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C.S. Poe's Reviews > The Gangs of New York
The Gangs of New York
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Asbury’s Gangs of New York is a very long-winded, dry, and tedious account of my favorite period in New York City history. It’s absolutely not a title I would suggest anyone read for mere pleasure—as I habitually read this subject matter for fun and Asbury’s book was a slog to get through. I would however, suggest it as required reading for those that actively research 19th century Manhattan, especially crime during this time, and so I’ve rated it accordingly—to stress how incredibly useful his content and commentary was.
Gangs of New York covers the expansive history of both disorganized and organized crime in Manhattan, for the most part taking place in the Five Points and Bowery region of the island, all the way into the new century, which saw the death of the gangster and the birth of the mobster. It really is an absolutely fascinating account that covers some very minute moments in history I’ve not learned about elsewhere and was only able to further research after Asbury provided those pertinent details. Some such examples being the Old Brewery and sewer systems below Gotham Court. Thank you, sir, these little throwaway nuggets you provided became crucial details in my own writing, and truly paint a picture of a long and awful period that so many destitute citizens endured. Asbury also extensively covers gangs like the Dead Rabbits to the Whyos to the Gophers, as well as the Draft Riots—and in these two chapters I was able to confirm details he cites via other research books I’ve read, which is always so exciting.
That being said, there are moments in this book that should be read with a grain of salt, but an astute historian should be able to pick up on which elements are hearsay or perhaps blown out of proportion. It should also be noted that this book was originally written in the 1920s, so Asbury’s approach to non-fiction storytelling is tiresome, at best, and does also include casual racism reminiscent of the time. Despite how mindbogglingly dense the delivery of this content is, I persevered because the information was so useful. That I cannot stress enough. The facts, stories, and pictures within, made this read worth it, although I do not have intentions of ever reading this again.
But thank you, Herbert Asubry. Someone had to cover this content and I’m glad you were so dedicated to the subject.
Gangs of New York covers the expansive history of both disorganized and organized crime in Manhattan, for the most part taking place in the Five Points and Bowery region of the island, all the way into the new century, which saw the death of the gangster and the birth of the mobster. It really is an absolutely fascinating account that covers some very minute moments in history I’ve not learned about elsewhere and was only able to further research after Asbury provided those pertinent details. Some such examples being the Old Brewery and sewer systems below Gotham Court. Thank you, sir, these little throwaway nuggets you provided became crucial details in my own writing, and truly paint a picture of a long and awful period that so many destitute citizens endured. Asbury also extensively covers gangs like the Dead Rabbits to the Whyos to the Gophers, as well as the Draft Riots—and in these two chapters I was able to confirm details he cites via other research books I’ve read, which is always so exciting.
That being said, there are moments in this book that should be read with a grain of salt, but an astute historian should be able to pick up on which elements are hearsay or perhaps blown out of proportion. It should also be noted that this book was originally written in the 1920s, so Asbury’s approach to non-fiction storytelling is tiresome, at best, and does also include casual racism reminiscent of the time. Despite how mindbogglingly dense the delivery of this content is, I persevered because the information was so useful. That I cannot stress enough. The facts, stories, and pictures within, made this read worth it, although I do not have intentions of ever reading this again.
But thank you, Herbert Asubry. Someone had to cover this content and I’m glad you were so dedicated to the subject.
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