How the Other Half Lives (Penguin Classics) - Softcover

Published in 1890, Jacob Riis's remarkable study of the horrendous living conditions of the poor in New York City had an immediate impact on society, inspiring reforms that affected the lives of millions of people. Riis takes the reader on a tour of New York's slums, bringing to life the various ethnic groups - Italians, Jews, 'Bohemians', Blacks and Chinese - in vivid descriptions of their habits and traditions. Cataloguing the effects of poverty, alcohol and lack of education, Riis pioneered the style of crusading journalism that continues today.