lower Manhattan, the book evokes the destitution and violence of a turbulent era, when colorfully named criminals like "Dandy" Johnny Dolan, William Poole (also known as Bill the Butcher), and Hell-Cat Maggie lurked in the shadows, and infamous gangs including the Plug Uglies, Dead Rabbits, and Bowery Boys ruled the streets. It includes a rogues' gallery of prostitutes, pimps, poisoners, pickpockets, murderers, and thieves. The book contains detailed accounts of the New York City draft riots in 1863. It also elaborates on numerous other criminal influences of the time, including river pirates and the corrupt political establishment such as Tammany Hall.[1] A raucous history of the early 19th century underbelly of New York City, replete with accounts of brutal gang warfare and Boss Tweed-era Tammany Hall political machination. Dime-novel storytelling, not actual history. A mostly riveting, edge-of-your-seat account of lowlife Americana: lots of whisky, fisticuffs, brick-throwing, and bullets from the corrupt NYPD. geen besprekingen | voeg een bespreking toe
Verwijzingen naar dit werk in externe bronnen. Wikipedia in het Engels (208)A New York Times Bestseller Looking at the lurid side of organized crime from the 1800's to Prohibition, this is a tour through a now unrecognizable city of abysmal poverty and habitual violence. Asbury presents the definitive work on this subject, an illumination of the gangs of old New York that ultimately gave rise to the modern Mafia. Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
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Google Books — Bezig met laden... GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)364.106097471Social sciences Social problems and services; associations Criminology Crimes and OffensesLC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde:
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