The gangs of New York : an informal history of the underworld

Summary: First published in 1928, Herbert Asbury's whirlwind tour through the low life of nineteenth-century New York has become an indispensable classic of urban history. Focusing on the saloon halls, gambling dens, and winding alleys of the Bowery and the notorious Five Points district, <i>The Gangs of New York</i> dramatically evokes the destitution and shocking violence of a turbulent era, when colorfully names 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, <i>The Gangs of New York</i> is a dramatic and entertaining glimpse at a city's dark past.